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Details released of opening two stages of next May's Women's Tour

Oundle, Northampton, Hinckley and Bedford to host first 2 days of new 5-day race

Towns in two counties in Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire will host the opening two stages of next year’s inaugural Women’s Tour, the new five-day stage race being put together by Tour of Britain organisers, SweetSpot.

Oundle in Northamptonshire will host the start of Stage 1 on Wednesday 7 May, with the finish in Northampton. The following day will see a stage set off from Hinckley in Leicestershire and finish in Bedford, heading back through Northamptonshire on its way.

The race, which will finish on Sunday 11 May, has been granted UCI 2.1 status, equivalent to the biggest women’s stage races such as the Giro Rosa, and is likely to attract a star-studded field.

Heather Smith, the deputy leader of Northamptonshire County Council, commented: "We are very excited that Northamptonshire has been chosen to host the first stage of The Women's Tour.

“This is an opportunity to showcase our beautiful county to the rest of the world as well as promote cycling and women's sport locally, and will be the start of a summer of cycling events.

"I am particularly pleased that Oundle will be the location for the start of the first stage as this beautiful historic town will make a very memorable setting for the first-ever Grand Depart of The Women's Tour.

“And of course Northampton, the county town, is a fantastic place to end this historic first stage,” she added.

Oundle’s mayor, George Higgins, said it was an “honour” for the small market town, home to 5,800 people, to host the opening stage of the inaugural edition of the race.

"We are extremely proud that Oundle has been chosen for the start of the first-ever Women's Tour.

"The picturesque surroundings of our historic town will provide a stunning backdrop to the Grand Depart for cyclists and supporters alike, and we are also planning to organise an exciting programme of activities to celebrate this significant event.

"It's a real honour to host the first stage and the Grand Depart, and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to Oundle next May.”

Earlier this year, outlining initial plans for the race, SweetSpot’s Guy Elliott told road.cc that it envisaged basing the entire event around the East Midlands and the East of England and the locations of the opening two stages seem to confirm that.

Speaking to us in July, he said: “We are planning to take each stage to an old-fashioned county and give each stage its own theme around the county, like Cambridge with the spires and punting on the Cam and so package the race for TV.”

“It’s an area that has not been visited so frequently by the men’s Tour of Britain, but there’s a great appetite for cycling from the local councils,” he went on.

“For example we get great support from Colchester for the Tour Series; last year the start of the Tour of Britain was in Ipswich.

“We want to make sure that to start with the race is on flattish or undulating courses and in future years we will move towards more hilly region.

He added: “We don’t want the race to be decided over one mountain with someone having five minutes lead.”

For Leicestershire County Council, hosting the start of Stage 2 in Hinckley enables it to build on existing initiatives aimed at boosting levels of cycling.

The town sits in rolling countryside and is close to the site of the Battle of Bosworth where King Richard III, whose remains were discovered in Leicester last year, was killed in 1485, enables it to build on existing initiatives aimed at boosting levels of cycling.

The council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, Peter Osborne, said:

"We are delighted to welcome the Women's Tour to Hinckley.

"This visit builds on the work we have been doing to encourage our residents to discover or rediscover a love of cycling and the associated health benefits.

"These cyclists are a real inspiration and are fantastic ambassadors for women's cycling, and it will be wonderful so see them in action in our county.” 

That stage will finish in Bedford, which already hosts the 3 Days of Bedford Women’s International Stage Race.

The town’s mayor, Dave Hodgson, commented: "Bedford Borough has a rich sporting heritage and it is excellent news that we will be hosting The Women's Tour.

"It is very exciting that this prestigious international sporting event will be gracing local roads next May and I am sure local residents of all ages will line the streets and cheer on the world class competitors.”  

SweetSpot says that full details of the routes as well as the start and finish towns of the remaining three stages “will be announced over the coming months.”

The race also has Twitter and Facebook accounts to let you follow the latest news.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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11 comments

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jonmiles | 10 years ago
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This is fantastic news; although the BCF have trumpeted this race they had no imput at all, it is Guy and Mick who will be bringing this race forward and not the BCF.

Stage 2 will be bringing the race to the home of women's racing as it is the home for the 3 Days of Bedford which is now in its 25th year of being organised.

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BigFan | 10 years ago
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The organisers are limited by UCI rules that only allow new women's stage races to be five days. They also made it very clear that to take this race all over Britain would be impractical with very long transfers for riders if that happened. And they have made it clear that by going to the East Midlands the race ticks many boxes for them. They also explained very clearly why they cannot and don't want to bolt the race on to the men's Tour. All well reported on Road CC. It should be a great race with the very best teams in the world and the stage towns they have announced look great. Can't wait to see Oundle packed with women''s racing fans! I wonder if they will get Marianne Vos? Bedford is amazing as that is where we ride the 3 Day!

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James Warrener | 10 years ago
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I am as excited about this being on my doorstep as I am Le Tour. Which is a good sign.

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VeloPeo | 10 years ago
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Pretty sure they're planning to keep in mostly in the Home Counties/Midlands for the first year at least - mainly to keep running costs for the event and the teams down. It'll expand over the years if it proves successful

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mickcee | 10 years ago
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Hoping to get a North East stage. Cant jsut keep it all down south!

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Cleighton | 10 years ago
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For more information on Cycling in Northamptonshire, please follow the Official Northamptonshire Highways' Cycle Northants Team @CycleNorthants. We look forward to hearing from you!

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dunnoh | 10 years ago
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Great stuff. Although if they truly "give each stage its own theme around the county" then Hinckley's should be drinking and fighting!

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Ghostie | 10 years ago
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Still three more stages to announce though. I presume that they are going to move elsewhere in the country and incorporate an ITT. This should be a good race. I'd also like to see this turn into the women's equivalent of the Tour de France over the time eventually with more stages added, and obviously without being in France.

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mooleur replied to Ghostie | 10 years ago
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Ghostie wrote:

Still three more stages to announce though. I presume that they are going to move elsewhere in the country and incorporate an ITT. This should be a good race. I'd also like to see this turn into the women's equivalent of the Tour de France over the time eventually with more stages added, and obviously without being in France.

Why can't it just be an equivalent of the ToB (as it is supposed to be)?

We're already petitioning for a TdF seperately (we used to have one but they took it away), this should remain as a similar format as the ToB in which continental and domestic teams can run together. It's great exposure and experience for dommy teams and in the same thread nice for the conti's to race against a different peloton.

Anyway, hell yeah, I can't wait!

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thebungle | 10 years ago
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Good stuff  1

Start small and get progressively bigger, IMO it will show that there is no need to 'piggy back' on to the mens' races and that it should be a worthy race on it's own merits.

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ragtimecyclist replied to thebungle | 10 years ago
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thebungle wrote:

Good stuff  1

Start small and get progressively bigger, IMO it will show that there is no need to 'piggy back' on to the mens' races and that it should be a worthy race on it's own merits.

Absolutely - If the turnout of British fans in any way matches the general enthusiasm i'm always hearing about women's cycling the Tour will have no problem. Really looking forward to this.

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