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OK so the Tour de France is over… but the Tour of Britain is just around the corner and this year it will be even bigger and better with several top continental teams taking on the best in the UK. It’s a great chance to see the racing up close and on our doorsteps (well mostly…)
Anyway, the Tour of Britain will return to the West Midlands for a consecutive year on Friday 1 September with a new stage start in Wolverhampton.
Starting off at Market Square in Wolverhampton, the route will take in the towns and cities of Newport, Stafford, Cannock, Lichfield and Walsall, before a finish at Millennium Point in Birmingham.
Elite cyclist Kristian House, who rides for the Recycling.co.uk team and Event Director Tony Doyle, unveiled the route across the West Midlands at a launch today (26 July) in Wolverhampton.
This year’s Tour of Britain will be the strongest field of cyclists Britain has ever seen. World Champion Tom Boonen from Belgium, holder of the Tour de France yellow jersey for three days, recently confirmed he will ride the Tour for Quickstep Innergetic. It is also expected that Tour de France winner, Flloyd Landis from the US will ride for the Phonak iShares team.
The Tour of Britain is a blue riband cycling event that takes place on a world stage, attracting regional, national and international interest.
Hugh Roberts, Chief Executive of the Tour of Britain said: “I am delighted that the Tour will be returning to the West Midlands in 2006. The stage promises to be an exciting and challenging one for the riders and I am sure the local residents will provide great support and encouragement to all of the teams competing.
“I would like to thank Birmingham Midshires and the city councils of both Wolverhampton and Birmingham who have made a return to the West Midlands possible.”
