The rain fell again on the fifth stage of the Tour of Britain, but had no dampening effect on the riders.
Another day of enthralling racing unfolded on the Queen stage of this year’s race, one whose denouement came with a double ascent of Caerphilly mountain.
The ever-increasing popularity of the Tour of Britain among the stars of cycling’s elite UCI WorldTour owes much to its position on the calendar just weeks before the world championships.
Any rider hoping for a quiet week of ‘tapering’, however, will have received a rude awakening this year, when the weather and the intensity of the competition have combined to provide a test to rival the Belgian races of early spring.
Photographer, Paul Hayes-Watkins, was among those who braved the weather to capture these stunning images, which we bring you with his kind permission.
