Warrington to Host 2021 Tour of Britain Stage Finish

Get in loser, we’re going to Warrington. Lovely place, there’s an IKEA and… uh… we went to a wedding reception there once too. It’s hosting a Tour of Britain stage finish for the first time ever this year, way out on September 9.

Although it’s the first time the town has been a host venue, the race did pass through on its way to the Knowsley Safari Park in 2012. We’re having 2006 DerailedUK flashbacks typing all these place names out. Since Warrington is on the River Mersey, here’s some music to enjoy while we finish the article:

SweetSpot, the Tour of Britain’s organizer, has been quiet about releasing route details thus far. That’s likely because the race is returning from a 722 day absence following its Covid-19 cancelation in 2020, and they’re still treading on eggshells to navigate the new norm of hosting a bike race.

They tell us “SweetSpot are working closely with British Cycling, the UCI and stakeholders across England, Wales and Scotland in order to monitor the health situation in the UK and to meet any requirements in place for outdoor sports events in September to ensure that the Tour of Britain can take place safely.”

The race is scheduled to run from Sunday 5 September and Sunday 12 September 2021, taking riders from Penzance to Aberdeen. It will be the first edition of the race to be a part of the UCI ProSeries. Beyond Warrington, however, we don’t know much about the places between the start and finish over that week: SweetSpot tell us that there will be further announcements about host venues in the coming weeks, and full route details in the summer.

Warrington Borough Council Leader, Cllr Russ Bowden, said: “Being chosen as a host venue for the Tour of Britain is a huge honour for Warrington and it’s fantastic news that the event will be going ahead in September. It’s been a long wait, but I’m delighted that our town will finally have the chance to play its part in British cycling’s most high-profile, prestigious event. The Tour of Britain 2021 will bring huge benefits to our town, boosting the local economy, bringing an influx of visitors and showcasing our sporting credentials to a global audience. We also want ensure being a host venue serves as a catalyst for inspiring many more local people to take up cycling, supporting our plans to build sustainable travel into our future. September is set to be a hugely significant and exciting month for Warrington”.

Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain race director, said: “There are few places finer than the Golden Gates to finish an international sporting event outside, so Warrington is going to be showcased to the world in all its glory come September. Based on the reception the Tour of Britain got when the 2012 race passed through, I have no doubt that the local residents will turn out en masse to watch the world’s best riders in action pass by – all for free, too!”

ITV4 will broadcast live coverage of every moment of every stage, as well as a nightly highlights show. How things have changed, huh.