Cycling Tour of Britain to return to Gateshead in 2021

Gateshead will return to the Tour of Britain route in 2021, race organisers SweetSpot and British Cycling have today announced, hosting the finish of Stage Six on Friday 10 September.

It will mark the fourth time that Gateshead has featured on the route of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race and the first time that the town has held a finish of the race since 2009. In September 2019 a stage of the Tour of Britain began in Gateshead before crossing the Pennines to finish in Kendal.

Councillor Angela Douglas, Gateshead Council's Cabinet member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said: "Gateshead has a strong reputation for hosting major international sporting events and we are thrilled to welcome the return of this premier cycling event. It was fantastic to see thousands of residents and schoolchildren line the streets to show their support in 2019.

“Gateshead's iconic Angel of the North and our beautiful countryside will once again provide the riders and spectators with a spectacular backdrop to this stage of the race.

"Events of a national scale like the Tour of Britain help inspire spectators of all ages as well as providing a welcome boost to the local economy.

“It is also a fitting way to celebrate a great sporting weekend as it coincides with the start of the weekend celebration of the Great North Run."

Stage Six will begin in Cumbria with the location of the start and more details of the route and the finish location in Gateshead will be announced in the summer.

The Tour of Britain is scheduled to take place between Sunday 5 and Sunday 12 September 2021, starting at Penzance in Cornwall and finishing in the Scottish city of Aberdeen as previously announced.

Commenting on the announcement, Hugh Roberts the Chief Executive of race organisers SweetSpot said: "We are excited to reveal more details of this year’s Tour of Britain and what is truly an epic route - one that will take us from the furthest tip of south west England, through Wales, and eventually finishing at one of the furthest points of north east Scotland.

“We want to make September not just about the world-class racing and superstar riders but also through our campaign, Ride for Heroes, to ensure it is a celebration of ‘all things British’ and make it an occasion for ourselves and British Cycling to thank all those who have worked tirelessly over the past year to ensure our wellbeing and safety. The SweetSpot team are determined that not only will there be great racing to enjoy but the Tour of Britain will also be way by which communities across the country can come together and show their appreciation for our COVID heroes over the past 12 months.”

British Cycling’s head of sport and major events, Jonathan Day, said: “Though the Tour of Britain as we know and love it today has evolved since its reincarnation in 2004, the foundations of the race have remained true – challenging and exciting routes, a peloton brimming with the world’s best teams and riders, and brilliant crowds.

“We pride ourselves on the Tour of Britain being the biggest and most prestigious cycle race in the UK. As we look ahead to its return after postponement in 2020 we’re sure that the riders on show – who will be going shoulder to shoulder from Cornwall to Aberdeen over eight days – will make this latest edition one of the most spectacular yet.”

This year’s race is scheduled to take place following an absence of 722 days since the culmination of the 2019 Tour of Britain in Greater Manchester due to the cancellation of the 2020 event because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be the first edition of the race to be a part of the UCI ProSeries.

Event organisers SweetSpot are working closely with British Cycling, the UCI and stakeholders across England, Wales and Scotland in order to monitor the public 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.

Together British Cycling and organisers SweetSpot will use each stage of the Tour of Britain this September to celebrate and show their thanks to Britain’s key workers and community heroes. Each day will play host to a special cycle ride at the start and finish giving the chance to show our appreciation to the unsung members of Britain’s cycling community.

The full routes of all eight stages of the Tour of Britain stages will be announced in the summer including information about the ŠKODA King of the Mountains and intermediate Sprints. ITV4 will continue to broadcast live flag-to-flag coverage of every stage, as well as a nightly highlights show, allowing fans in the UK to watch wherever they are.

With cycling enjoying a boom in the UK, and hundreds of thousands of new and returning cyclists taking to two wheels, there are a range sponsorship opportunities with the Tour of Britain for brands looking be associated with Britain’s biggest professional cycling event. Opportunities exist from title sponsors of the Tour of Britain to on a regional level to support individual stages.