As Tour of Britain comes to Northamptonshire, tourism chief keen to see more major events

The penultimate stage of Britain's biggest professional cycling event is coming to Northamptonshire, and one of the area's tourism chiefs says he's excited with what our area can offer.

The Tour of Britain gets underway here at 11am Saturday 7th September at the University of Northampton's Waterside Campus.

Along the way the race will pass through Daventry, followed by a loop south of the town through villages including Abthorpe, Wappenham, Helmdon, Culworth, Byfield and Hellidon, before looping around Northampton via Watford, West Haddon, Naseby, Kelmarsh and Brixworth for the approach to the finish via Sywell and Ecton.

During the stage riders will tackle a pair of categorised King of the Mountains climbs at Newnham Hill and Bulls Hill, just south of Daventry, and an intermediate sprint at Holcot, at the eastern end of the Pitsford Water causeway.

It's the 20th edition of Britain's biggest professional cycle race, the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men, and the first time it has come to Northampton.

West Northants Councillor for economic development and growth Daniel Lister says Northampton has lots to offer:

"There's no where else where you have rugby, cricket, motorsport, football, you;ve got the highest concentration of privately owned country houses, you've got one of only four Round Churches, you've got one of the best Norman Churches in the country, the best Saxon Church in the country in Brixworth, and so many varied different things."

Part of the Women's Rugby World cup is due to be played here next year as well.

Paris 2024 Olympic Games gold medallists Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers), are taking part in the race, which began in Kelso, Scottish Borders earlier this week Tuesday (3 September). It's also taken in Darlington and South Yorkshire and will head to Suffolk.

Find out more about road closures for the Tour of Britain here.

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