Dorset to host Tour of Britain for first time ever
Hundreds of the world's greatest riders will head to the county in September.
Dorset will play a starring role when the Tour of Britain, the UK’s most prestigious cycle race, heads there for the first time in 2022.
The historic county will host the penultimate stage of the race on Saturday 10 September, as the eight-stage event works its way down from Aberdeenshire to the Isle of Wight.
Over 100 of the world’s best riders will compete in the 18th edition of the race, with a large crowd comprising both local residents and cycling fans expected to turn out for this unforgettable, free-to-watch spectacle.
While it may be the modern race’s first visit to Dorset, the county welcomed the Milk Race – a semi-professional forerunner of the Tour of Britain – on multiple occasions during the 1970s and 1980s.
The full route for stage seven, including the start and finish locations, will be revealed in due course.
Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain race director, said:
“Announcing the locations of the Tour of Britain stages is always a day I look forward to greatly, as I know how much people want to watch the race from their own doorsteps!
“It is always exciting to be taking the Tour of Britain to new regions, so to have our first Dorset stage this September is truly one to look forward to, and we look forward to showcasing the beautiful countryside and spectacular coastline to our global audience.”
Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:
“I am delighted that we’re working with Tour of Britain to host the penultimate stage of their fantastic cycle race. Events such as these support our local economy by attracting visitors, providing entertainment for our residents and helping raise Dorset’s profile nationally. We will share details of what’s happening on our road network as the race approaches, and I look forward to cheering on all the competitors later in the year.”
Today’s announcement forms part of the race’s host region reveal, which also confirmed a much-anticipated return to Yorkshire and a first-ever full stage in Gloucestershire.
This year’s Tour of Britain will visit the following regions:
Stage one Sunday 4 September Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Stage two Monday 5 September South of Scotland
Stage three Tuesday 6 September North East of England and Sunderland
Stage four Wednesday 7 September Redcar & Cleveland and North Yorkshire
Stage five Thursday 8 September Nottinghamshire
Stage six Friday 9 September Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire
Stage seven Saturday 10 September Dorset
Stage eight Sunday 11 September Isle of Wight
Last year’s star-studded race was won by Belgian rider Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo – Visma), with reigning world road race champion Julian Alaphilippe finishing third overall.
A roadside crowd of over one million spectators resulted in the Tour of Britain generating £29.96m of net economic benefit for the UK economy, according to research by Frontline. The race is a finalist in the Sporting Event of the Year category at the Event Production Awards, which takes place in London next Thursday (17 February).