Return of Women's Tour in Suffolk is just the boost the county needs
Leaders in the county have welcomed the news that the tour will be returning
It's shaping up to be great summer for Suffolk with the return of the Women's Tour welcomed by leaders in the county.
The opening leg will this year take place across Suffolk and Essex.
It will kick off on Monday 6th June in Colchester before racers cross the finish line in Bury St Edmunds.
The race was established in 2014, and forms part of the prestigious UCI Women's World Tour
Women's Tour Press Car
The event first took place in Bury St Edmunds back in 2014, nearly a decade later it's making its return.
We spoke to those involved in the organisation process as well as local council men and women to see what this means for Suffolk.
Rebecca Hopfensperger is from Suffolk County Council: "It started here in 2014, so we have a good tradition of supporting the women's tour here in Bury Saint Edmund, businesses come together communities come together, schools get involved and really do make a good event of it and I am sure the same thing will happen again
"The Suffolk County Council has been helping arrange and supporting the tour."
"And it's absolutely great for Bury Saint Edmans and indeed for Suffolk ... and I think it's something after the two years that we've all had, it's really important to bring communities together to celebrate such a great event and to celebrate inspirational women at the elite of their career, so it's really important to bring people together. "
Derek Davis is from Babergh District Council: "It's a real feel good event...Absolutely wonderful event, there were thousands of people who came out to support the tour, school children got actively involved, there was live music. t was a really wonderful carnival like atmosphere... I think Suffolk's got a lot to look forward to this summer.
"It's wonderful to have it in Suffolk... it shows off the county at its best."
He also told us how he hopes this will encourage people to become more active.
We spoke to Jonathan Durling, Partnerships Director at SweetSpot Group Ltd, who has worked with Active Suffolk to make the event happen: "If you come to the start or the finish of the stage you can come up to them, you can hear about their stories.
"The womens tour for me is our most special race and its something about the athletes themselves, they are so engaging with the communities.
"The are so accessible and engaging."
Councillor Hopfensperger also commented on the athletes saying seeing them is "amazing and what an inspiration they are for future generations to come.
"I was here in 2014 and just seeing peoples faces in the crowds as these women whizz by in a blur, but the smiles on their faces and the young people just looking up and them and thinking, wow perhaps one day I can do that. "
Jonathan Durling described the event as "just amazing it always gives us a tingle up our spine every time we do the women's tour because you come away from it feeling so inspired and enthusiastic."