Olav Kooij takes first win as Manchester kicks off Tour of Britain
The first stage took the racers around Greater Manchester
Last updated 3rd Sep 2023
The Tour of Britain 2023 has officially begun after the first stage of the come to end in Manchester city centre.
Starting in Altrincham in the south of the region, over a hundred racers made their way around each of Greater Manchester's boroughs before a final sprint along Deansgate.
Hundreds of people lined the streets along the Trafford town's Market Street as the racers began their 160-kilometre journey.
After taking off from Altrincham, the bikers swooped around the south of the region, stopping by Wilmslow and Hazel Grove before making their way eastwards.
The peleton took a backseat as the breakaway riders powered their way through the course, which then followed through Tameside and into Rochdale's town centre.
After journeying through Greater Manchester, the course then took the riders into Lancashire, brushing past towns like Chorley and Rivington, where cycling fans and local residents poured out onto the country roads.
As the riders took on the country hills, they made their way to the outermost parts of the region as they passed through Wigan before turning to face the city centre.
At one point, a crash occurred in the race, which then delayed a number of riders, and widening the gaps between the peleton and those at the top of the course.
The race heated up as it neared its end, with the frontrunners falling behind to join the rest of the riders as they pedalled their way through the streets of Salford.
Finally, things came to a head as 21-year-old Dutchman Olav Kooij steamed ahead in a last-minute up Manchester's iconic Deansgate.
Kooij was given a massive welcome from the local crowd, who cheered in enthusiasm and encouragement as he made it over the finish line in just over three and a half hours.
The 21-year-old also cleaned up at the podium, earning the yellow jersey, alongside the white Young Rider jersey and the green King of the Mountains top.
The second stage of the 2023 Tour will take the professional cyclists to Wales with a large loop beginning and ending in Wrexham.