COLCHESTER is to host the opening stage of one of the biggest all-female cycle races in world.
Renowned cyclists will set off from Colchester Sports Park when the eighth edition of the Women’s Tour gets underway on June 6.
The opening leg of the race will head into Colchester town centre and through the wider borough before crossing into Suffolk, with the stage’s finishing line planned for Angel Hill in Bury St Edmunds.
The £29million sports park hosted the start of stage five of the tour last October, attracting more than 5,000 spectators and contributing £130,000 to the local economy.
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Last October, the world’s top female cyclists, including five-time world champion Ellen van Dijk, raced between Colchester and Clacton during stage five.
In contrast to last year’s event, it will only “brush” the outskirts of Tendring at Ardleigh and/or Manningtree this summer.
The event will once again showcase the state-of-the-art park in the Northern Gateway, which features a one-mile, closed-road cycling circuit, before the excitement races through the town centre.
Leader of Colchester Council Paul Dundas hailed the “fantastic news” Colchester is set to host this summer’s Grand Depart.
He said: “We look forward to welcoming residents and visitors to the town to cheer on the riders and hopefully be inspired to get cycling for themselves.
“In 2021, nearly 50,000 spectators from outside Suffolk and Essex came to our region to enjoy the Women’s Tour and we look forward to showcasing this international competition once again to attract even more visitors to the region.”
Sam Good, Business Improvement District manager at Our Colchester, added: “It was a real coup for Colchester to host the Women’s Tour in 2021, a year that saw its fair share of challenges for the business community.
“The buzz that was created both locally and nationally had a really positive impact on Colchester as a whole and we look forward to its welcome return this summer.
“Events like this, which bring people and businesses together, help instil a feeling of pride in the town and showcase to residents, visitors, and workers the many exciting things happening in Colchester.”
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