The route for stage three of the inaugural Tour of Britain Women has today been unveiled as Warrington prepares to host the world’s best riders and teams on Saturday 8 June.
The peloton will have amassed over 280km and 3,800m of climbing in the opening two days of racing in Wales before crossing the border to arrive in Warrington for day three.
As the flattest of the four stages, Warrington’s crowds are expected to see the first bunch sprint finish of the 2024 tour and incredible speeds as riders do battle over the 106.8km stage.
Stage 3: Warrington – Warrington (106.8km, 792m ascent)
The stage will start and finish in front of the iconic Golden Gates of Warrington Town Hall, with riders set to depart at 11:00.
The peloton will immediately head south, crossing the River Mersey and Great Manchester Canal, passing the stunning Walton Hall and Gardens and then on through the picturesque Cheshire West and Chester villages of Higher Whitley, Great Budworth and Wincham.
The anti-clockwise route will gradually start to ramp up from around the 25km mark, before the bunch faces the two main climbs of the day, where points in the two Queen of the Mountains (QOM) segments are up for grabs.
Riders will ascend the 5.66km-long climb from Pexhill Road to Broken Cross where the first QOM points will be up for grabs, before descending into Prestbury, which sits in sight of the Pennine foothills.
Crossing the River Bollin, the route then ramps back up to Pott Shrigley in the foothills of the Peak District where further QOM points await.
Two further kickers in Mottram St Andrew will add a further sting before the route passes through Knutsford and onto Mere for the intermediate sprint.
A short, sharp descent from Appleton Thorn will set the peloton up for a fast, flat run back into Warrington for what is expected to be a nail-biting finish, with riders expected to cross the line at around 14:18.
The Tour of Britain Women will then travel north to Greater Manchester for the race’s conclusion on Sunday 9 June.
Warrington Borough Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Jean Flaherty, said:
“Anticipation has been building in Warrington since we announced that we would be hosting a start and finish for the Tour of Britain Women. Today is another day of excitement as we announce the route for the Warrington stage.
“Many will remember our iconic Golden Gates being the dramatic finishing point for a Tour of Britain stage in 2021. I am sure we will see crowds gather again at the Golden Gates to see the start and finish of the women’s stage, with many more lining the streets on the day to cheer on the world-class cyclists who will be in town.”
Tour of Britain Race Director, Rod Ellingworth, said:
“After two tough days of climbing in stages one and two in Wales, stage three will offer riders and fans something a little different with what we are expecting to be the first bunch sprint finish of this year’s race.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support and cooperation of our partners at Warrington Borough Council, Chester, Cheshire East and Cheshire West who have enabled us to confirm the details of this exciting stage in such a short timeframe.
“Warrington has a proven track record in hosting spectacular sporting events which always attract vibrant and passionate crowds, and we have no doubt they’ll do the same when they host the Tour of Britain Women next month.”
2024 Tour of Britain Women:
- Stage 1 – Thursday 6 June 2024: Welshpool to Llandudno
- Stage 2 – Friday 7 June 2024: Wrexham
- Stage 3 – Saturday 8 June 2024: Warrington
- Stage 4 – Sunday 9 June 2024: Greater Manchester: National Cycling Centre to Leigh
