SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales is calling on his constituents to back a major sporting event heading to Wrexham, next month.
Mr Rowlands is urging people to support Stage two, of one of the world’s major cycling events, The Tour of Britain Women on Friday June 7.
He said: “I am delighted to see North Wales has been chosen as a venue for this prestigious race and particularly pleased that Wrexham will see the start and finish of Stage two.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for local people to see world class riders in action and yet again promote this wonderful part of the world.
“Cycling continues to be a very popular and growing sport in Wales and previous stages of the Tour of Britain, held in North Wales, has brought out the crowds to support the event and I am sure this will be the case next month.
“I hope crowds once again will turn out and show their support for this prestigious event as they did last year for the men’s Tour of Britain.”
The opening stages will see the world’s top riders tackle some of Wales’s most iconic roads and climbs, with thousands expected to line the streets to welcome the race.
The race’s second stage in Wrexham, of 140.2kms and 1,570m ascent will start and finish on Chester Street in Wrexham’s city centre and will take in some of the breathtaking scenery in Denbighshire, West Cheshire and Chester, with a further one sprint and two Queen of the Mountains segments along the way.
The peloton will travel north out of Wrexham, crossing into West Cheshire after just 20km, where the route ramps up alongside the Peckforton Hill Range, part of the Mid-Cheshire Ridge.
The route will then cross back into Wrexham, taking in the villages of Bangor-on-Dee and Overton, before the sprint will be decided in Johnstown. The race will then continue along a scenic stretch of the Llangollen Canal.
Riders will have less climbing to contend with on this stage, however big crowds will be expected on the iconic Horseshoe Pass, which arrives at a pivotal point of the stage with around 30km to go.
The ensuing descent will set up a fast run-in to Wrexham for the stage finish to conclude the race’s journey in Wales, passing through Minera and Rhostyllen, before a short hop back over the border to Warrington for stage three.
Stage two will start at 11:15, with riders expected to return to Wrexham for the stage finish at approximately 15:15.
Tour of Britain Race Director, Rod Ellingworth, said: “Working with our partners we’ve been able to plot out two really challenging and entertaining stages in Wales to open the race, with some iconic climbs and opportunities for the sprinters too.
“We wanted the Tour of Britain Women to show off the very best of Britain’s roads and scenery, and having spent a lot of time out driving the routes I’m absolutely certain that we’ve delivered.
“Finalising the routes in such a short timeframe has been a huge challenge, and only made possible thanks to the support of colleagues in Welsh Government, Conwy County Borough Council, Powys County Council and Wrexham County Borough Council, who deserve enormous credit for the commitment to the race and women’s cycling more broadly.”
