The Nottinghamshire stage of the prestigious Tour of Britain cycle race will once again finish in Mansfield.
Residents, businesses and schools are invited to decorate the route and line the streets to cheer on the world’s top teams and cyclists on Thursday 8 September.
The fifth stage, which will start in West Bridgford, will enter Mansfield district via Market Warsop before heading to Mansfield Woodhouse, Forest Town and through parts of Mansfield town centre. The finish will again be outside Mansfield’s Civic Centre, however the cyclists will travel from the opposite direction to which Team Sky rider Ian Stannard approached it on his memorable solo victory in 2018. The Civic Centre site will host the Tour of Britain village and a Festival Finale event.
Ross Lamb, from Mansfield, is scheduled to be one of the 114 riders expected to take part. Ross, along with Ollie Peckover, of Ruddington, competes for the Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling team.
Ross said the finish line was just minutes away from his house and he would benefit from local knowledge as the route covers his training roads.
“I’m really looking forward to doing it. After the last couple of years of Covid-19 it’s something for everyone in the region to look forward to and shout about,” he said.
The council is contributing £50,000 towards hosting the event, which aims to energise residents and attract visitors from outside the area. Attracting and hosting major events such as the Tour of Britain helps to create a positive image of Mansfield and provide confidence to investors and residents. This eagerly anticipated event in also in line with the council’s health and wellbeing priorities.
Executive Mayor of Mansfield Andy Abrahams said:
“What an honour it will be to see the Tour of Britain returning to Nottinghamshire this year and yet another festival finale here in Mansfield.
“We’ve worked with the Tour of Britain team to take the route through some of our priority neighbourhoods so that more of our communities can experience the thrill of the race.“If you live in Market Warsop, Mansfield Woodhouse, Racecourse, Newgate or Portland wards then you are in for a treat! Get out on to your pavement and see the riders whizzing through your streets before it heads back to the town centre finish line.
“We’re able to support the hosting of the Tour of Britain with help from the Towns Fund Destination Mansfield project, which looks to reposition Mansfield as a place to live, work and visit. This is the first activity in a three-year plan to help improve the image and reputation of the district and put us well and truly on the map as an event-friendly town.”
Michael Robinson, Interim Co-CEO, said:
“Mansfield will no doubt be ready to give the Tour the warmest of welcomes this September. The race will pass by more schools, more villages and more businesses than in previous years, so the community can experience the tour in their neighbourhood.
“We’ll be encouraging everyone to dress their buildings and line the streets to cheer on the riders. It’ll be an electric not-to-be-missed atmosphere once more.
“Mansfield will be seen on TV by millions of viewers around the world so this is a great opportunity to raise our profile globally.”
Councillor Andy Burgin, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Environment, said:
“As a Warsop councillor I couldn’t be happier to see the route entering Mansfield via our village this time around. What an opportunity it will be for people living and working in Warsop to experience a global event like this on their doorstep. For some it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something they’ll never forget.”
Detailed information on the route and travel restrictions will be published nearer the time. Rolling road closures will be in place so delays of up to 30 minutes can be expected on the day. The route must be free of vehicles, so motorists are asked not to park on the roadside.
In 2017 Mansfield welcomed stage 4, hosting the start from Mansfield Market Place. The Tour returned for a festival finale of the penultimate stage of the 2018 race, finishing at the Civic Centre.
Visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/TourofBritain for more information about this year’s race.
Posted on 13 April 2022
