Harwich and Bury St Edmunds have been announced as host towns for the final stage of the inaugural Women's Tour elite cycle race next May, as the world's top female cyclists race into Essex and Suffolk.
Stage Five of the new-for-2014 international level stage-race will go from Harwich in Essex to finish in Bury St Edmunds in the heart of Suffolk on Sunday 11 May.
The Women's Tour will bring world-class women's cycling to the UK in the country's first ever international stage-race, bringing the world's top riders to compete against Britain's Olympic heroines. Exact details of the route of The Women's Tour will be announced in early 2014.
Councillor Alan Murray, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for health and adult care, said:
"We are delighted to be hosting the final stage of this exciting new event in Suffolk which promises to be a fantastic spectacle with the world's top elite women cyclists racing through our county. Cycling is one of the activities we have identified as key to achieving our aspiration to become England's most active county and we hope that by attracting events of this nature to the county it will inspire more residents to get on their bikes and enjoy the freedom and health benefits that cycling can provide."
Cllr Sara Mildmay-White, St Edmundsbury Borough Council Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing said, "I am delighted that Bury St Edmunds will be hosting the final stage of The Women's Tour. We have a wide and active cycling community and in recent years we have hosted stages of the men's Tour of Britain which have become celebrations of all things cycling. We are really looking forward to welcoming cyclists and spectators from all over the country."
Cllr Peter Halliday said that the final stage of The Women's Tour will have a unique start in Harwich as it takes place on the same day as the already well-established Tour of Tendring family ride, which attracted nearly 2,000 participants last year.
"This will be a wonderful opportunity for anyone wanting to see the world's top riders close up," he added.
"It is not only a chance to meet them at the stage start in Harwich but then try to emulate them by getting on their own bikes and riding through some stunningly beautiful villages and countryside in Tendring."
Fans in the district of Tendring, where Harwich is located, will also have an extra opportunity to see the riders as two days previously Stage Three will take place in and around Clacton-on-Sea on Friday 9 May.
"The final stage will provide a scenic backdrop to what we are sure will be an exciting and competitive race," said Guy Elliott of The Women's Tour organisers SweetSpot Group. "We hope that with the involvement of major European teams and the proximity of stages to ports will attract a number of cycling fans across from the Continent."
The Women's Tour will take place over five stages between Wednesday 7 and Sunday 11 May, beginning in Northamptonshire with an opening stage from Oundle to Northampton.
Leicestershire, Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire will all host subsequent stages in the event, ranked at the 2.1 level by the UCI, the sport's governing body.
The Women's Tour 2014
Stage One: Oundle to Northampton
Stage Two: Hinckley to Bedford
Stage Three: Clacton-on-Sea
Stage Four: Cheshunt to Welwyn Garden City
Stage Five: Harwich to Bury St Edmunds
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