Wales will once again play host to two days of the Tour of Britain, British Cycling's premier road cycling event, with North, Mid and South Wales all set to be visited on September 7 and 8 by the Welsh Government supported event.
Denbigh will begin proceedings as Denbighshire host its first ever stage start on the morning of the September 7, before the 217 kilometre Stage Four heads through Flintshire and on to Powys, for the first ever stage finish in the county at the Royal Welsh Showground outside Builth Wells.
A day later, Stage Five will re-start from Aberdare in Rhondda Cynon Taf, a new venue for the Tour of Britain. That stage will cross South Wales, finishing in Bath.
Welsh Government, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates, said: "We're looking forward to hosting the Tour of Britain again this year and thrilled that some new venues and locations will get a taste of the action.
“The Tour of Britain is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase Wales' unique and beautiful landscape to the world, as well as highlighting our ability to host a variety of major events.
"The spectators in Wales have always given the cyclists a real warm Welsh welcome and have created a fantastic atmosphere, I hope that people from across Wales come out to support the event again this year.
“Being a part of an event such as this can really inspire people to want to take up the sport and 2016 being Wales' Year of Adventure gives the perfect opportunity to plan some two-wheeled adventures in Wales.”
Wales has hosted stages of the Tour of Britain annually since 2010, with last year's event beginning overall in the country, on Anglesey.
Powys hosted a stage start of the Tour of Britain annually from 2010 –‘14, but this year will mark the first time a stage has finished in the county.
Cllr Avril York, Powys County Council's cabinet member for regeneration, said: "I'm delighted that this fantastic sporting spectacle is returning to Powys – the green heart of Wales. We have been proud to host five Tour of Britain starts since 2010 but to have a stage finish in the county for the first time is truly exciting.
"Not only will this attract thousands of people, hosting a stage finish will give the area a huge economic boost. We're looking forward to making this a memorable occasion for all and I'm sure our county will once again warmly welcome the race when it returns in the autumn.”
Further details of the routes of both stages will be announced in the early summer.
Commenting on the Welsh Stages, Tour of Britain race director Mick Bennett said: "We have worked with our partners at Denbighshire and Powys Councils over the past years to ensure that we can bring a start and a finish to each respectively for the first time in the history of the modern Tour of Britain. Both councils have supported the Tour of Britain in the past so we are pleased to be able to link the two with a new route.
"The stage route south through the heart of Wales will use a lot of roads previously unvisited by the Tour of Britain in the Cambrian Mountains, including a great deal of climbing, before a flat run in along the Wye Valley to the finish on the Royal Welsh Showground, which will see an intriguing battle between the teams of the sprinters and overall contenders.
"We are pleased to be returning to South Wales with this year's Tour of Britain and a new start venue in Aberdare before the race heads across the country taking in many new towns and villages in an area renown for its cycling passion.”
The Tour of Britain will begin in Glasgow on Sunday, September 4 and finish in the heart of London on Sunday, September 11.
Jonny Clay, British Cycling director of cycle sport and membership, said: "Every year the Tour of Britain offers a chance for the public to see some of the world's best road riders racing through their local area.
“Last year's race had a bit of everything; fast flat sections, rolling roads and a great hill top finish which led to exciting racing for the competitors and fans alike. This year's route has all the same ingredients, so promises to be a great event.”
For the fifth successive year, fans can look forward to enjoying daily live coverage of all eight stages on ITV4, with the channel broadcasting a three-hour live programme from each stage, plus one-hour of highlights every evening during the race.
Chain Reaction Cycles continue their partnership with the race and sponsorship of the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification, won in 2015 by Team WIGGIN's Owain Doull, while UK parcel carrier Yodel will continue to sponsor the daily intermediate YodelDirect Sprints classification, which Peter Williams of ONE Pro Cycling won last September.
ŠKODA remain official car suppliers and sponsors of the King of the Mountains jersey, also won by Williams in 2015.
The Tour of Britain is British Cycling's premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world's best teams and riders competing on their door step.
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Editor’s notes
About the Tour of Britain
Re-launched in 2004 after a five year absence from the calendar, the Tour of Britain is British Cycling's premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world's best teams and riders competing on their doorstep. The Tour of Britain is the UK's highest ranked professional stage race and the country's largest free-to-watch sporting event, organised annually by SweetSpot Group.
Ranked at the 2.HC level by the UCI, the Tour of Britain attracts the world's top cyclists, including Olympic and World Champions and Tour de France stage winners, to compete on British roads each September, with three-hours of live coverage a day on ITV4.
For further press information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Peter Hodges peterh@thetour.co.uk
Grace Metcalf grace@thetour.co.uk
Jonathan Gill jonthanG@thetour.co.uk
Tel: 01932 831485
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