North Lincolnshire set to host entire Tour of Britain cycling stage

120 of the world’s top cyclists will take on a 172-kilometre stage, starting from the beautiful 300-acre estate of Normanby Hall Country Park and finishing in the heart of Scunthorpe near Central Park.

At the national launch event in Cardiff, The Tour of Britain organisers revealed North Lincolnshire has been given the honour of hosting stage three of the prestigious race.

Councillor Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “I am thrilled that we are hosting an entire stage of the Tour of Britain. This is the first time we will hold an entire stage, but it is not the first time the Tour of Britain has visited North Lincolnshire as the start of the 2009 race began in Scunthorpe outside of the Civic Centre.

“North Lincolnshire is a brilliant place and now people across the country will be able to discover all the great things it has to offer when they visit to watch stage three racing through North Lincolnshire.

“The stage will begin at Normanby Hall Country Park, which is a perfect backdrop for a major event of this scale and after cycling through the wonderful towns and villages of North Lincolnshire the stage will end in Scunthorpe on the A18 adjacent to Central Park.

“In the run up to the Tour of Britain coming here there will be lots going on to encourage people to get out on their bikes and get the whole community involved in this fantastic event. We hope the people of North Lincolnshire will come out in their thousands to cheer the riders on as they travel through the towns and villages.

“Cycling is becoming more and more popular, whether it is for fitness or an activity people do as a family, it is great to see. In North Lincolnshire we have a variety of cycling routes including Ancholme Valley Way, The Ridgeway and Isle of Axholme Greenway. There really isn’t a better time for people to get out on their bikes and discover North Lincolnshire.

“Hosting the third stage of the 2017 Tour of Britain builds upon what is already happening in North Lincolnshire. The area is becoming increasingly known for outdoor activity.”

To keep up-to-date with what is happening in North Lincolnshire in the run up to the Tour of Britain and for details on the event, go to www.nltour.co.uk.

Mick Bennett, Race Director of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, said: “We are delighted to be working with North Lincolnshire Council to bring a full stage of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race to the area for the first time.

“The compact nature of the stage route will make this very popular with spectators from across the region, giving people the chance to see the race in multiple locations. We are confident this will make it a real hit with cycling fans.”

OVO Energy, the UK’s top rated independent energy supplier was recently announced as the title sponsor of the Tour of Britain.

The OVO Energy 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, taking place between Sunday 3 and Sunday 10 September 2017.

There are four jerseys up for grabs over the competition: the OVO Energy Green Jersey, the Wiggle Points Jersey, the SKODA King of the Mountains Jersey and the Eisberg Sprints Jersey.

The stages

Stage One

Sunday 3 September

Edinburgh to Kelso

188km

Stage Two

Monday 4 September

Kielder Water & Forest Park to Blyth

211km

Stage Three

Tuesday 5 September

Normanby Hall Country Park to Scunthorpe

172km

Stage Four

Wednesday 6 September

Mansfield to Newark-on-Trent

175km

Stage Five

Thursday 7 September

The Tendring Stage Individual Time Trial

16km

Stage Six

Friday 8 September

Newmarket to Aldeburgh

183km

Stage Seven

Saturday 9 September

Hemel Hempstead to Cheltenham

186km

Stage Eight

Sunday 10 September

Worcester to Cardiff

180km