The first ever Women’s Tour is coming to Suffolk tomorrow and on Sunday it will be winding its way through west Suffolk to the finish line in Bury St Edmunds.
The international race – which is the first of its kind in Britain and is sponsored by Friends Life – will feature top riders such as Marianne Vos and British Olympians Laura Trott, Dani King, Lizzie Armitstead and Joanna Rowsell.
The five-day race satrted on Wednesday and ends Sunday with Suffolk and Essex hosting stages three and five.
Tomorrow, the third stage of the race will get underway in Felixstowe, moving through Brightwell, Little Bealings, Kesgrave and around Ipswich, before passing out through Holbrook and Freston, crossing the border into Manningtree and finishing in Clacton.
Then on Sunday, the fifth and final stage will once more visit Suffolk. This stage will set off from Harwich, crossing into Suffolk and racing through East Bergholt and the picturesque villages of Constable Country. The race will continue through the Babergh district, visiting Hadleigh, Sudbury, Long Melford and Lavenham, finally weaving through Mid Suffolk, visiting Great Finborough and Little Whelnetham, before arriving in Bury for the finish on Angel Hill.
A number of events are set to take place to mark the event and it is hoped the event will encourage Suffolk residents to get on their own bikes and help Suffolk to become the most active county – a key aim for Suffolk County Council.
In Bury St Edmunds, there’s certainly lots going on.
Abbeycroft Leisure, which manages Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre in partnership with St Edmundsbury Borough Council, has organised a special ‘Get Inspired, Get Active’ weekend of events to celebrate the Women’s Tour finish, for example.
Alison Blackwell, Abbeycroft Leisure’s development director, said: “We want to make this weekend a celebration of cycling and sport, using The Tour as inspiration. Supporting Suffolk’s Most Active County aspirations, we want to encourage people to get out on their bikes to explore the fantastic Suffolk countryside.”
On Saturday, from 9am to 5pm, there will be a portable mountain bike track and a rollerdrome in Charter Square offering visitors the chance to experience different types of cycling.
And cyclists are being encouraged to bring their bike for a check-up as Dr Bike will be in Charter Square carrying out bike maintenance and tune ups.
Other activities will be taking place on Angel Hill near the finish line on Sunday too, with Bury East West Safer Neighbourhood Team carrying out cycle security marking and British Cycling holding Go Ride demonstrations.
Charter Square will also be the starting line of the Women on Wheels (WOW) charity ladies cycle ride which will take place on Sunday in aid of St Nicholas Hospice Care. Participants can choose from a short (five miles) or long (20 miles) route through countryside cycle paths starting at 8am and 8.30am.
For details and to register, visit www.suffolksport.com/wow.
For more information, visit thetour.co.uk.
For more Women’s Tour news, see our dedicated web page. And for live coverage on Friday and Sunday, click here.
Share your photos, video and views by tweeting us using #WT2014Suffolk
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