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Officials confirmed details of the rebooted and rebranded Tour of Britain Women after a wild 10-week scramble to keep the race on the 2024 calendar.
Event organizer British Cycling revealed Monday a four-stage route from Wales and into Manchester for the inaugural edition of the race after its predecessor six-day “Women’s Tour” was effectively shuttered due to sponsorship shortfalls.
“It’s been a monumental effort by the whole team over the past 10 weeks to confirm the stages for this year’s Tour of Britain Women,” said newly appointed race director and former Team Sky/Ineos mastermind Rod Ellingworth.
“The race will take in four competitive and challenging routes, some challenging climbing in Wales and what I’m sure will be brilliant crowds on the roadside throughout,” Ellingworth said.
The news comes as a boon for the ailing British grassroots racing scene and gives hope for the future of the formerly named Women’s Tour.
The previous event was one of the OG stage-races of the Women’s WorldTour and counts Marianne Vos, Elisa Longo Borghini, and Demi Vollering on its roll of honor.
The first Tour of Britain Women rolls out from Welshpool in mid-Wales on June 6. Full stage details are due to be revealed in coming weeks.
“There’s clearly so much support and fondness for the race, both at home and further afield,” said Lidl-Trek racer Lizzie Deignan, who won the GC of the Women’s Tour in both 2016 and 2019.
“The four stage hosts deserve credit for their commitment to women’s racing and for helping to make the race happen, and I’m sure that together we can put on a brilliant show in June,” Deignan said.
We’re going racing in 2024, who’s coming?
Tour of Britain Women – 6-9 June
Tour of Britain Men – 3-8 September#TourOfBritain pic.twitter.com/dissO2O2vS— Tour of Britain (@TourofBritain) April 15, 2024
It’s all-change this coming season for the Women’s WorldTour race and its partner 2.Pro-ranked Tour of Britain Men.
Both races faced shutdown at the turn of the year when former promoter Sweetspot entered liquidation and new commercial partners could not be found.
National governing body British Cycling stepped in as organizer of both races at the final hour and established “British Cycling Events”.
Former Team Sky / Ineos Grenadiers staffer Ellingworth was appointed as race director soon afterward, and officials scrambled to design courses for both its men’s and women’s races.
Both events were shortened for 2024 due to both logistical and financial reasons.
The Tour of Britain Men will take place across six days this September.
The formerly named “Tour of Britain” typically serves as a key tune-up for many riders heading to road worlds, with Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, and Julian Alaphilippe among recent GC winners on British roads.
British Cycling intends to bring both the Women’s and men’s tours to six days in the future as it continues to seek sponsorship partners.