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• Flags of United Kingdom
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The Flags of the United Kingdom

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• Isle of Man
• Isles of Scilly

County Flags

The Union Jack or Union Flag is the national flag of Great Britain and has been since 1801.

The four nations that make up the United Kingdom - Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England - also have their own flags as do the Isle of Man , Cornwall, the Scilly Islands and the various islands that make up the Channel Islands.

Flag of Scotland

The flag of Scotland ( bratach na h-Alba ) is also known as the St Andrew's Cross or the Saltire. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and is believed to have been crucified on a cross of a similar shape.

The white cross on a royal blue background for the flag dates back to the 16th or 15th century. Earlier, however, Scottish soldiers fighting the English wore the emblem on their armour.

The flag is one of the components that make up the Union Flag.

Flag of Wales

The flag of Wales ( Y Ddraig Goch ) is also known as the Red Dragon and is a red dragon passant on a green and white field (background).

The dragon was the flag of the 7th century King of Gwynedd, Cadwaladr, while the green and white are the colours of the Tudors.

The future King Henry VII (of Welsh descent) flew the flag at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

The dragon symbol may have its roots in the Roman occupation of Britain and also appears in Welsh mythology. In the early 15th century Owain Glyndŵr used a dragon flag during his revolt against the English. However, the use of a dragon symbol on flags is not exclusive to Wales in the medieval period and has been used by English monarchs at various times including Richard I and Henry V.

The flag is not one of the components that make up the Union Flag.

Flag of Northern Ireland

The sole official flag in Northern Ireland is the Union Flag or Union Jack. Different communities in Northern Ireland identify with different flags. The Ulster Banner is associated with Unionists, while the Irish tricolour (green, white and orange) is flown by Irish nationalists.

The Saint Patrick's Saltire or Saint Patrick's Cross is a red saltire on a white field (background) and has less sectarian baggage.

Flag of England

The flag of England derives from the Saint George's Cross. It is a centred red cross on a white field (background).

Associated with the Crusades, the emblem was used as a marker by English soldiers from the 13th century. It was often flown by English monarchs alongside the Royal Banner which features three lions.

St George became the patron saint of England during the English Reformation and the flag began to have a maritime use from the 16th century onwards.

The Manx flag ( brattagh Vannin ) is a triskelion, made up of three armoured legs with golden spurs, on a red field (background).

The origin of the symbol for use in the Isle of Man is obscure with various theories put forward none of them conclusive. The triskelion is believed to have originated in Sicily in Italy. It began to be used in the Isle of Man from the 13th century on when rule of the island changed from the Kingdom of the Isles to the Scottish crown.

Flag of the Isles of Scilly

The Flag of the Isles of Scilly or Scillonian Cross is much more recent.

The top half is gold, a colour representing the golden sand of the islands' beaches. The bottom half is blue representing the sea. The stars in the top right corner represent the location of the islands off the southwest coast of Cornwall .

The design was selected in a 2002 vote of the local Scilly News .

Flag of Cornwall

The flag of Cornwall or Saint Piran's Flag ( Baner Peran ) is a white cross on a black field (background).

The flag is associated with Saint Piran, a 5th-century Cornish abbot of Irish origin who is the patron saint of tin-miners. The flag began to be used from the mid-19th century on. It is seen on bumper stickers, at local sporting events and also festivals held in Cornwall.

Many of the traditional counties of Britain have their own flags. All of the traditional counties in England do including Cornwall and the Scilly Islands (see above).

The take up has been less in Wales and Scotland but both the Shetland Islands and the Orkney Islands have their own flags.

The flag of the Shetland Islands is a white Nordic cross on a blue field (background). The blue and white colours are identical to the flag of Scotland but the Nordic cross symbolizes the Shetland Islands' historical relationship with Scandinavia. The flag was created in 1969.

The flag of Orkney is more recent having been chosen in 2007. It too symbolizes the islands' Norwegian heritage. The red and yellow colours are from the Norwegian and Scottish royal coats of arms.

Of the English traditional county flags, some are very recent, Leicestershire's flag for example, was registered in 2021, while others are more historic and are associated with ancient Saxon kingdoms such as Essex, Kent and Sussex.

Traditional symbols are prominent such as the red rose of Lancashire, the white rose of Yorkshire and the bear in the flag of Warwickshire - the latter taken from the coat of arms of the Duke of Warwick. The flag of Nottinghamshire has a shield (inescutcheon) showing Robin Hood and the flag of Durham shows the Cross of St Cuthbert. The saint is associated with the island of Lindisfarne and buried in Durham Cathedral .

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Tour of Britain 2022 Stage Details Revealed

Mathew Mitchell

• Published on April 6, 2022
• in Men's Cycling

The Tour of Britain returns in 2022 with a start in Scotland before traversing down the country from the North-East, to the East Midlands, down to the South-West and finishing on the Isle of Wight. There are hill-top finishes planned one Stage 1 at the Glenshee Ski Centre and Stage 8 at The Needles. The race will hope to be as exciting as the hill-top finish at the Great Orme in the 2021 Tour of Britain .

Building on the success of last year’s race, which saw the overall lead change hands five times in eight days, the battle for victory in the 2022 edition (Sunday 4 – Sunday 11 September) looks set to go down to the final pedal strokes once again.

2022 Tour of Britain Stages

Stage one        Sunday 4 September              Aberdeen to Glenshee Ski Centre

Stage two        Monday 5 September            Hawick to Duns

Stage three     Tuesday 6 September            Durham to Sunderland

Stage four       Wednesday 7 September       Redcar to Duncombe Park, Helmsley

Stage five        Thursday 8 September           West Bridgford to Mansfield

Stage six         Friday 9 September                Tewkesbury to Gloucester

Stage seven    Saturday 10 September         West Bay to Ferndown

Stage eight     Sunday 11 September            Ryde to The Needles

Aberdeen will become the third Scottish city to host the start of the race when the Tour of Britain’s most northerly Grand Départ to date takes place there on Sunday 4 September. Not only will this stage feature an entirely new route compared to last year’s finale in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, it will also include the first-ever opening day summit finish in modern race history. The Old Military Road climb from Auchallater to Glenshee measures 9.1 kilometres long, with the final five kilometres averaging a gradient of 4.8%.

The Scottish Borders will host a full stage for the second time in three editions on day two of this year’s race. Hawick, famous for its knitwear and the first whisky distillery to open in the region since 1837, will be the starting point of stage two. The race’s eighth visit to the Borders will feature a mix of roads old and new to the event, before a first-ever finish in Duns. The stage winner will be crowned in the shadow of the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum, which celebrates the two-time Formula 1 world champion who lived nearby.

This year’s race ventures onto English soil for the first time on stage three, which takes place between Durham and Sunderland. History will be made when riders roll out in the shadow of the city’s famous cathedral: Durham has never previously hosted a stage start or finish in a professional edition of the Tour of Britain. Stage three’s route will initially head west, taking the peloton through the North Pennines AONB, before heading back through County Durham and into Sunderland. The route will weave past some of the city’s beautiful green spaces and through communities on its approach to the finish line outside of Sunderland’s new City Hall, which forms part of a £500m development in the city.

Stage four (Wednesday 7 September), taking place between Redcar and Duncombe Park in Helmsley, will likely be another day that will shape the general classification. The start will be the first time the borough of Redcar and Cleveland has hosted the Tour of Britain, while the finish marks the race’s return to North Yorkshire in 13 years. Popular seaside towns such as Saltburn-by-the-Sea and Whitby will be raced through before the route heads into the North York Moors National Park. The unforgiving final 30 kilometres of this 150-kilometre stage feature the climbs of Carlton Bank (2km long, 9.8% average gradient) and Newgate Bank (2km long, 6% average gradient) before descending into the finish at Duncombe Park, one of Yorkshire’s finest historic houses and estates.

The Tour’s first Nottinghamshire stage since 2018 will start and finish in the same places – West Bridgford and Mansfield – as it did four years ago, albeit with a different route that takes in Cotgrave, Gedling, Southwell, Retford and Workshop before heading into Mansfield via Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest.  The finish will again be outside Mansfield’s Civic Centre, however, it will be approached from the opposite direction to which Team Sky rider Ian Stannard approached it en route to a memorable solo victory.  This will be the only stage of the 2022 Tour with less than 2,000 metres of climbing.

Gloucestershire’s first-ever full stage of the Tour of Britain will take place between the medieval market town of Tewkesbury and the cathedral city of Gloucester. With the start and finish locations separated by a little over 10 miles, fans will easily be able to attend both on race day, which will further add to the atmosphere at this free-to-watch sporting spectacle. Stage six’s route will head into the Cotswolds before approaching the finish by the historic Gloucester Docks via South Gloucestershire. Gloucestershire County Council’s commitment to supporting tourism and active travel will see the Women’s Tour, the UK’s most prestigious women’s cycle race, also visit the county in 2022 for a Tewkesbury to Gloucester stage (Wednesday 8 June, albeit using a different route.

Dorset’s natural beauty – including the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs through the county – will be showcased to the world on the penultimate day of this year’s race. Stage seven will take the riders from West Bay, known for its striking golden cliffs, to Ferndown via one of the most stunning routes in Tour history. Stage seven will run parallel with the West Dorset Heritage coast before passing through Dorchester, West Lulworth and Corfe Castle. The route heads inland towards Wareham, Milton Abbas and Wimborne Minster and loops around into the heart of Ferndown town centre.

The Tour will become the biggest-ever sporting event to take place on Isle of Wight soil when the race finishes there on Sunday 11 September. Stage eight promises unforgettable for riders and fans alike, owing to the spectacular 150-kilometre route from Ryde to The Needles. Not only will the route showcase the island to a worldwide TV audience – its county town of Newport, as well as the popular tourist locations of Cowes, Sandown, Shanklin, Totland, Ventnor and Yarmouth all feature – fans will be able to catch the race in multiple locations owing to the way it loops around the Isle. The final 20 kilometres will take the peloton along the stunning Military Road, which offers stunning panoramic views out across the English Channel, towards The Needles Landmark Attraction. This year’s race culminates with a two-kilometre climb up to Tennyson Down, the final 400 metres of which average a gradient of 9.6%, making it the toughest ending to any Tour of Britain in modern history.

“As promised when we unveiled the Tour of Britain’s host regions in February, this year’s race features a number of surprises, none more so than hill-top finishes to start and end the eight days of world-class competition. Creating a route that encourages aggressive racing and brave tactics from day one will enhance the reputation of the race, leave the one million plus spectators watching on in person for free with long-lasting memories, showcase the stunning beauty of our host venues, and repeatedly entertain a worldwide audience.” Mick Bennet, Tour of Britain race director

ITV4 will continue to broadcast live flag-to-flag coverage of every stage, as well as a nightly highlights show, allowing fans in the UK to watch wherever they are. The race will also be shown in over 150 countries worldwide, in part thanks to the event’s partnerships with Eurosport and the Global Cycling Network.

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Tour of Britain 2022 Preview - A hilly profile for home favourite Pidcock

Day one summit finish could prove to be GC decider, with mix of sprints and hills throughout the week

The 18th edition of the modern Tour of Britain kicks off with its northernmost start on Sunday, with 108 riders setting off from Aberdeen ahead of eight stages that will culminate in a first-ever visit to the Isle of Wight.

There's no time trial at this year's race but an opening day summit finish, as well as several hilly stages including the final day, look set to determine the destination of the new-look leader's jersey.

Chief among the contenders for that red jersey will be Ineos Grenadiers, the home team who boast what is on paper easily the strongest squad at this year's race. The Tour of Britain marks the final race of Richie Porte 's career. The 37-year-old, who has Paris-Nice, the Tour de Suisse, and the Critérium du Dauphiné among his career palmarès, is part of a powerful lineup this week.

Tom Pidcock will lead the British team. The 23-year-old, who won on L'Alpe d'Huez at the Tour de France, is among the major favourites for the overall win at the race. As well as Porte, he'll be able to rely on Amstel Gold Race winner Michał Kwiatkowski and Brabantse Pijl winner Magnus Sheffield in his bid for glory.

The other major name in contention for the red jersey is Israel-Premier Tech newcomer Dylan Teuns , who undertakes his first stage race for the team since his mid-season transfer. The Belgian, who won Le Flèche Wallonne this spring, has three race days under his belt since the August 5 move.

Having won the Tour de Pologne, Tour de Wallonie, and Arctic Race of Norway in the past, Teuns is well-suited to this style of race and will be a major contender for the win. Climber Michael Woods is also on the ISN team following his early Vuelta a España abandon, with the duo set to make a formidable pairing as the team searches for valuable UCI points.

Bora-Hansgrohe are the next of the five WorldTour teams lining up at the race. 2019 Tour of Turkey winner Felix Großschartner lines up as the leader at the German squad, the pair also among the favourites for overall glory on the Isle of Man.

Shane Archbold, Jordi Meeus, and Marco Haller will spearhead the team's lead-out train, while Nils Politt is another option to contest for stage victories.

At Team DSM, sprinter Cees Bol will be looking to add to his five-win haul during his time at the squad, which is set to come to a close with him moving on for 2023. The 27-year-old is among the strongest sprinters on the start list and will be confident of a victory, while Chris Hamilton is an option on the hilly stages among a young squad.

Movistar, meanwhile, come equipped with the versatile Matteo Jorgenson , who finished fourth at the Tour de la Provence and was a breakaway staple at the Tour de France. He and Oscar Rodríguez will lead the team's charge as they seek a UCI points haul to stave off the relegation threat.

Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè will be led by the highly rated Filippo Zana, who moves to BikeExchange-Jayco next year, while Sacha Modolo is their man for the sprints. Uno-X have young duo Anthon Charmig and Anders Halland Johannessen to rely on for an overall bid. Trinity Racing, meanwhile, will be led by Thomas Gloag , the young British climber soon to turn pro with Jumbo-Visma.

Walls, Bol, and Modolo are among the top sprinters at the race, look out too for Jake Stewart (Great Britain), Kenneth Van Rooy (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), and Eduard Prades (Caja Rural-Seguros SGA) in the bid for the blue points jersey.

With red and blue taken, those hoping to compete for the mountain classification will be taking aim at green, while the white intermediate sprint jersey is something extra for the breakaway men to fight for.

Those riders and the rest of the peloton will be doing battle on a varied terrain over the next week, starting with the queen stage of the race in a bold move from the organisers. The opener, 181.3km from 2021 finish host Aberdeen to the Glenshee Ski Centre, will take in three smaller hills before a long drag towards the final climb.

There, the GC hopefuls should do battle on the 8.3km, 3.1% slopes. The toughest test of the day, though, and likely the best place to watch the riders suffer, is the Suie Hill climb at 82.5km. The peloton will be taking on double-digit gradients on the 1.9km, 8.6% hill.

Stage 2 brings more hills, with a cluster of them coming towards the end of the 175.2km run from Hawick to Duns in the Scottish Borders. The day will be marked by rolling roads for the most part, before packing three third-category climbs into the final 25km, the last of which comes just 6km from the line. A day for punchy sprinters and the hilly specialists.

The next day brings the peloton into England for the first time as the race loops around the north-east from Durham to Sunderland. The first-category climb of Chapel Fell (4.1km at 7.8%) is the biggest challenge of the day, but the 163.6km stage is set to be one for the sprinters with a rolling run to the line.

Stage 4 moves further down the North Sea coast as the peloton heads 149.5km from Redcar to Duncombe Park. Despite two first-category climbs along the way – including the Robin Hood's Bay climb lifted from the Tour de Yorkshire – before a downhill run over the last 10km which could suit any late attackers who jump away on the road to the late final intermediate sprint of the day.

The race's fifth stage to Mansfield is set to play host to another sprint finish, with just two third-category climbs dotted along the route of the 186.8km stage. Once again, there are some small lumps and rises in the final kilometres, but not enough to provoke any race-altering attacks.

The peloton races around the south-west of England on stage 6 as they head 170.9km from Tewkesbury to Gloucester. Three small classified climbs are placed throughout the stage but none are close enough to the finish to launch any major attacks. One unclassified 2.2km, 5.7% climb lies 10km from the line, though, which is a chance for someone to disrupt the sprinters.

It's another day, another sprint on stage 7. The race to Ferndown near Bournemouth on the south coast. Again, there are three classified climbs on the route, but none look set to affect the finish, which features the flattest run-in of the race ahead of an uphill dash to the line.

As the race started with a summit finish, it's only right that it concludes with another uphill test. Though not as tough as the Glenshee Ski Centre climb, there are some harsh double-digit gradients on the 400-metre uphill run to The Needles on the Isle of Wight.

The 148.9km stage on the historic first visit to the island criss-crosses all over the Isle of Wight and brings two first-category and two second-category hills (including the finish) as the race draws to a close. The mountain classification could be decided on this final day and, if the GC race is close, that could be settled on the challenging finish at The Needles, too.

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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Prior to joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly, Rouleur, and CyclingTips.

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Tour of Britain 2022 route: Everything you need to know about the stages of the 18th edition

A stage-by-stage guide to the route of the 2022 Tour of Britain

Words: Rachel Jary

The 18th edition of the 2022 Tour of Britain is set to be a spectacle. Kicking off on the September 4, the eight-day race will begin in Aberdeen before heading the Scottish Borders then moving west towards the North Pennines. Following this, the steep climbs of North Yorkshire await the riders, then the stunning Cotswolds. The penultimate stage takes place in Dorset before the grand finale on the Isle of Wight.

Tour of Britain 2022 Route – The stages

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE ONE (04/09): ABERDEEN > GLENSHEE SKI CENTRE (181.3KM)

The lead up to this point in the race isn’t a simple one, though, with rolling roads right from the flag drop in Aberdeen. The stage features a sprint point after just 27 kilometres so we can expect to see a furious start, and there are three categorised climbs to follow from then on. A further two sprint points in the latter half of the stage means that the opening day gives riders little respite, with drama to be expected throughout. The winner of this stage will wear the first leader's jersey of the race, and it will then be a case of seeing if they can bold it all the way to the finish.

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE TWO (05/09): HAWICK > DUNS (175.2KM)

Packed into the final 25 kilometres of the race are three third category climbs. While they aren’t long, they will seriously test the legs after a day of racing and could put some sprinters in danger. Teams who don’t want a bunch finish will use these hills as springboards for attacks and hope to stay away on the descent to the finish in Duns.

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE THREE (06/09): DURHAM > SUNDERLAND (163.6KM)

The category two Billy Lane climb comes roughly 40 kilometres later. It’s not as long as Chapel Fell or as steep, but it will still sting the legs after a tough opening to the stage. The route gradually descends towards the final climb of the day – the third category High Moorsley climb – which comes with just under 20 kilometres to go to the finish. The finish itself is a flat run-in to Sunderland which could be won by the breakaway or be an opportunity for the fast men who have hung on to this point. 

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE FOUR (07/09): REDCAR > DUNCOMBE PARK, HELMSLEY (149.5KM)

The peloton then has a little respite before a savage, unrelenting final 30 kilometres of the stage. The Carlton Bank climb kicks off proceedings, it’s a 2km long ascent with an average gradient of 9.8%. Newgate Bank follows 12 kilometres later, a similar length to Carlton Bank but the inclines aren’t quite as severe. The stage finishes after the peloton has descended to the line in Duncombe Park, one of Yorkshire’s finest historic houses and estates.

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE FIVE (08/09): WEST BRIDGFORD > MANSFIELD (186.8KM)

The second incline of the day comes with just over 30 kilometres of racing to go and the route does steadily climb upwards from then on towards the finish in Mansfield. Sprinters should be able to hold on to the peloton in today’s stage, but they will have fatigue in their legs following the tough stage in Yorkshire the day before. However, this stage is as easy as it’s going to get for the fast men, it’s the only one in the 2022 Tour with less than 2,000 metres of climbing.

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE SIX (09/09): TEWKESBURY > GLOUCESTER (170.9KM)

The second category climb, Crawley Hill, is the final one of the day coming 24 kilometres from the finish. It’s a rolling run-in to the line from here which could provide good terrain for a late attack for a breakaway to stay away. The finish itself in Gloucester is flat and fast.

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE SEVEN (10/09): WEST BAY > FERNDOWN (175.9KM)

As the route heads inland towards Wareham the riders have some brief respite on flatter roads before things kick up again near the third ascent of the day: the second category Okeford Hill. From then on, it’s a rolling run-in to the finish which doesn’t include any categorised climbs, just one intermediate sprint point which comes 20 kilometres before the line. The sprinters could hang on in this stage and have a shot at the win, but it’s going to take some effort, especially with fatigue in the legs.

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022, STAGE EIGHT (11/09): RYDE > THE NEEDLES (148.9KM)

Cowleaze Hill and Zig Zag Road come back-to-back after 110 kilometres of racing, and we can expect these climbs to split the peloton. From then, the riders will race along the Military Road towards The Needles Landmark Attraction. The 2022 Tour of Britain culminates with a two-kilometre climb up to Tennyson Down, the final 400 metres of which average a gradient of 9.6%, making it one of the hardest finishes in the race’s history.

Where to watch the 2022 Tour of Britain

The Tour of Britain will be televised live on ITV4 in the UK and around the world by Eurosport and the Global Cycling Network (GCN). Other International broadcasters are due to be announced later this month.

Cover image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix

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Tour of Britain | Route timings | Car parking | Best dressed town or village

Parking at sherwood forest.

Before you don your Robin Hood hats and wave your Tour of Britain flags, there’s a few things you need to know about visiting Sherwood Forest on the day.

👛 The usual £5 car parking charge will be in place at the car park on the day.

⏰ The car park will be accessible until 10:45am on the day OR until it reaches capacity.

⛔ After 10:45am the car park will close for arrivals and departures until 12 noon.

⚠️ A diversion route will be in place on the day (via Ollerton roundabout and Worksop Road).

📍 To access the car park you’ll need to go via the north of Swinecote Road.

🗺️ A diversion route map is available on our website.

❌ Parking on verges and in laybys in the area is NOT permitted and vehicles doing so may be removed.

Race day timings

The race is set to start at 11:15 from Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, and is the  the third longest stage of the race. The finish is expected to be 15:23 on Victoria Street in Newark.

* All times are approximate and are worked out on the different speeds of the riders.

This year's 170km route starts at Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre and finishes in Newark. The race passes through a number of towns and villages in the county, including arburton, Worksop, Harworth, Retford, Walesby, Boughton, Bilsthorpe, Southwell, Girton, Norwell, Tuxford and Collingham. 

Best dressed town or village

To celebrate the Tour of Britain the search is on for the best dressed community in Nottinghamshire. 

In need of inspiration? Here are a few ideas:

• Decorate the route with flags and bunting;
• Create colourful town/village/window displays;
• Get your local community group involved;
• Decorate old wheels or bikes to display;
• Create land art in your local space – the bigger the better;
• The theme does not need to be bicycle related, you can showcase your district heritage, landmarks, famous people or anything you are proud of.

To take part, simply send us no more than four photos via email to  [email protected]  or by posting your photos on social media using #NottsToB. The closing date to submit your entries is Wednesday, 13 September.

You have received this message because you are subscribed to Nottinghamshire County Council's 'emailme' service for news and information about council services.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails you can unsubscribe from this topic or to receive no further emailme bulletins on all topics that you signed up for from Nottinghamshire County Council you can unsubscribe from your account . Alternately you can edit your subscriptions where you can add and remove individual topics.

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Wout van Aert wins Tour of Britain title as Carlos Rodríguez takes final stage

• Van Aert’s second-place finish enough to secure second title
• ‘I had a really hard time. I didn’t think it was possible’

Second place on the climbing stage into Caerphilly secured Wout van Aert his second overall title in the Tour of Britain. Compared with his 2021 victory , however, this was far from straightforward although his fine form had been clear from day one.

Through the hills of south Wales, Ineos’s Spanish starlet Carlos Rodríguez, the eventual stage winner, formed an impromptu alliance with local rider Steve Williams to push Van Aert to the edge, in the first of the eight stages where the Belgian’s Jumbo-Visma team were unable to exert any real grip on proceedings.

After Williams – who was guesting for Great Britain here – and Rodríguez had sprung clear on the climb of Bryn Du, high above Aberdare in the heart of the Rhondda, Van Aert’s teammates had been scattered to the four winds on the high moorland and the two strongest climbers in the race were rapidly forging a healthy advantage ahead of a small chase group, Van Aert faced the prospect of losing the race lead he had taken in winning Thursday’s stage into Felixstowe . “I had a really hard time, I didn’t think it was possible to take the general classification.”

The 28-year-old’s only option was to remain calm and hope that enough of his teammates could battle their way up to him, and that they and other squads would take the strain before the race arrived at the final brace of climbs over Caerphilly Mountain in the last eight miles. “I tried to stay calm, as I knew there were two climbers in front, and they would spend a lot of energy getting to the finish circuit.”

In the hiatus while he waited for Steven Kruijswijk and Nathan Van Hooydonck to catch up, Williams and Rodríguez raced into a lead that briefly exceeded 90 seconds.

With several other teams assisting Jumbo-Visma, the duo’s lead evaporated like the puddles from the rain showers that had greeted the race when it entered the hills, and on reaching Caerphilly they were only a handful of seconds ahead.

The first climb of the mountain broke Williams, a 27-year-old from Aberystwyth who has quietly forged a good career racing for the Bahrain-Merida and Israel-Premier Tech team, and who this year had won the Arctic Race of Norway. Rodríguez forged ahead on his own, but although he has had an outstanding year with a stage win and fifth overall in the Tour de France, he was less of a threat to Van Aert, having lost time in a crash in the Cotswolds on Saturday’s stage into Gloucester.

The Spaniard needed to finish 40sec ahead of Van Aert and his 20sec advantage with one 7km lap of the finish circuit put the race in the balance. With no teammates left at his side, the Belgian had to control the Spaniard’s lead while simultaneously ensuring that he did not crack, and that he did not lose ground to three threats for the overall title: Rodríguez’s Ineos teammate Magnus Sheffield, the Norwegian Tobias Johannessen and the Australian Damien Howson, all of whom were a slender 3sec behind him overall.

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While Rodríguez did give the Ineos team a consolatory stage win after the withdrawal of their marquee rider Tom Pidcock on Saturday, he was only 11sec ahead of Van Aert on the line, giving the Belgian his third road race win of 2023. He has had a frustrating mid-season, and it was about time he got the rub of the green.

This was a fine crescendo to a slow-burning week marked by six mass finishes in the first six stages, with 52 riders level on time 3sec behind Van Aert after Friday’s stage into Harlow , but it was far from plain sailing, with this most important climbing stage in effect split into two by a lengthy pause from racing with between 87km and 77km to go, when the race briefly stopped twice and then took a diversion to avoid a stretch of road which had been closed by an accident involving a motorcyclist. The incident was unrelated to the race, but it meant that the entire convoy had to be guided through back streets with racing neutralised and the bunch travelling at controlled speed.

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Exploring the Wonders of Britain by Train

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Places You’ll See

• Day 1 Arrive in London
• Day 2 London in a day
• Day 3 Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge
• Day 4 London to Manchester
• Day 5 The Lake District
• Day 6 Manchester to Edinburgh & Tour of Edinburgh
• Day 7 Alnwick Castle, the Northumberland Coast & the Borders
• Day 8 West Highlands, Lochs & Castles, by coach
• Day 9 Departure

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