tour of britain route sunday 3rd september

Tour of Britain 2023: Route details, startlist and jerseys guide

The Tour of Britain 2023 begins on Sunday September 3 - here's all you need to know

• Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

After a truncated edition in 2022 due to police having to head off to administer the Queen's funeral, Britain's biggest race - the Tour of Britain - returns for (hopefully) a full run in 2023. 

It's a much more compact edition this year with the race taking place mostly in the middle of the country so if you're anywhere south of Manchester and north of Reading you have precious few excuses for not getting to the roadside to cheer on your favourite rider.

Among the riders set to light up the race are previous winner Wout van Aert and 2022 second place finisher Tom Pidcock , who'll hope to go one better in 2023.

Tour of Britain overview

Tour of britain 2023 route.

Stage 1,   Sunday 3 September

Route: Greater Manchester to Altrincham 

Today's route is near identical to the final stage of the 2019 tour, starting in Altrincham and travelling to Manchester in an anti-clockwise direction taking in the surrounding area’s undulating terrain, including the category two climb of Grains Bar (2.4km at 5.8%) and category one Ramsbottom Rake (1.3km at 8.8%). Those climbs might not sound like much, but together with a number of unclassified rises were enough to significantly reduce the peloton to just a few dozen riders after Ineos Grenadiers applied the pressure. 

The race did eventually culminate in a reduced bunch sprint won by Mathieu van der Poel, but not before we were entertained by a relentless flurry of attacks as teams struggled for control.

Get The Leadout Newsletter

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Expect a similar type of rider to triumph today.

Stage 2, Monday 4 September

Route: Wrexham to Wrexham

At just 109.9km, this is a remarkably short stage by any standards, and as a result could witness some atypical racing. Shorter stages tend to produce more intense racing, with riders able to attack earlier on in the knowledge that they won't have to sustain their efforts for as long.

So although the route doesn’t offer many springboards to launch attacks, travelling westwards across the border and into Cheshire rather than eastwards towards the hills of the Clwydian Range to the west, expect riders to try their luck regardless.

Most important of all will be the Eyton Hill, the category three climb summited with just 18.5km left to ride. It’s close enough to the finish for attackers to fully commit themselves, but will the shallow gradients (averaging only around two and three percent) be enough to establish meaningful gaps?

Stage 3, Tuesday 5 September

Route: Goole to Beverley

Setting off from the small market town of Goole, the riders will head north-eastwards to Bridlington, from where they will travel southwards along the coast and then inland again for a finish in Beverley. For the residents of Beverley, this will be a chance to witness a stage finish after the minster town had previously hosted the beginning of Tour de Yorkshire stages in 2016 and 2018, the former won by Harry Tanfield from a successful break, the latter by Dylan Groenewegen in a sprint.

Much like the course of the town’s famous racecourse, the parcours today before arriving at Beverly is mostly flat, but there are a few potential obstacles to overcome if this is to be a sprint finish. The category three hills up Towthorpe Lane and Langtoft must both be climbed during the first of the stage, and after that comes a stretch of about 35km near the coastline which could, if the wind blows strong and in the right direction, cause echelons. But this should in theory be the most nailed-on stage for the sprinters so far.

Stage 4, Wednesday 6 September

Route: Sherwood Forest to Newark-on-Trent

After setting off from Edwinstone in Sherwood Forest, famous for its association with Robin Hood, the riders face the first to the day’s two category three climbs, Kilton Hill, just 15km into the stage. Then, after briefly crossing into Yorkshire and riding through Haworth, where a monument to Tom Simpsons can be found, they will travel southwards again to tackle the next climb, Red Hill Lane.

There’s a whole 85km between the top of Red Hill Lane and the finish, so plenty of time for the race to settle down for a bunch sprint.

Stage 5, Thursday 7 September

Route: Felixstowe to Felixstowe

Perhaps to make up for the lack of any difficult terrain, the organisers have rendered stage five less straightforward than it would otherwise have been by extending it to a total of 192.4km. That makes it by far the longest stage of the race, and could prevent this from being the predictable sprint stage it looks on paper.

Small undulations in the road that would otherwise have been passed over without a second though will sting the legs of the weaker riders, and being so close to the coast a crosswind could encourage a strong team to the front on any exposed roads.

Stage 6, Friday 8 September

Route: Southend-on-Sea to Harlow

Today’s stage is likely to be the last chance for the sprinters to compete for a stage win. And it should be about as nailed-on for them as any stage in the year’s race — there is only one official climb to be overcome, and it’s only a mild category three one tackled with 46km left between its summit and the finish for the peloton to bring back any optimistic attackers who try to use its shallow gradients to get away.

Stage 7, Saturday 9 September

Route: Tewkesbury to Gloucester

The organisers have made the most of the lumpy terrain of the Cotswolds to devise a route that should be selective, and one of the most important days in the GC race.

There is one climb up the category two Winchcombe Hill just 20km after the roll-out in Tewksbury, but the real action will be reserved for the final 30km. First the category two Crawley Hill, which features a nasty ramp at over 20%, then an uncategorized yet deceptively hard 3km rise to the village of Edge, which includes a similarly sharp ramp of 15%.

Stage 8, Sunday 10 September

Route: Margam Country Park to Caerphilly

The climbs to be taken on might not be especially different than those that have preceded them earlier in the week, but there is still a notable upgrade in terms of severity.

That’s clear when the race heads up to the outskirts of Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly Brecon Beacons) national park to take on the first two climbs of the day, Rhigos and Bryn Du, which have both been designated the maximum difficulty racing of category one.

And after a 35km south-easterly trek from the top of the latter comes a double-ascent of the day’s most important climb, and the one on which the entire fate of the Tour of Britain could be decided — Caerphilly Mountain.

In truth it’s more of a hill than a mountain, lasting just 1.3km, but that’s still enough road for its viscous average gradient of 10% to really sting and force a selection.

Tour of Britain startlist

Movistar Team 

DS Max Sciandri 

1 Gonzalo Serrano ESP

2 Will Barta USA

3 Imanol Erviti ESP

4 Max Kanter GER

5 Gregor Mühlberger AUT

6 Óscar Rodríguez ESP

INEOS Grenadiers 

DS Roger Hammond / Ian Stannard 

11 Tom Pidcock GBR

12 Carlos Rodriguez ESP

13 Luke Rowe GBR

14 Connor Swift GBR

15 Josh Tarling* GBR

16 Ben Turner GBR

Bingoal WB 

DS Alessandro Spezialetti 

21 Floris de Tier BEL

22 Johan Meens BEL

23 Davide Persico* ITA

24 Dimitri Peyskens BEL

25 Lennert Teugels BEL

26 Kenneth van Rooy BEL

Great Britain  

DS John Herety / Matt Brammeier 

31 Ethan Vernon GBR

32 Jack Brough* GBR

33 Josh Giddings* GBR

34 Noah Hobbs* GBR

35 Oliver Wood GBR

36 Stephen Williams GBR

BORA hansgrohe 

DS Jens Zemke / Heinrich Haussler 

41 Sam Bennett IRL

42 Patrick Gamper AUT

43 Nils Politt GER

44 Max Schachmann GER

45 Ide Schelling NED

46 Danny Van Poppel NED

Bolton Equities Black Spoke Cycling  

DS Franky Van Haesebroucke / Greg Henderson 

51 Jacob Scott GBR

52 Matt Bostock GBR

53 James Fouche NZL

54 James Oram NZL

55 Mark Stewart GBR

56 Rory Townsend IRL

Global 6 Cycling 

DS James Mitri / Luis Gerrado 

61 Nicolas Sessler BRA

62 Giacomo Ballabio ITA

63 Tomoya Koyama JPN

64 Ivan Moreno ESP

65 Callum Ormiston RSA

66 Tom Wirtgen LUX

Jumbo Visma 

DS Arthur van Dongen / Maarten Wynants 

71 Wout van Aert BEL

72 Edoardo Affini ITA

73 Steven Kruijswijk NED

74 Olav Kooij* NED

75 Jos van Emden NED

76 Nathan van Hooydonck BEL

Equipo Kern Pharma 

DS Pablo Urtasun 

81 Roger Adrià ESP

82 Igor Arrieta* ESP

83 Iñigo Elosegui ESP

84 José Félix Parra ESP

85 Ibon Ruiz ESP

86 Danny van der Tuuk NED

Saint Piran 

DS Steve Lampier / Julian Winn 

91 Alexander Richardson GBR

92 Harry Birchill* GBR

93 Finn Crockett GBR

94 Zeb Kyffin GBR

95 Jack Rootkin-Gray* GBR

96 Bradley Symonds GBR

Team dsm - firmenich 

DS Matt Winston 

101 Tobias Lund Arnesen DEN

102 Patrick Eddy* AUS

103 Enzo Leijnse* NED

104 Niklas Märkl GER

105 Tim Naberman NED

106 Casper van Uden* NED

Q36.5 Pro Cycling 

DS Aart Vierhouten / Rik Reinerink 

111 Mark Donovan GBR

112 Damian Howson AUS

113 Kamil Malecki POL

114 Nicolò Parisini ITA

115 Joey Rosskopf USA

116 Szymon Sajnok POL

TDT - Unibet 

DS Rob Harmeling / Julia Soek 

121 Harry Tanfield GBR

122 Joren Bloem NED

123 Davide Bomboi BEL

124 Jordy Bouts BEL

125 Abram Stockman BEL

126 Hartthijs de Vries NED

Team Flanders - Baloise 

DS Hans De Clerq / Andy Missotten 

131 Kamiel Bonneu BEL

132 Sander De Pestel BEL

133 Milan Fretin* BEL

134 Elias Maris BEL

135 Ward Vanhoof BEL

136 Aaron Verwilst BEL

Trinity Racing 

DS Peter Kennaugh / Jon Mould 

141 Luke Lamperti* USA

142 Robert Donaldson* GBR

143 Luksas Nerukar* GBR

144 Finlay Pickering* GBR

145 Ollie Reese* GBR

146 Max Walker* GBR

Uno-X Pro Cycling 

DS Gino van Oudenhove / Arne Gunnar Ensrud 

151 Alexander Kristoff NOR

152 Frederik Dversnes NOR

153 Tord Gudmestad* NOR

154 Tobias Halland Johannssen NOR

155 Ramus Tiller NOR

156 Martin Urianstad NOR

* Denotes eligibility for the young rider jersey as under-23 

TOUR of Britain PAST WINNERS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS

2012: Nathan Haas (Aus)

2013: Bradley Wiggins (GBr)

2014: Dylan van Baarle (Ned)

2015: Edvald Boasson Hgen (Nor)

2016: Steve cummings (GBr)

2017: Lars Boom (Ned)

2018: Julian Alaphilippe (Fra)

2019: Mathieu van der Poel (Ned)

2020: No race

2021: Wout van Aert (Bel)

2022: Gonzalo Serrano (Esp)

Tour of Britain jersey guide

Blue: GC leader jersey

The best overall rider in the race calculated by the cumulative time they take on each stage.

Green: cottages.com sprints jersey

The first 10 riders each day get points as follows: 25, 18, 12, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Intermediate sprint points are awarded to the first five riders on a 10, 7, 5, 3 ,1 basis.

Black: Pinarello KOM jersey

First-category climbs give the first 10 riders points in descending order from 10. Second-cat climbs work the same for the first six riders, the first getting six points, while third-cat climbs see the first rider get four points.

White: young rider's jersey

Awarded to the best placed GC rider who is also under-23.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Stephen Puddicombe is a freelance journalist for Cycling Weekly , who regularly contributes to our World Tour racing coverage with race reports, news stories, interviews and features. Outside of cycling, he also enjoys writing about film and TV - but you won't find much of that content embedded into his CW articles. 

'I suspect that you can divide cyclists into personality types around coffee', muses columnist Dr Hutch

By Michael Hutchinson Published 21 April 24

State Bicycle Co. announced today a Bob Marley collaboration that features Marley-themed bikes, frame bags, top caps and apparel.

By Kristin Jenny Published 20 April 24

New Tour of Britain race director says he is still on good terms with Dave Brailsford after resigning from team last year

By Tom Thewlis Published 17 April 24

British Cycling aim to increase women’s Tour of Britain to six stages in 2025 in order to create full parity between the two events

By Tom Thewlis Published 3 April 24

Prize money for 2023 race unpaid, riders union says national federation must ‘bear the debts’ of previous organiser, SweetSpot

By Tom Thewlis Published 5 February 24

National federation committed to ensuring men's and women’s races take place this year but CEO admits it is in a ‘race against the clock’ to put on women's event

By Tom Thewlis Published 2 February 24

Ben Swift and Owain Doull both say it would be a "shame" were the Tour of Britain to be no more

By Adam Becket Published 26 January 24

Isle of Wight council not ruling out legal proceedings against SweetSpot to reclaim funds after island missed out on hosting race in 2022

By Tom Thewlis Published 30 November 23

British Cycling alleges race organiser SweetSpot will owe £700,000 in unpaid race licence fees by the end of 2023

By Tom Thewlis Published 7 November 23

Welshman takes heart from impressive showing in South Wales, as he looked like he might win the stage and overall

By Tom Thewlis Published 11 September 23

Useful links

• Tour de France
• Giro d'Italia
• Vuelta a España

Buyer's Guides

• Best road bikes
• Best gravel bikes
• Best smart turbo trainers
• Best cycling computers
• Editor's Choice
• Bike Reviews
• Component Reviews
• Clothing Reviews
• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Cookies policy
• Advertise with us

Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Tour of Britain 2023 Route stage 1: Altrincham - Manchester

A few years ago, Deansgate in the heart of Manchester city centre was the scene of a Mathieu van der Poel victory. The recently crowned World Champion both clinched the stage win and the overall Tour of Britain title in 2019. That stage also set off from Altrincham and the route was virtually similar.

The route goes from Altrincham to Manchester in an anti-clockwise direction. Along the way the riders tackle the climbs up Werneth Low (2 kilometres at 8%), Grains Bar (7.7 kilometre 5.2%) and the Ramsbottom Rake (2.1 kilometres at 9.1%) before it levels out in the last 40 kilometres. The race then enters Manchester from the west.

The 2019 of the Altrincham/Manchester race culminated in a reduced bunch sprint won by Mathieu van der Poel. It was a close finish with his compatriot Cees Bol finishing in second, while Matteo Trentin crossed the line in third.

Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 1 .

Another interesting read: results 1st stage 2023 Tour of Britain.

Tour of Britain 2023 – stage 1: route, profile, more

Click on the images to zoom

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Tour of Britain 2023 stage one: Route map and road closures from Altrincham to Manchester

The tour of britain begins in altrincham on sunday with the opening stage finishing in manchester city centre, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers

Sign up to the independent's betting newsletter, thanks for signing up to the betting email.

The Tour of Britain 2023 sees a star-studded peloton ride from Altrincham and Manchester on stage one to the route finish at Caerphilly Castle on stage eight, via Wrexham, Sherwood Forest, Southend-on-Sea and much more.

The great Wout van Aert will be on the startline and the Dutch Jumbo-Visma rider, who won this race in 2021, will be one of the biggest draws for cycling fans. He will be joined by talented 21-year-old teammate Olav Kooij in a strong Jumbo line-up.

Ineos Grenadiers provide plenty of home interest, with world and Olympic mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock fronting a team that also includes talented young Spaniard Carlos Rodriguez (fifth at the Tour de France) and Welshman Luke Rowe, riding in his home nation for several of the stages.

Track world champion Ethan Vernon and Tour de Yorkshire stage winner Harry Tanfield will also enjoy home support during the race.

Here is a closer look at the stage one route and road closures.

Stage one map and profile

Road closures.

A rolling road closure will be enforced on each of the stages. This means roads on and around the race route will be closed to traffic for a short period in which it takes the race to pass by – usually about 10 to 15 minutes around the estimated time of arrival and indicated by police escort vehicles.

On stage one there will be several road closures in place around the centre of Altrincham, some of which will be in place from 6pm on Saturday 2 September. This will also lead to parking suspensions in key locations to enable race infrastructure to be set up and following the race removed.

Stage one will finish on Deansgate in the centre of Manchester, causing a number of road closures in the city on Sunday.

Sunday 3 September: roads closed from 5am to 9pm

• Water Street - From New Elm Road to Liverpool Road
• Liverpool Road - From Water Street to Deansgate
• Deansgate - From Whitworth Street West to John Dalton Street
• Little Quay Street - From Quay Street to Atkinson Street
• Atkinson Street - From Deansgate to Little Quay Street
• Quay Street - From Byrom to Deansgate
• Peter Street - From Deansgate to Oxford Street
• Bootle Street - From Deansgate to Jerusalem Place
• Jerusalem Place - From Bootle Street to Peter Street
• Lloyd Street - From Deansgate to Southmill Street
• Great Bridgewater Street – From Watson Street to Deansgate

Closures for approx. 15 mins between 3.15pm and 4.15pm

• Regent Road East Bound - From River Irwell to Trinity Way
• Trinity Way - From Regent Road to Water Street
• Water Street - From Trinity Way to New Elm Road

Closures for approx. 30 mins between 3.15pm to 4.15pm

• Watson Street - From Great Bridgwater to Peter Street

Route timings (predicted)

Market Street | Altrincham 11:45

Wilmslow 12:15

Hazel Grove 12:30

Stalybridge 13:00

Uppermill 13:14

Grains Bar 13:22

Rochdale 13:35

Ramsbottom Rake 13:59

Belmont 14:25

Aspull 14:45

Hindley 14:56

Atherton 15:00

Swinton 15:19

Salford 15:25

Deansgate | Manchester city centre 15:30

The route is marked with yellow advanced warning signs in the run up to the Tour of Britain. Organisers ask not to park along the route on race day.

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

• Sport + Travel Magazine

« All Events

• This event has passed.

Cycling: 2023 Tour of Britain

3 september 2023 - 10 september 2023.

The Tour of Britain returns for its 19th edition from 3-10 September 2023. Taking place over eight stages, the cycling event forms part of the UCI ProSeries and will visit England and Wales en route to crowning its next overall champion. The eight stages are: 

• Grand Depart – Sunday 3 September: Altrincham to Manchester 
• Stage two – Monday 4 September: Wrexham
• Stage three – Tuesday 5 September: The Howdens Stage Goole to Beverley
• Stage four – Wednesday 6 September: Sherwood Forest to Newark-on-Trent
• Stage five – Thursday 7 September: Felixstowe
• Stage six – Friday 8 September: Southend-on-Sea to Harlow
• Stage seven – Saturday 9 September: Tewkesbury to Gloucester
• Stage eight – Sunday 10 September: Margam Country Park to Caerphilly

Fans can enhance their race day experience by watching the stage starts and finishes in the Sportsbreaks.com Terrace .

Image: tourofbritain.co.uk

• Google Calendar
• Outlook 365
• Outlook Live

Privacy Overview

The British Continental

– domestic cycle racing

2023 Tour of Britain: a stage-by-stage guide

The 2023 Tour of Britain criss-crosses the country with a mix of flat and hilly stages set to test the resolve - and legs - of the peloton.

The Tour of Britain returns this Sunday (3 September). The premier men’s race in the UK begins its eight-stage journey in Greater Manchester before zig-zagging across England and Wales, culminating in a mouthwatering finale in Caerphilly. The race also makes a return to Yorkshire and features a maiden appearance in Gloucestershire.

Sprinter-friendly stages dominate much of the early stages, with hillier parcours (mostly) saved for the back-end of the race. This will likely mean that the general classification battle remains tight throughout, assuming the peloton decides to keep breakaways on a tight leash. Nonetheless, climbing legs will be tested to the extreme with a brutal final stage in South Wales which features four category one climbs on the way to a finish at Caerphilly Castle.

Stage overview

Stage 1 | Sunday 3 September | Altrincham – Manchester

The start of the race returns to Greater Manchester, 19 years after the North West played host to the departure of the very first edition of the Tour of Britain.

Starting in Altrincham, the race loops round the outer edge of Greater Manchester before cutting in towards the centre through Salford and into what should be a high-speed finish in Deansgate – scene to a round of the Tour Series last year, and where Mathieu van der Poel vanquished the competition to win a near-identical stage in 2019.

While the finish might be a sprint, there’s a few stings in the middle. The Ramsbottom Rake – a Cat 1 climb – will be familiar to hill climbers, having hosted the British Championships three times. With a 10.4% average gradient, and ramps at almost 20%, the Rake could be an early test of resolve for some in the peloton.

Stage 2 | Monday 4 September | Wrexham – Wrexham

Crossing the border into Wales for the first of two stages in the country this year, as part of a deal to bring the Tour of Britain and the Women’s Tour to Wales until 2026, the stage is one long circuit.

A day for the sprinters, Elia Viviani pipped Andre Greipel and Mark Cavendish to victory the last time Wrexham hosted a stage finish. This time around there are a few lumpy climbs towards the end as the course runs back towards America’s favourite Welsh city thanks to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Clocking in at just 109.9km, this stage is the race’s shortest since the finale of the 2006 edition.

Stage 3 | Tuesday 5 September | Goole – Beverley

A jaunt across country and a return to Yorkshire for the second edition in a row also promises to be another day which will have the sprinters licking their lips.

Starting out in Goole on the Humber, the route takes the peloton North East through the Yorkshire Wolds and out into the traditional British seaside town of Bridlington.

With the two Cat 3 climbs dealt with by the time the route hits the coast, a flat ride down the coast, taking in Skipsea and Hornsea, could be buffeted by crosswinds coming off the North Sea splitting up the race.

Turning back in land, the race will culminate a fast finish into Beverley.

Stage 4 | Wednesday 6 September | Sherwood Forest – Newark-on-Trent

The third longest stage of the 2023 edition features just 1200m of climbing as the route takes in some of the National Trust’s most scenic sites as the route wiggles its way round Nottinghamshire for a second finish in Newark-on-Trent.

A poignant moment of the stage will come when the peloton passes the memorial to 1965 World Road Race Champion Tom Simpson in Harworth.

Fernando Gaviria triumphed the last time the race took in Newark, expect another sprinter to take the pickings six years on from the Colombian’s triumph.

Stage 5 | Thursday 7 September | Felixstowe – Felixstowe

Heading to one of England’s flattest counties means Stage 5 is another one where the climbers will be left waiting for another day. Starting and ending in Felixstowe, this 192.4km brute takes in picture-postcard villages around Suffolk along with what will hopefully be a crowd-lined run through Ipswich on the way out from Felixstowe.

The final 6km should be familiar to most, being a direct copy of the finale of the 2021 Women’s Tour – Elisa Balsamo prevailing on that occasion.

Stage 6 | Friday 8 September | Southend-on-Sea – Harlow

A touch lumpier than the stage before, Stage 6 heads a touch further south and into Essex for what is expected to be a very spectator-friendly route which goes inland from the mouth of the Thames towards Harlow. Zig-zagging back and forth means spectators should be able to watch the race quite a few times if they can plan properly.

The one Cat 3 climb comes just outside of Chelmsford but won’t be much of a challenge to riders already well bedded-in to the race after five stages previously.

Familiarity is the name of the game with this finish, like the day previous in Felixstowe, as Lorena Wiebes prevailed in the same finale when Harlow hosted Stage 2 of last year’s Women’s Tour.

Stage 7 | Saturday 9 September | Tewkesbury – Gloucester

After days of stages with the odd lump of a climb, the Tour of Britain’s first full appearance in Gloucestershire will be a rude awakening with a pair of Cat 2 climbs and a punishing ascent of the aptly named uncategorised climb of Painswick will shatter the race and could be the stage for a thrilling climax.

Winchcombe Hill – 7.2% average gradient – starts the day off but it’s Crawley Hill with its 6.4% gradient in the final 30km of the stage that could be decisive, especially when you couple it with Painswick just over 10km later.

Stage 8 | Sunday 10 September | Margam Country Park – Caerphilly

Not one but two ascents of the Caerphilly Mountain climb – returning for the first time in 10 years – means the finale of this year’s race won’t be a casual cruise to the finish, it’ll be a ferocious battle right to the end.

Averaging 10.1% over its 1.3km length, the two ascents of the mountain are two of four Cat 1 climbs on the final day with Rhigos and Bryn Du adding to the lung-busting efforts needed to reach Caerphilly.

10,000 spectators lined the roads at the end of the stage back in 2013, and if similar numbers descent on South Wales for the 19th edition, they should be in for quite a treat.

Featured image: SWpix.com – 12/09/2021 – Cycling – AJ Bell Tour of Britain Stage 8 – Stonehaven to Aberdeen, Scotland – Jumbo Visma’s Wout van Aert takes victory at the Tour of Britain after winning stage 8

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Discover more from The British Continental

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Ukraine’s elite Azov brigade managed to steal a special Russian tank. This is why

One day apparently in early April, a Russian T-72 tank rolled into battle near Terny, in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast. The tank ran over some barbed wire, which fouled its tracks. Out of control, the tank collided with a BMP fighting vehicle.

Essex nurse has suspected malnutrition after dentist removed nearly all her teeth

Annette Aldridge, 55, went to the dentist with a loose tooth and was shocked when she was told her all her teeth would be needed to be taken out

Tour of Britain 2023: Everything you need to know about watching the race in Altrincham and Hale

The Tour of Britain’s Grand Départ is taking place in Altrincham on Sunday 3rd September.

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on WhatsApp
• Share via Email

Britain's biggest cycle race returns to Altrincham and Hale this weekend in what is set to be another spectacular event for the town.

The race, the UK's biggest and most prestigious professional cycle race and the country's largest free-to-spectate sporting event, is returning to the town for the first time since 2019.

Altrincham is hosting the start of the first stage of the race, which crosses Greater Manchester and finishes on Deansgate in the city centre.

Who will be riding in this year's Tour Britain?

There'll be a world-class line-up in this year's race.

Yorkshire’s Tom Pidcock - the Olympic gold medallist with connections to Hale - will lead a strong INEOS Grenadiers team in this year’s race, 12 months after he narrowly missed out on claiming the overall victory in the UK’s leading cycle race.

Pidcock will be one of four home riders in the Grenadiers’ line-up, as Welshman and former stage winner Luke Rowe, Connor Swift and debutant Ben Turner have also been selected to race.

Tour de France stage winner Carlos Rodríguez (Spain) and Magnus Sheffield (USA) complete the team’s six-man line-up.

Over 100 of the world's best riders will make up the race.

What time will the race start?

The race will have a neutralised start at 11.45am.

This start, typical in cycle races, will see the riders start behind a pace car, and is meant for starts taking place in congested or otherwise unsuitable locations.

The race will process like this through Altrincham and Hale before a proper start on Cow Lane in Ashley.

It will then take a 163.6km route through Ashley, Mobberley, Morley Green, Wilmslow, Woodford, Bramhall, Hazel Grove, Disley, Marple, Marple Bridge, Werneth Low, Mottram in Longdendale, Stalybridge, Buckton Vale, Saddleworth, Uppermill, Delph, Crompton, Shaw, Burnedge, Rochdale, Spotland, Wolstenholme, Cheesden, Edenfield, Ramsbottom, Holcombe, Hawkshaw, Edgworth, Turton Bottoms, Chapeltown, Cadshaw, Egerton, Belmont, Rivington, Grimeford Village, Haigh, Aspull, New Springs, Scholes, Hindley, Hindley Green, Atherton, Tyldesley, Little Hulton, Linnyshaw, Swinton, Pendlebury and Salford, before finishing on Deansgate in Manchester city centre.

You can see the full route here , with the anticipated arrival times in each place here .

What route will it take through Altrincham and Hale?

The race will take a slightly different route to 2019, the last time it was in the town.

Starting outside Market House on Market Street , the riders will progress over High Street towards the main A56 road, before quickly turning right down Kingsway .

The riders will then carry on down Stamford Street to the Barrington Road/Stamford New Road junction, where they will turn right up Stamford New Road and through the heart of the town centre.

They'll carry on past Altrincham Hospital, up Railway Street and Ashley Road , and then turn left at the roundabout on to Hale Road.

They'll go over the Hale Road Bridge and then turn right up Victoria Road and on into Hale village. The riders will process all the way along Ashley Road into Ashley, where the race will start proper on Cow Lane .

The best vantage points to watch the cyclists

Viewing areas in Kingsway, Stamford Street, Stamford New Road, Railway Street, Ashley Road (Altrincham/Hale) and Victoria Road are recommended as the best places to watch the race.

Activities around the town centre

Trafford Council and Altrincham BID, who produce Visit Altrincham, have put together cycle related activity and entertainment for spectators.

The ‘Visit Altrincham’ stand will be on George Street, providing visitors with information about the town, the best vantage points and where activity is taking place.

Dr Bike will be on Central Way and in the Stamford Quarter with free bike repairs and checks.

There will be chance to try adapted bikes including trikes and e-bikes with Wheels for All on Cross Street as well as e-cargo bikes with Manchester Bikes, and a BMX trail course with Access Sports.

You will also be able to make your own smoothie by pedal power with Bikeability in the Stamford Quarter.

Cafes and restaurants opening early

Many of Altrincham and Hale’s cafés and restaurants are opening early to serve pre-race breakfast and brunch.

These include Gran T’s Coffee House, California Coffee & Wine, Damò, West Beverly, Leanne’s Vintage Tearoom and more.

In Hale, Manchester Bike Kitchen will set up a stand next to Costa Coffee.

There are also some special offers for spectators including 50% off match tickets for Altrincham FC v Hartlepool United, an introductory offer from the Massage Company and 30% off Cannondale road and gravel bikes at Stamford Cycle Co.

Some of Altrincham’s businesses are taking part in a ‘Bike Themed Window Competition’ and there is an opportunity for children and teens to design their own race jersey with a chance to win a place at Sew Creative’s sewing Holiday Club in October.

Pick up an entry sheet from Sew Creative, Bar Etna, Everyman Altrincham and Café Nerd or download here .

More details of special openings and discounts can be downloaded here:

Road Closures during the Tour of Britain in Altrincham and Hale

Parking/Loading and Waiting Suspensions

Road Closures

Hale Barns Carnival returns with biggest production yet - and special Chequers tribute

Nightlife supremo to tell tales from the dancefloor at altrincham book signing, shiver me timbers altrincham's popular town trail is back for easter, new stage at the brit fest will showcase region's rising stars, robins wary of relegated oxford as they target home play-off tie, lap dancing club has licence refused - as altrincham is "no longer an appropriate area", job: evening caretaker at wellington school, job: temporary student support officer at wellington school.

Preview: 2023 Tour of Britain

The tour of britain once again makes its way across the uk from sunday 3 to sunday 10 september for eight epic stages, with the best riders in the country taking on global stars here on home turf. here we’ve pulled together all the key information you need to follow the action., watching from the roadside.

The Grand Depart will see riders leave the start line in Altrincham to Manchester for the first stage on Sunday 3 September, with Greater Manchester hosting a weekend of cycling events and activities to build up to the start of the race. 

Having hosted a stage of The Women’s Tour last year, Wrexham will host the second stage, before riders will take to the third stage starting in Goole and finishing in Beverley. 

Stage four will see riders return to Nottinghamshire, racing from Sherwood Forest to Newark-on-Trent, before a seaside trip starting and finishing in Felixstone on stage five. The riders then visit Southend-on-Sea and finish in Harlow for the sixth stage and will tackle the Gloucestershire hills on stage seven from Tewkesbury to Gloucester.

A return to the legendary Caerphilly Mountain climb forms part of a spectacular final stage in South Wales, with riders starting in the picturesque Margam Country Park and finishing near Caerphilly Castle.

Find out more about all the stages, including where you can watch and all the key timings here .

Cheering on the Brits

The Great Britain Cycling Team is once again fielding a strong seven-man squad of talented riders for the Tour of Britain, including elimination world champion Ethan Vernon and scratch European champion Ollie Wood.

Having both competed at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, where Wood also won a silver medal in the men’s Madison alongside Bolton Equities Black Spoke rider Mark Stewart, the British riders will be ready to race on home soil once again after the success of Glasgow. Stewart will also be competing in The Tour of Britain alongside teammates and fellow Brits Matt Bostock and Jacob Scott.

Wood and Vernon will be joined in the Great Britain Cycling Team by recent winner of the Arctic Race of Norway Stevie Williams, and promising 19-year-old Noah Hobbs, who finished fifth at the National Circuit Championships and third at Ronde van de Achterhoek this weekend. Josh Giddings and Jack Brough complete the line-up, having both raced competitively on the road this season and working well for their respective teams.

The team will also be rubbing shoulders with British WorldTour team INEOS Grenadiers, with Tom Pidcock ready to redeem himself after a second-place finish in a shortened Tour of Britain last year. 

UCI Continental team Saint Piran has a strong squad of British riders competing, including Alex Richardson, Harry Birchill, Finn Crockett, Zeb Kyffin, Jack Rootkin-Gray and Bradley Symonds, having dominated the National Road Series this year with a clean sweep of podiums in each round. TRINITY Racing will also be competitive at The Tour of Britain for another year, with Lukas Nerurkar, Bob Donaldson, Finlay Pickering, Oliver Rees and Max Walker ready to take to the start line.

Broadcast details

Every stage of the The Tour of Britain will be televised live on ITV4 in the UK, and can be viewed worldwide on Eurosport and GCN. 

Stage one: Altrincham to Manchester (Sunday 3 September)

• Live: 11:30am – 4:30pm
• Highlights: 8pm – 9pm

Stage two: Wrexham to Wrexham (Monday 4 September)

• Live: 11:30am – 3:15pm

Stage three: Goole to Beverley (Tuesday 5 September)

• Live: 11:15am – 4pm

Stage four: Sherwood Forest to Newark-on-Trent (Wednesday 6 September)

• Live: 11am – 4pm

Stage five: Felixstowe to Felixstowe (Thursday 7 September)

• Live: 10:30am – 4pm
• Highlights: 9pm – 10pm

Stage six: Southend-on-Sea to Harlow (Friday 8 September)

• Live: 11:30am – 4pm

Stage seven: Tewkesbury to Gloucester (Saturday 9 September)

• Live: 11:45am – 3:45pm

Stage eight: Margam Country Park to Caerphilly (Sunday 10 September)

ITV4 is available on Freeview (channel 25), Freesat (channel 117), Sky (channel 120), Virgin Media (channel 118) and the ITV Hub (online) in the UK.

Find out more here and download the Tour of Britain race guide here .

Related Articles

WATCH: Behind the Bike

Catch up on the latest episodes from British Cycling's original series, 'Behind the Bike'. Get a behind-the-scenes perspective of road races, BMX events, track cycling, and more.

British Cycling members can now exclusively watch the first episode of Behind the Bike: Tour of Britain, a three-part series that shares a unique insight into the Tour experience from the perspective of riders and team staff from the Great Britain Cycling Team.

World champion Fin Graham claims double golds at National Para-cycling Championships

The 2022 National Disability and Para-cycling Championships saw the best riders in the country crowned national champions over the bank holiday weekend, with the circuit championships in Rhyl, and the time trial championships in Chester.

Morgan soars to Stars of South West road race win after collarbone break jeapordised season

After a four month hiatus,  the Under-23 Men’s National Road Series returned at the August bank holiday weekend with  the Stars of the South West road race .

ROAD EVENTS

Find Events Near Me:

• Leisure rides
• Challenge rides & Sportives
• Circuit races

Get into British Cycling

Register with british cycling today, it's free, first name:, please enter your first name., please enter your surname., email address:, please enter your e-mail address., confirm email:, please confirm your e-mail address., please enter a password., confirm password:, please confirm your password., i'm interested in:, the type of riding i do is:.

Register Now

Upgrade to enjoy these benefits...

Discounts on top cycling brands

Enjoy over 100 offers on bikes, kit and more.

Peace-of-mind insurance

£20m third-party liability cover

Free legal support

Get the help you need in case of an incident

Members Voice forum

Have your say on things you care about

Login to your British Cycling account.

Membership number:, this field is required..

• I don't know my username/password
• Not registered yet?
• Need further help? Contact us

Retrieve your account details

Forgotten password.

If you do not know your password, enter your username and we will send a password reset to your registered email address.

Username / Membership No:

Forgotten username / membership number.

If you don't know your username, enter the email address with which your account is registered and we will send you a reminder.

E-Mail Address:

We have found a match between your Facebook account and British Cycling.

To link accounts please enter your British Cycling password. You only need to do this once.

Tour of Britain 2023

Latest news from the race.

Future of Tour of Britain in doubt after British Cycling ends deal with race organiser

Wout van Aert secures overall title at Tour of Britain

Tour of Britain: Wout van Aert caught in final metres as Rasmus Tiller wins stage 7 reduced sprint

Stage 6: Van Poppel breaks Jumbo-Visma stranglehold

Stage 5 - Tour of Britain: Wout van Aert attacks solo to win

Stage 4 - Tour of Britain: Olav Kooij takes record fourth stage in a row

Stage 3 - Tour of Britain: Olav Kooij makes it three

Stage 2 - Tour of Britain: Two wins in a row for Olav Kooij with sprint victory

Stage 1 - Tour of Britain: Kooij and Van Aert score Jumbo-Visma 1-2

Tour of Britain overview

The Tour of Britain 2023 starts off on September 3 in Greater Manchester and concludes in Caerphilly, South Wales eight days later. The final stage will feature a return to the legendary Caerphilly Mountain, not undertaken since 2013, where the peloton will have to twice face the 1.3km ascent which averages 10.1% across its 1.3km.

This year’s race, ranked at UCI ProSeries level, marks the 19th edition of the modern Tour of Britain. No other incarnation of the professional race, which has its origins back in 1945, has ever run for longer than eight years. 

The final three stages of last year’s edition were cancelled following the death of Queen Elizabeth ll.  Gonzalo Serrano (Movistar) was leading the overall classification following stage 5, and therefore became the overall winner of the 2022 Tour of Britain.

Previous overall winners of the Tour of Britain include Wout van Aert (2021), Mathieu van der Poel (2019), Julian Alaphilippe (2018), Lars Boom (2011 and 2017), Steven Cummings (2016) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (2009 and 2015), Bradley Wiggins (2013), and Dylan van Baarle (2014). 

Join Cyclingnews' coverage of the 2023 Tour of Britain with race reports, results, photo galleries, news and race analysis.

Tour of Britain schedule

Tour of britain teams.

• Bora-Hansgrohe
• Movistar Team
• Equipo Kern Pharma
• Ineos Grenadiers
• Global 6 Cycling
• Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
• Saint Piran
• Trinity Racing
• Great Britain
• Jumbo-Visma
• TDT-Unibet Cycling Team
• Bolton Equities Black Spoke
• Team dsm-firmenich
• Team Flanders-Baloise
• Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

Latest Content on the Race

By Daniel Ostanek published 7 November 23

News Race promoters Sweetspot allegedly owes £700,000 in rights fees

Jumbo-Visma rip up the Tour of Britain script with Van Aert's 'surprise' late attack

By Daniel Ostanek published 7 September 23

News Dutch team win fifth stage in a row as Van Aert takes GC lead with plan which 'came up as a joke/idea'

Wout van Aert - 'Olav Kooij has potential to be the best sprinter in the world'

By James Moultrie published 6 September 23

News 21-year-old sprinter is unbeaten through four stages at the Tour of Britain

Wout van Aert, Sam Bennett confirmed to start Tour of Britain

By Kirsten Frattini published 22 August 23

News Ineos Grenadiers expected to bring Tom Pidcock while Movistar returns with defending champion Gonzalo Serrano

Tour of Britain 2023 route map: Stages list, road closures, TV coverage and where to watch stage 2 today

The 2023 Tour of Britain is taking place this week, with Wrexham in north Wales playing host to stage 2 on Monday.

It is the first time the tour has visited Wrexham in eight years, and will be the second shortest point-to-point road stage in tour history, beating only the finale of the 2006 race.

Dutch rider Olav Kooij sprinted a stage 1 victory on Sunday, ahead of his Belgian Jumbo-Visma teammate Wout van Aert.

Ireland’s Sam Bennett was third, with Britain’s Tom Pidcock, who is one of the main contenders for the title, finishing safely in 12th.

What is the Tour of Britain route today?

The 109.9km route both begins and ends in Wrexham. The route comprises a clockwise loop that passes across the border into Cheshire, before returning to Welsh soil after Threapwood.

Passing the famous Beeston Castle and the Peckforton Hills, the route heads back into Wales via Malpas, looping through Bangor-on-Dee and Ruabon before heading back into Wrexham for the thrilling sprint finish on Chester Street.

The finish is the same as that used when Wrexham last hosted the race in 2015, when Elia Viviani won a three-way sprint against André Greipel and Mark Cavendish in front of an estimated 10,000 spectators.

Here is the route breakdown, with approximate timings:

• Wrexham, Chester Street – 11.45am
• Llay – 12.06pm
• Gresford – 12.10pm
• Rossett – 12.15pm
• Holt – 12.25pm
• Malpas – 1.14pm
• Bangor-on-Dee – 1.30pm
• Penley – 1.52pm
• Overton – 2.00pm
• Eyton – 2.10pm
• Johnstown – 2.15pm
• Ruabon – 2.17pm
• Rhos – 2.24pm
• Wrexham, Chester Street – 2.37pm

You can find the full, detailed stage 2 timetable, including road closures, here .

Tour of Britain stage schedule Grand Depart  | Sunday 3 September | Greater Manchester: Altrincham > Manchester Stage 2  | Monday 4 September | Wrexham > Wrexham Stage 3  | Tuesday 5 September | Goole > Beverley Stage 4 | Wednesday 6 September | Sherwood Forest > Newark-on-Trent Stage 5  | Thursday 7 September | Felixstowe > Felixstowe Stage 6  | Friday 8 September | Southend-on-Sea > Harlow Stage 7  | Saturday 9 September | Tewkesbury > Gloucester Stage 8  | Sunday 10 September | Margam Country Park > Caerphilly

How can I watch the Tour of Britain?

ITV4 is broadcasting all eight stages of the 2023 Tour of Britain in their entirety. A one-hour highlights show will also be shown each evening.

ITV4 is available on Freeview (channel 25), Freesat (channel 117), Sky (channel 120), Virgin Media (channel 118) and the ITV X (online) in the UK.

Profiles & Route Tour of Britain 2023

Profile. From the 3rd to 10th of September the Tour of Britain takes place, one of the biggest races in the closing shots of the road season, the eight stages throughout British roads serve as preparation for the late-season classics but together they make for a very prestigious race.

This is an absolute feast for the sprinters, I dare to say perhaps the race at top level which features the most dense amount of opportunities for the fast men. Out of the eight stages, the first six are all mostly flat and suited to the sprinters, and the amount of bonifications may even see them in the fight for the overall classification. The closing weekend, the final two days of the race, will feature a few ascents, but they are not overly hard and will make it an open one for many riders.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 - 6 sprints and GC battle between Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock

The opening stage takes place from Altrincham to Manchester. It's not a pan-flat day, not a traditional sprint stage. In it's bulk it includes a 2-kilometer climb at 8% and 1.3-kilometer at 9.1%, among others. They are difficult, but the last ascent comes with around 50 kilometers to go, and there is still plenty terrain to organize the race - however a breakaway may be quite dangerous on the day.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 1 - Van Aert and Kooij vs Bennett and van Poppel leadout spectacle

Wrexham hosts the start and finish of stage 2, it is the shortest day of the race and will be a very fast one, mostly flat, and without any obstacle which may create differences in the peloton.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 2 - Second opportunity for the van Aert-Kooij leadout

Stage 3 will have 154 kilometers in length and it is a standard sprint day. It ends in Beverley, the final half of the stage is almost pan-flat, however the run-up to the line has a slight uphill drag.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 3 - Hattrick likely for Jumbo-Visma

The fourth day of racing is not too different than the ones of previous days. From Sherwood Forest to Newark-on-Trent the riders don't find any serious ascent, but instead traditional British roads onto what should be another bunch sprint.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 4 - Olav Kooij in within a chance of winning fourth consecutive sprint

Stage 5 will be a familiar sight. More flat roads on the menu and another day or the sprinters. Felixstowe hosts the start and finish of the day which should see another bunch sprint come to light.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 5 - A fifth consecutive sprint for Olav Kooij to win?

The sixth day of racing is also made for the sprinters. It's hard to dispute it, no matter how much some teams would like to make a difference, the 146 kilometers into Harlow simply don't present the difficulties to do so.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 6 - Jumbo-Visma's sixth chance to choose stage winner

On stage 7 the race finally enters the hilly terrain. From Tewkesbury to Gloucester the riders find a few ascents. Towards the end the riders find a 1.7-kilometer climb at 8.7% and a 2.2-kilometer ascent at 5.7%, two spots where the peloton will be reduced, it can be a key day for the overall classification, but a reduced sprint is not to be discounted.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 7 - Hilly day to open GC fight, battle between Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock

The final day and queen stage of the race. 167 kilometers in length, it features a few longer ascents and they are hard. Many sprinters will struggle early on, however those who survive stand a chance. The puncheurs and climbers have two good chances to make a difference towards the end however, into Caerphilly the riders climb twice a 1.7-kilometer ascent at 8.3% which come in close succession and very close to the finish.

PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 8 - Wout van Aert's race to lose on difficult final day

Read more about:, place comments.

You are currently seeing only the comments you are notified about, if you want to see all comments from this post, click the button below.

Confirmation

Are you sure you want to report this comment?

UNDER_ARTICLE

Mon 22 Apr 2024

Tue 23 Apr 2024