Mid Suffolk and Babergh to host second stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men

East Suffolk will host the first stage of the race, with the return of the world’s top male cyclists to the district for a third consecutive year, as Woodbridge and Southwold play host to the stage one start and finish.

A day later the second stage of the race will start and finish in Stowmarket, hosted by Mid Suffolk District Council and neighbouring Babergh District Council, as two stages of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men take place in the county for the first time.

The announcement follows the success of this year’s Lloyds Tour of Britain Women in June, which saw an action-packed edition of the race only decided in the final sprint to the line in Glasgow, as Kiwi rider Ally Wollaston claimed victory.

Stowmarket will be hosting the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men for the first time, although it has previously hosted a finish of the women’s race, won by Jolien D’hoore in 2019.

Cllr Andy Mellen, leader of Mid Suffolk District Council, said:

“We’re delighted to be able to bring the Tour of Britain Men into the heart of Suffolk and look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best riders.  We already know from the Women’s Tour that our towns and villages will be out in force to cheer them on.

“The race brings real excitement to the district, inspiring others to enjoy the benefits of cycling, as well as giving a real boost to our visitor economy.”

Further details of the route of stage two will also be published later in July, but will include Debenham and Eye in Mid Suffolk, and Sudbury and Hadleigh in Babergh.

Cllr John Ward, leader of Babergh District Council, said:

“This is fantastic opportunity for us to showcase Babergh’s beautiful landscapes, towns and villages to an international audience.

“We’re also committed to providing opportunities to get involved in sports and physical activity and by hosting this international event showcasing prominent cyclists we hope to inspire the next generation of budding athletes right here in Suffolk.”

Commenting on the announcement of the opening stages, Jonathan Day, Managing Director of British Cycling Events, said:

“Having finished the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women with some great racing and a fantastic festival of cycling in Glasgow, our attention is now on September and the return of the men’s event.

We are delighted to begin our announcements with the news that East Suffolk will host the opening stage, and two new venues – Woodbridge and Southwold – will appear on the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men map.

Then moving onto stage 2 and a huge thanks to our partners at Babergh and Mid Suffolk, which will see Stowmarket become the third new venue for the men’s race, ensuring a fantastic opening two days in the beautiful Suffolk countryside. 
  
“Over the coming weeks we look forward to sharing more exciting details about this year’s race with fans and building up to what will be another incredible edition of the Lloyds Tour of Britain.” 

Further announcements about the detailed route and riders taking part will be made over the coming weeks.