Birkenhead Birkenhead

The Wirral peninsula hosts the Tour for the first time in recognition of this being its year as Liverpool City Region’s Borough of Culture. Starting and finishing in the emblematic Birkenhead Park, which is believed to have been the inspiration for Central Park in New York, the route will take riders through the beautiful model village of Port Sunlight – originally built for workers at the nearby Lever Brothers factory – and past one of the UK’s most historic cycling cafes, the Eureka Cafe near Chester, which dates back to 1929. The route then returns to Birkenhead via West Kirby and Hoylake(Chris Boardman’s birthplace). It will cross the finish line once before completing a circuit that includes a fast stretch along the banks of the River Mersey through Seacombe, Wallasey and New Brighton.

Director’s notes

Andy Hawes: This will be a great stage because it takes in virtually every part of the Wirral, though the number of parked cars gave us nightmares during the recce! From West Kirby we go along the coast at Hoylake, which is absolutely stunning, then we have a categorised climb on the final loop that comes with just 4km to the finish line, which is a possible launch pad for a solo attack. Because it takes in so much of the Wirral, this stage will be one of the most spectator-friendly. The Wirral came to us and were very clear they wanted to keep their own identity. I think the area’s proximity to Liverpool means it is quite often overlooked as a sporting or other kind of destination. They wanted to put themselves on the map as a destination in their own right.