Countdown is on for Tour’s return
THE countdown has begun for the return of the Women’s Tour of Britain to Carmarthenshire next month.
Some 108 top cyclists will race through the county to the finishing line on top of the Black Mountain between Llangadog and Brynamman as part of the stage five event on Friday, June 10.
The route will start from Pembrey Country Park at 10.45am and riders competing for the title will pass through the villages of Pinged, Carway, Pontyberem, Horeb, Llansawel and Llangadog.
The Black Mountain will be the second hilltop finish in Women’s Tour history and the toughest route, say organisers, measuring 7.2km in length, with the winding mountain road averaging a gradient of 5.3% and ramping up to 21% in places.
A rolling road closure will take place along the 65-mile route from 10.45am until 1.50pm.
Roads will be reopened once the cyclists have passed through. A full road closure will be in place over the Black Mountain between 5am and 5pm.
The event will be broadcast on ITV4 and across Europe, with a helicopter camera crew following the race.
Carmarthenshire Council chief executive Wendy Walters said: “We are thrilled that we have again been chosen to host this top cycling event. Previous years have brought an immediate economic boost to the tourism sector as well as providing a great deal of positive media coverage.”
The Women’s Tour begins on Monday, June 6 with the first stage between Colchester, Essex and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
The launch stage coincides with the final day of a four-day bank holiday weekend in the UK to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’S Platinum Jubilee.
The tour will culminate with a prestigious finale six days later on Saturday, June 11 between Chipping Norton and Oxford.
Pembrey Country Park previously hosted the Grand Depart of the men’s Tour of Britain as well as the overall finish of the Women’s Tour in 2019.
More information regarding the Pembrey to Carmarthenshire stage of the race can be found at www.womenstour.co. uk/stages/stage-5/