POT HOLE BLITZ FOR BIG CYCLE RACE
COUNCIL VOWS TO REPAIR THEM BEFORE WORLD’S TOP CYCLISTS ARRIVE
ANY pot hole ridden roads along the Nuneaton leg of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race will be repaired.
Following the announcement that the town will play home to the fourth stage of the 2018 OVO Energy Tour of Britain, Warwickshire County Council has said that any damage along the route from Nuneaton to Atherstone will be fixed in time for the event on September 5.
Concerns about the state of the roads were number one of the lips of the community after the news about the cycling coup for the town broke.
But a spokesperson county council, which is responsible for highways, said :”Warwickshire County Council carry out regular safety Inspections on all Warwickshire roads, which focus on their condition and particularly on potholes.
“The Men’s Tour takes place in September and, again, additional inspections are planned along the route to ensure any potholes are identified and repaired ahead of the event start in Nuneaton.”
School children will be asked to play a part in what will be a piece of the town’s history.
Invites will go out to all schools across the area to encourage them to line the streets during the event.
Councillor Izzi Seccombe, leader of the county council and cabinet member for economic development said: “We are really pleased to have secured, what is, the most prestigious international men’s stage race on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) calendar and are working with a number of partners to make sure that the Warwickshire stage of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain is a huge success.
“Over the past three years Warwickshire schools have really embraced the OVO Energy Women’s Tour as it weaves it way through the county and all schools have been notified of the Men’s Tour of Britain coming on Wednesday, September 5.
“Giving the schools early notification of the Tour of Britain will allow them to plan their day and hopefully join us for what will be a spectacular event.
“The county council and its partners have great ambitions for transforming Nuneaton. Broadcasting live from the town on such an exciting day to a global audience will be a wonderful way to showcase what the town has to offer.”
Nuneaton’s MP Marcus Jones has joined the plaudits of the announcement, saying: “This is fabulous and welcome news for the town. I hope that our councils will be working with businesses and community groups to make sure that we make the most of this event, put on a good show so we can secure other similar events in the future.”
The crowds could be treated to seeing some of the world’s most famed cyclists as stars Alexander Kristoff and Michal Kwiatkowski, British heroes Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas, who have all competed past OVO Energy Tour of Britain.
Competitors, will set off from Nuneaton at 11am and head towards Atherstone before taking in the North Warwickshire countryside and then arrive in Meriden.
It will then head to the University of Warwick, before passing Kenilworth and Warwick Castles. Heading south into Stratford competitors will also have to take on three SKODA King of the Mountain climbs again – an ascent of more than 1,700 metres.
The first of those will be at Ilmington, before the second at Edge Hill, just on the outskirts of Arlescote while the third comes in Burton Dassett Country Park.
The race will then go through Moreton Morrell, Wellesbourne, Kineton, Tysoe and Shipstonon-Stour, Fenny Compton and Southam, and then towards princethorpe in Rugby before finishing in the centre of Leamington.