Tour brings global exposure for town
ROCHDALE town centre will be broadcast live to 190 countries worldwide as the Tour of Britain passes through in a few weeks.
British Cycling’s premier road cycling event will race through Rochdale on its final day and the council have revealed more about the day’s schedule.
It will be a chance for residents to spend some time at Rochdale Town Hall as well as watching
the world’s top cyclists up close on Saturday, September 14.
At Rochdale Town Hall from 10am to 2pm there will be a family-friendly event with entertainment, food, music and cycling related activities.
This includes Bicycle Boy – a bicycle-powered musical show for children aged 6-10 and their families, with songs, laughs and lots of interaction. Show times are 11.30am and 1.30pm.
Whatever level of cyclist you are you’ll be able to try out a range of different bikes and ride them in a safe, traffic-free course around the town hall.
Link4Life will also be providing free cycling sessions and there’ll even be an outdoor spin class to try. Also, if you’ve got any basic repairs needed on your bike, bring it along and experts will fix it free of charge.
Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, community and culture, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming such a high-profile cycling event to the borough. We’ve some great family friendly activities around the town hall from 10am, which will also be a great place to watch the race from, as well as in Norden village. Bring your flags and homemade banners down to cheer on the riders as they pass by.
“It’s also a boost for local businesses and supports the ever growing enthusiasm for cycling as a healthy choice for travel.
“With a global television audience of millions it’s a wonderful opportunity to have images of our beautiful town hall and stunning countryside beamed around the world too.”
The route through Rochdale will be: Broad Lane, Oldham Road, Central Park, Wood Street, Molesworth Street, John Street, Newgate, The Esplanade, Dane Street, Mellor Street and Edenfield Road.
In the town centre, riders will travel along The Esplanade and past Rochdale Town Hall - with race organisers estimating the peloton’s arrival from 12.45pm. Another great local viewpoint will be in Norden as the riders prepare for the climb up Edenfield Road a few minutes later. The stage, which will be shown live on ITV4, will culminate with an exciting finish in Deansgate, Manchester, where the winner of the Tour will be crowned.
The OVO Energy Tour of Britain is British Cycling’s premier road cycling event, giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their doorstep.