FAQs
Here we answer some of your FAQs about the Tour of Britain to give you a helpful overview of the event
Here we answer some of your FAQs about the Tour of Britain to give you a helpful overview of the event
Re-launched in 2004 after a five year absence from the calendar, the Tour of Britain is the UK’s biggest and most prestigious bike race that attracts the world’s top cyclists – including Olympic and World Champions, and Tour de France winners – to compete over eight days each September. It forms part of the UCI ProSeries, making it one of the most important events on the road racing calendar.
The 2023 race will take place between Sunday 3 – 10 September. Details on this year’s race locations are available on the route pages.
An incredible spectacle, one that mixes fast-paced action with a friendly atmosphere, not to mention over 100 of the world’s best riders thrown in for good measure! Expect to see fierce competition as the coveted leaders’ jersey is fought for across eight days of racing.
Nothing! It’s absolutely free! From start to finish the route is completely free of charge for spectators wishing to see the world’s best cyclists in action.
We also offer a number of hospitality places at the start and finish of each stage for any fans wishing to enjoy a full VIP experience.
More details of our hospitality packages can be found on the Sportsbreaks.com website.
No. As the race is only eight days long, we endeavour to visit as much of Great Britain as we possibly can. This is also why we attempt to take the race into new towns and cities each year, while at the same time returning to certain areas that have previously welcomed the event enthusiastically.
The start time for each stage differs but traditionally they begin between 10 and 11am, and finish mid-afternoon (often between 3 and 4pm).
Exact start and approximate finish times for each stage will be listed on each day’s timetable, located on the relevant stage page from August. To keep up-to-date with the riders as the race is in progress follow the Tour of Britain on Twitter.
Although there is no way of guaranteeing when the race will be passing a particular point we do produce a place-by-place guide of where the riders are likely to be along each stage according to a slow, normal and fast pace. This is just an estimation and can be thrown off by extreme weather conditions or a crash, for example. However, they are often incredibly accurate. As the race approaches the ETAs will be published on each individual stage page.
There are a host of places along each day’s route that offer a great spot to watch the race from, as the cities, towns or villages the riders pass through get into the spirit of the event.
Particularly good vantage points are the SKODA King of the Mountains climbs and Eisberg sprints, as crowds line the roads to see the riders race to the line to pick up invaluable points as they go in search of one of the race’s leaders’ jersey. All the SKODA King of the Mountains and Eisberg sprints are clearly marked on each stage map. Our partners will also distribute plenty of goodies and freebies at these locations!
Any spectator making their way to the start or finish of any stage will have the chance to get up close and personal with some of the biggest stars the sport has to offer – we’d recommend bringing a pen or two for autographs!
With the race continuing to go from strength to strength – leading riders such as Mark Cavendish, Wout Van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe all competed in the 2021 event, which also featured nine Tour de France teams – we can expect to see another top-class field for 2023.
The full rider line-up will be announced a few weeks before the race begins, following which we will take an in-depth look at each squad on our dedicated teams page.
For the very latest news and to keep up-to-date with all the preparations ahead of the 2023 season follow the Tour of Britain on Twitter and Facebook.
Absolutely! Visiting the start of any stage will present an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the biggest stars the sport has to offer. The paddock of team buses allows access that no other sport offers, enabling fans to collect autographs as the riders warm up. This experience gives supporters a great insight into the life of a professional athlete, in particular the level of preparation that goes into their sport. There’s no better way to cap a great day of sporting action!
Our Tour Village can be found at the finish of each stage, allowing fans to meet all of the Tour of Britain’s sponsors and partners. In addition to interactive experiences, there will be plenty of goodies and freebies given out, as well as a host of great competitions offering some stunning prizes! It’s a great way of keeping entertained while you wait for the riders to start or arrive.
Each finish Tour Village also features a big screen, allowing fans to keep up-to-date with all the race action as the peloton makes its way to the line.
We offer full fan packages with complimentary food and drink, free gifts from our event sponsors and partners, and the prime viewing spot to see the world’s best riders in the thick of the action.
More details of our hospitality packages can be found on the Sportsbreaks.com website.
Yes. Where possible, our stage finishes will have a big screen showing live coverage of the race in the Tour Village, as well as one located in our Hospitality enclosure. However, this is subject to change depending on the nature of the finish location.
ITV4 is the official broadcaster for the Tour of Britain and will show full live coverage of the 2023 race.
Eurosport and the Global Cycling Network will also show live coverage around the world.
Please check schedules for timings or refer to our Television page from late August for full details, including the channels around the world that will show the race.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in Britain’s premier cycling race! We organise our own team of dedicated Race Makers who are crucial to the smooth running of the Tour and become the eyes and ears of the race organisers. Find out more information and apply on our volunteer page.
Alternatively, get in touch with your local council to speak to them directly about the range of events that will be going on around the race. To keep up-to-date with all the activity around the Tour sign up to our newsletter.
The 2021 Tour of Britain delivered £29.9 million of economic benefit to the UK economy, with almost 1.5 million spectators watching the race in person, and many, many more via the live television coverage around the world. Of the spectators at the roadside, over 40% of people were ‘non-local’ to the race, showing how the event draws people to the areas hosting stages, who will then spend money in the local economy.
For a worldwide audience, the picture-postcard effect of the television coverage of the race helps promote the venues hosting the Tour, encouraging inbound tourism.
commuting or riding purely for leisure.
There will be a small number of road closures involving the surrounding areas of each start and finish location. These closures will be finalised well in advance of the race taking place and published on the spectator information pages for each stage, including how long the roads will be closed for.
In relation to the route between each stage start and finish we operate a ‘rolling road closure’ system. This is where the race route, and junctions with access roads onto the route, are closed while the race passes through. The length of closure of the rolling road block depends upon how dispersed the riders are. Typically, the lead motorcycle instigating the closure is 15 minutes ahead of the lead rider. The closure then remains in place until all riders and race cars have passed through. The simplest advice is to look at the route of the race and avoid that road for about one hour either side of the predicted time of the race passing through.
In order to safely deliver a world-class sporting event, we must secure the route and make sure parked vehicles are kept to a minimum. This protects the riders and spectators alike, and will involve road closures and parking restrictions in affected areas.
Road closures are necessary to install equipment such as the finish gantry, protective barriers, deploy stewards and volunteer marshals along the route and to allow for some minor highway works to be carried out – all crucial for the race to take place.
First, it would be fantastic to see you out supporting the race – after all, how many sporting events of this stature and importance go past your front door?
Second, please help us make the Tour as safe as possible for the riders by avoiding parking along the course. Should you have anything of note relating to one of our stages that you wish to inform us of, please visit our contact us page.
Planning for the events involves the Police, Fire, Rescue and Ambulance Services and other critical services. Any situation to be dealt with quickly and safely; emergencies will be treated in the usual way, and the safety of residents and visitors will be dealt with as a priority.
Because of the large footfall at start and finish locations, we do our utmost to ensure that local businesses can continue trading and capitalise on the interest in the race. In particular, those business who proactively welcome the race’s visit to their local area experience the best trade.
Our friends at British Cycling can help Tour of Britain spectators get into cycling, be it racing, commuting or riding purely for leisure. For more information by visiting their website.
British Cycling’s Let’s Ride is a great way of finding a local ride that suits your ability, confidence and fitness level. Find out more by visiting letsride.co.uk.