Cycling's Women's Tour rearranged in UK for June 2021
Hugh Roberts, from race organisers SweetSpot: "With the extra time now available we look forward to making next year's Women's Tour even bigger and better than before and a fantastic celebration of cycling and Britain"
By Matthew Treadwell
Last Updated: 04/05/20 3:50pm
The Women's Tour, a UK-based event that forms part of the UCI Women’s World Tour, has been rearranged for June 2021.
This year's event had to be cancelled in March due to the coronavirus pandemic but will take place next year, sticking to the route originally planned.
The race will therefore start in Bicester, Oxfordshire, with the sixth and final stage in Suffolk, between Haverhill and Felixstowe.
British rider Lizzie Deignan will defend the title she won in 2019.
Race organisers have applied to the UCI for dates from Monday 7 to Saturday June 12 2021, with final confirmation of the 2021 UCI Women's World Tour calendar expected in the coming weeks.
Hugh Roberts, from race organisers SweetSpot, said: "Following discussions with stakeholders and sponsors, as well as British Cycling and the UCI, we have decided to work towards June 2021 for the next edition of the Women's Tour, and will not seek to re-arrange the race later in 2020.
"We recognise the unprecedented nature of the current global situation and the challenges for the UCI calendar and so wanted to take an early decision not to look for an alternative 2020 date.
"With the extra time now available we look forward to making next year's Women's Tour even bigger and better than before and a fantastic celebration of cycling and Britain.
"We are now working with partners on our plans for the Women's Tour to be live streamed for the first time in 2021 and are also exploring opportunities to bring the race closer to our fans than ever before in these challenging times, such as the opportunity to race and ride past stages on their home trainer."
