Women’s Tour of Britain route: map and stages of cycling race explained

After a 28 month wait, the Women’s Tour of Britain has returned to the streets. The biggest event on the women’s World Tour is taking place from Monday 4 October 2021 to Sunday 9 October 2021.

The first three stages have already been completed with three left. There has been a different winner at each stage of the event thus making for an exciting end.

The 2019 winner Lizzie Deignan is competing this week straight off the back of winning the first ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes. She is, however, yet to make a significant impact on this Tour and has not won a stage.

Here is all you need to know about each stage of the Women’s Tour of Britain 2021...

Stage One

The first stage of the Women’s Tour took place on Monday 4 October 2021 and was won by Marta Bastianelli.

Bastianelli took her first ever AJ Bell stage win after a thrilling sprint finish, and the first British cyclist to come in was Hannah Barnes in Sixth.

The cyclists began in Bicester and raced 147.7Km ending up in Banbury. The race started at 11am on Sheep Street, Bicester before heading on to the A41 and reaching Culham by 12.18.

The riders then cycled to Iron Down Hill, onto Sibford Ferris before reaching Bloxham at 2.30pm. They then cycled back to Sibford Ferris and eventually finished on South Bar Street in Banbury at 3.08pm.

Stage Two

Amy Pieters took her fourth stage win at the Tour of Britain on Tuesday 5 October in the second stage in Walsall meanwhile it was Clara Copponi who took the jersey for taking the overall lead.

Stage two is 102.2Km in total and is from the Arboretum to Lichfield Street in Walsall. The cyclists race for nine laps between the Barr Common and Barr Beacon before reaching their finishing line at 2.26pm.

Stage Three

Stage Three comprised the first ever sprint race in the Women’s Tour of Britain and it was won by Demi Vollering who has now taken the jersey. The individual time trial was 16.6Km long with the first rider starting at 12.01 and finishing 30 minutes later, and the last rider starting at 1.43. Vollering was the only cyclist to complete the stage in under 24 minutes.

The sprint race took place in Atherstone and it was the fourth time the Women’s Tour has been to the North Warwickshire market time. The cyclists ride from Long street along Green Lane, marking the halfway point, before finishing at Sheepy Road.

Stage Four

This fourth stage tookplace Thursday 7 October 2021 and will take place in the East of England.

The Cyclists raced for 117.8Km from East Beach in Shoeburyness finishing along the seafront in Westcliff-on-Sea.

Riders started at 11am on Rampart Terrace before making their way through Burnham-on-Crouch at 12.35pm, then on to Woodham Ferrers at 1.40pm and Hambro Hill at 2.01pm. From Hambro Hill, cyclists then rode to the Western Esplanade in Westcliff on Sea where they finished at around 2.20pm.

Team DSM’s Lorena Wiebes claimed her first tour stage victory of her career. She produced a sprint finish to take her win ahead of Chiara Consonni and Chloe Hosking.

Vollering finished 21st thus maintaining her race lead with only two stages left.

Stage Five

The fifth stage of the Women’s Tour is the shortest and takes place on Friday 8 October 2021. The cyclists will race for 95.4km from Colchester to Clacton.

Starting off at the Colchester Northern Gateway Sports Park at 11.30am, the racers will travel on to the A137 at Parsons Heath before they reach Tenpenny Hill. Cyclists will then race to Holland on Sea before heading up to Manningtree and reaching Tenpenny Hill for a second time.

From here, the riders will then cycle to the Marine Parade West, Clacton where they should finish at around 2.20pm.

Stage 6

The final stage of the Women’s Tour of Britain is the longest stage at 155.3Km long and it takes place from Haverhill to Felixstowe.

Stage six will be held on Saturday 9 October 2021.

Cyclists will start racing at 11am in Haverhill and make their way to Sturmer Road before heading on to Skate’s Hill. From here, the riders will cycle to Long Melford, Needham Market and Clopton Hill before they will race their final stretch up to Sea Road in Felixstowe, finishing at 3.20pm.

How to watch the Women’s Tour of Britain 2021?

The women’s Tour is unfortunately unavailable to watch live, however ITV 4 are showing highlights of each stage at 9pm every night.

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