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The AJ Bell Women’s Tour first stage arrives today
04/10/2021
16 different nationalities are represented amongst the 89 cyclists that will race to the finish line in Banbury today
After weeks of preparation the AJ Bell Women’s Tour arrives here today. The first stage sets off from Sheep Street in Bicester at 11am, heading around the county before a sprint finish in Banbury town centre this afternoon.
Fresh from her historic victory in the first ever women’s Paris Roubaix, Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) heads the start list for the 147.7-kilometre (91.8-mile) ride.
In total 16 different nationalities are represented on the start line in the 89-rider field. Britain is the most represented nation with 24 riders in the peloton.
A trio of riders – Hannah Barnes (Canyon SRAM Racing), Leah Kirchmann (Team DSM), and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) – will be competing in their seventh edition of the AJ Bell Women’s Tour, having started and finished all six editions to date.
The youngest rider in the race is Alice Towers (Drops – Le Col s/b TEMPUR) at 18 years and 358 days, while Trek-Segafredo rider Trixi Worrack’s in one of the final races of her career at 40 years and 6 days.
This year’s AJ Bell Women’s Tour includes six stages with the overall champion set to be crowned in Felixstowe on Saturday.
Double AJ Bell Women’s Tour stage winner Sarah Roy (Team BikeExchange) said; “VeloViewer has been great to see what the courses will be like this year. The stages look like it will be really fun and interesting racing across the whole week and the terrain really suits our team.”
From Bicester the route takes the elite pro-cyclists out to Oxford, Abingdon, Eynsham, and past Woodstock. Riders will head up the A4260 to Deddington where they are expected around 1.15pm.
From here they ride out through Hempton and up Iron Down Hill to the A361.
After arriving at South Newington around 1.30pm the riders will loop out to Milcombe and Hook Horton and on to Sibford Ferris for around 2.00pm. From here the route heads through Swalcliffe and Tadmarton to Broughton by around 2.10pm.
Heading into Banbury on the Broughton Road the riders are set to pass the finish line on South Bar Street for the first time at around 2.20pm.
Using the Bloxham Road they will then head out of town to arrive in Bloxham at around 2.25pm. The route then returns around the Hook Norton, Sibford Ferris and Broughton leg before the final sprint back into Banbury to cross the finish line on South Bar Street. This is estimated to be around 2.45pm onwards.
The Women’s Tour is Britain’s longest-running professional women’s race and part of the prestigious UCI Women’s World Tour series. People are being encouraged to pick a time and place along the route where they can enjoy the excitement and cheer the riders on.
Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cycling Champion, said: “We want this prestigious race to leave a legacy for the county; not only a lasting economic impact, but by motivating people to be more active and improve their health.”
This is the second year that Oxfordshire will host the Women’s Tour – part of a three-year commitment that began in 2019. Different routes are planned each year to showcase the county’s diversity to a national and international audience.
Highlights from the day will be shown on ITV4 on Monday evening.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam