The dates of the 2020 Tour of Britain have been confirmed, following the earlier news that next year’s edition of the race will start in Cornwall.
The race will begin with a 170km stage from Penzance to the moorland of Bodmin on Sunday 6th September. After eight stages, the race will conclude on Sunday 13th September.
The dates in early September mean that Britain’s longest stage race will clash with two WorldTour events for 2020. The final stage of the Vuelta a Espana will take place on the same date as the start of the Tour of Britain in Cornwall.
Meanwhile in the Benelux countries, the Binckbank Tour will also be coming to its conclusion on 6th September, with the week-long race being pushed back from its usual August dates, most likely due to the Tokyo Olympics.
This means that some WorldTour teams, particularly the likes of Team Ineos, will be stretched into providing teams and staff for three stage races simultaneously.
Making things even more of a logistical headache, the final few stages will then clash with the Grand Prix Montreal and Quebec in Canada, meaning the Tour of Britain clashes with four WorldTour fixtures in total.
The Tour of Britain will also form part of the UCI’s new controversial race format, the UCI ProSeries, which replaces the outgoing HC categorisation next season.
Further route information for next year’s Tour of Britain will be released later in the autumn, to be followed by an official launch event in early 2020.
This year’s edition was won by Corendon-Circus’s Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutchman won three of the eight stages en route to the overall title, beating Mitchelton-Scott’s Matteo Trentin.
Cornwall to host 2020 Tour of Britain start
County to be visited for first time by race with expected £3 million economic boost
Joe Robinson – 22nd March 2019
Cornwall will get its first ever taste of the Tour of Britain as it was announced the county would host the race’s Grand Depart in 2020.
The first stage of the race will tackle 170km of Cornish countryside starting in the coastal town of Penzance before finishing in the moorland of Bodmin.
While the exact details of the route are yet to be approved, race organiser Sweetspot confirmed that the race will also visit St Ives, Pool, Truro, Newquay and the Eden Project on course.
In a statement, race director Mike Bennett spoke of the hard work that had been done to bring the race to Great Britain’s most southerly county.
‘We are today delighted to be formally agreeing the Grand Depart of the 2020 Tour of Britain in Cornwall and look forward to bringing the race to the county for the very first time in September next year,’ said Bennett.
‘A lot of hard work over a sustained period has gone into today’s news, which we know will excite sports fans in Cornwall and across Britain.
‘Working with Cornwall Council, British Cycling, the UCI and partners we look forward to making Cornwall the destination to be next September to see the world’s best.’
It’s also expected to give a boost to the Cornish local economy with independent research estimating an extra £3 million to be spent over the stage with 180,000 fans expected to line the route.
The economic benefits will certainly be welcomed by Cornwall, an area of the UK that has historically struggled to attract professional sport, and hopefully inspire the locals into more active travel.
‘This is fantastic news for Cornwall, not just for cycling fans, but for the wider community as well,’ said Adam Paynter, leader of Cornwall Council.
‘It will bring visitors into the Duchy, not only along the cycle route, but across the rest of the Duchy and it will also help to enhance our profile both at home and abroad.
‘We will also work to ensure we create a long-lasting legacy from the event by raising the profile of cycling in Cornwall and motivating more people to get on two wheels and lead healthier, more active lives.’
• Cyclist magazine covers all the major cycling events with in-depth features and exclusives from the pro cycling world. Subscribe today and try 3 issues for JUST £5 (saving 84% on RRP) and get a FREE Ass Saver as a welcome gift.