Alderley Park will host the start of stage 5 of the Tour of Britain on Thursday 9th September 2021 whilst Wilmslow will host an intermediate sprint later in the day.
Martin Watkins, Chairman on Wilmslow Town Council said of the news, "Being selected as a Stage partner of the Tour of Britain is fantastic news for Wilmslow. As well as being an exciting event for residents, it will raise the town's profile nationally and regionally, attracting visitors to the town, and promoting cycling. We hope that Wilmslow's businesses and schools will embrace the wonderful opportunities it brings."
The Tour of Britain is British Cycling's biggest professional race, featuring Olympic, world and Tour de France champions, held annually across eight days in September.
The Tour is free to watch and attracts a roadside audience of over 1.5 million spectators. Live coverage of the race and highlights will be shown daily on ITV4, in addition to featuring on local and worldwide news.
Wilmslow Town Council first agreed to express an interest to the Tour's organisers in March 2021. The cost to the Town Council of being a stage
partner will be £10,000, and the Council will work with Groundwork - Wilmslow's Town Centre Management service - to harness the opportunity to attract visitors from the region into the town centre as part of a series of initiatives to drive footfall to the town.
Wilmslow's intermediate sprint will be part of Stage five of the race, starting from Alderley Park at 11:30am, going through Macclesfield, Rainow and Adlington, before the intermediate sprint in Wilmslow that afternoon.
The race will enter Wilmslow travelling down Dean Row Road, turning left at the Bluebell lights then travelling down Manchester Road to Wilmslow Town Centre and turning right at the main lights by the Rex. The sprint continues along Water Lane, concluding prior to the junction with Hawthorn Street. Stage five will then continue towards Morley Green and beyond.
It is currently expected that the Wilmslow sprint will take place between 2.30pm and 3pm.
Alderley Edge Parish Council also expressed an interest in having the village selected as the location for one of the sprints when the North West England plays host to stage five of the 2021 Tour of Britain on Thursday 9th September.
Councillor Mike Dudley-Jones, Chairman of Alderley Edge Parish Council explained "It was proposed that we sponsor some activity to the tune of £10,000.00 and in April/May it was suggested to us by the organisers that some hill climb activity be introduced with Swiss Hill as the location.
"This frankly, was of limited appeal to us simply due to the poor opportunity presented by the location for spectators, taking them away from the Village centre where any benefits of the event were at their greatest, with bars and restaurants perhaps able to see some increased business. We made our feelings clear.
"The organisers have been very quiet since May and no further communication has been forthcoming, other than to say that they too had now decided against the hill climb. Over the same period no desire was shown from possible local sponsors to share the £10,000 sponsorship burden with the Parish Council.
"The Parish Council appreciates that we are all trying our best to return to normal but we felt that expenditure of this kind, after a very difficult financial year, would be unwise. We have now indicated to the event organisers that our initial 'expression of interest' has been withdrawn."
Photo: Crowds lined the streets in Alderley Edge in September 2016 to see the Tour of Britain when third sprint of the day, which finished in the centre of the village.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
To make an impression on all TV viewers, assuming it is on TV, it would be nice for the council to spray weeds, particularly on central reservations and pavements along the route.
The council is to be applauded for some very impressive flower displays in the area but there seems to be a reluctance to spray unsightly patches on roads and pavements.
Perhaps store/shop owners could also do their bit as well!
Start time at Alderley Park is 11.30am and passing through Alderley Edge at about 2.15pm, turning left up Macclesfield Road.