Finish line of elite cycle race coming to Warwickshire revealed

Stage Three of the OVO Women's Tour will end on Newbold Terrace in Leamington after the world's best female cyclists power through Warwickshire's roads along a 93-mile route.

A special event zone is also being created at the finish line on Friday June 15 and there will be attractions in Jephson Gardens to entertain visitors.

Newbold Terrace will be closed off during the day and other roads that will be closed or have limited access during the day include Newbold Street and Hamilton Terrace.

Monica Fogarty, Warwickshire County Council's joint managing director, said: “There will be a host of exciting events and attractions being planned for Leamington now that we have the finish line secured.

“We want to see plenty going on in the town centre so that visitors can stay, enjoy everything that is going on and also enjoy Leamington itself.

“Over the coming weeks, the county council and Warwick District Council will be providing information to businesses in the town centre so that it can be passed on to staff and customers to help them plan their day.

“Moving the finish to Newbold Terrace means spectators can enjoy Jephson Gardens as well as visit the retail and leisure area of the town centre, so it should be a real boost for everyone.”

This will be the third year in a row that the Women's Tour has come to Warwickshire.

And last year, the event was a huge success, with an estimated 95,000 spectators lining the streets.

More than 300,000 people watched coverage from Stage Three on ITV4 and it was broadcast in more than 100 countries, including every country in Europe for the first time. It is also estimated that more than £2 million was generated during the Warwickshire stage in 2017.

Starting off in Atherstone it will weave its way through Warwickshire in a 151k route ending in Royal Leamington Spa - making the Warwickshire stage the longest of the 2018 event.

The event will kick-off at 10am with 17 teams and 102 competitors who are expected to start arriving in Leamington at just after 2pm.

Racers will set off in Atherstone, taking in the North Warwickshire countryside and then arrive in Meriden.

It will then head to the University of Warwick, before arriving in Kenilworth at around 11am before the first sprint stage, where the quickest riders compete for extra points. The riders will then arrive in Warwick at around 11.20am.

Competitors will also have to take on two 'Queen of the Mountain' climbs again – giving the route an ascent of more than 1,700 metres.

The first of those will be at Edge Hill, just on the outskirts of Arlescote while the second comes in Burton Dassett Country Park.

The riders will then head through Moreton Morrell, Wellesbourne, Kineton, Tysoe and Shipston-on- Stour, Fenny Compton and Southam, before finishing in the centre of Leamington.