SOME of cycling’s stars are set to arrive in Barnsley in September after the town was included on the route for this year’s Tour of Britain.
It is the first time the men's race will return to South Yorkshire in almost 20 years which will see stage three - on Thursday September 5 - head from Sheffield to Barnsley, taking in Rotherham and Doncaster along the route.
Barnsley Council first announced its intention to host a stage finale in the spring, which will lead to a raft of road closures being announced in due course after confirmation of its participation was confirmed on Wednesday.
The race itself starts in Scotland on September 3 and will finish in Suffolk on September 8, although its exact route through Barnsley is still to be revealed.
Leader of Barnsley Council, Sir Steve Houghton, said: “The Tour of Britain is a true spectacle of men’s professional cycling and we can’t wait for Barnsley to host the final leg of the South Yorkshire stage.
“We have a beautiful borough which we’re proud to show to a global TV audience as the race meanders through our towns and villages, and our newly redeveloped award-winning town centre is the perfect place for the finish line.
“In recent years Barnsley has welcomed a stage of the Tour de France, and also the Tour de Yorkshire which were both hugely popular and attracted thousands of visitors.
“We look forward to welcoming people from across the country and around the world to enjoy a fantastic day of cycle racing in Barnsley.”
Riders taking part in the race - which last year was won by Belgian Wout van Aert - have yet to be confirmed but its dates also clash with the Vuelta a Espana, one of the three so-called ‘Grand Tours’ alongside the Tour de France and the Giro D’Italia.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard added: “We’re in a place that loves a bike race and even more loves to welcome the world.
“We did it when we hosted the Grand Depart in 2017 and with the Tour de Yorkshire in 2017.
“So I know we will be out in force to cheer on the riders in the Tour of Britain, with thousands of people on the streets cheering the riders on across South Yorkshire.
“The leg will pass through our incredible cities, towns and villages, taking in some of our most beautiful landscapes.
“The Tour of Britain coming to South Yorkshire is another sign of confidence in our ability to big, exciting things, and in can’t wait for us to be part of it.”
