THE route of this year’s Tour of Britain - which will see stars from the world of cycling arrive in Barnsley next month - has been revealed.
Stage three of the race - which starts in Sheffield on September 5 - will take in Wath-upon-Dearne, Royston, Cudworth, Darton and Penistone before it finishes in the town centre.
From Penistone a series of short climbs culminates in Hound Hill, a 1.5-kilometre ascent to Worsbrough Common.
While the Hound Hill climb is likely to prove crucial for victory, a final challenge for riders is the last 800 metres of the stage which drags up along Old Mill Lane and into County Way to the finish line.
It is the first time the race will return to South Yorkshire in almost 20 years.
Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor said: “I know that people will be out in force to cheer on the riders in the Tour of Britain on September 5.
“We’re a place that loves a bike race and I know that thousands of people will be on the streets cheering them on, showing the whole world what we’re about.
“The route through our communities, which I am told is one of the toughest of the whole tour, will visit Barnsley for the first time and return to Sheffield for the first time since 2006.
“The leg will pass through all four of our towns and cities, taking in some of our most beautiful landscapes and hardest climbs.
“The Tour of Britain coming to South Yorkshire is another sign of confidence in our ability to do big, exciting things and I can’t wait for us to be part of it.”
Barnsley Council first announced its intention to host a stage finale in the spring.
The race itself starts in Scotland on September 3 and will finish in Suffolk on September 8.
Race director Rod Ellingworth added: “We wanted to create a memorable and tough stage, and we are sure that with the route chosen in South Yorkshire we have done just that.
“There is a lot of climbing early on in the stage as we skirt the edge of the Pennines, and then what should be a really exciting finale, with the climb of Hound Hill and the drag up to the finish in Barnsley town centre combining for a tough end to the day’s racing.
“Our thanks go to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and our partners in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley for making the stage possible.”
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.
County Way will be closed from 6pm on Wednesday, September 4, until 10pm the following day.
Old Mill Lane and Bridge Gardens will also be close from 12pm on the day until 3.30pm.
Royal Street, Falcon Street, Canal Street, Sheffield Road, Eastgate and Harborough Hill Road - amongst more across the borough - will be closed from 1.30pm until 3.30pm.
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.”
