Tour of Britain cycle race pays a brief visit to Flintshire next week

Britain’s biggest cycle race the OVO Tour of Britain is set to pass through Flintshire next week.

Beginning in George Square Glasgow on Saturday 7 September, the eight day race will take the world’s top teams and riders across a 1,250-kilometre route through the south of Scotland, England’s North East and North West – a brief visit to North Wales – the Heart of England before the finale takes place in Manchester for the first time on Saturday 14 September.

The race will head to Wirral’s Birkenhead Park on Wednesday, September 11 for the start of the Airbus sponsored fifth stage.

Riders will pass through historic Port Sunlight and into Cheshire West and Chester.

The world’s top cyclists will then race into Flintshire along the A5104 through Saltney and past part of the Airbus wing manufacturing plant before heading down Bretton Lane.

The route will return to Wirral via Heswall, Caldy and Hoylake, before passing through the Birkenhead Park finish line and taking in a loop through Seacombe, Wallasey and New Brighton.

Some travel disruption is expected through Saltney next Wednesday.

Steve Jones, Flintshire Council’s Chief Officer Streetscene and Transportation said;

“This year’s Tour of Britain cycle race will travel through Saltney and Bretton on Wednesday, 11 September.

The race is expected to reach the A5104 High Street via Chester at around 12pm, and then travel towards Broughton before turning onto Bretton Lane.

This short section of the race is expected to take no longer than 20 minutes, but we are  anticipating some delays during this period.”

An eight year old school girl from Hawarden will have the honour of starting stage five of the race in Wirral on Wednesday, 11 September.

Maddison who attends Hawarden Village Church School won a start flag design competition, she will see her winning entry made into the official start flag for stage five of Britain’s most prestigious cycle race.

She has been invited to wave her flag to start the riders off as they begin the 174km route, which starts and ends in Birkenhead Park. 

The competition was sponsored by Airbus and attracted more than 30 entries from schoolchildren near their Broughton factory.