Tour of Britain returns to Gateshead
We are thrilled to confirm Britain's biggest professional cycle race, the Tour of Britain, will be returning to Gateshead in September.
The race arrives on Friday 10 September, with the finale of Stage 6 taking place alongside the world-famous Angel of the North.
This is the fourth year that Gateshead has hosted a stage of the Tour of Britain event, which has taken place in 2019, 2009 and 2008 but this year will be the first time a stage has culminated alongside Sir Antony Gormley's famed sculpture.
Councillor Angela Douglas, Gateshead's Cabinet member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said:
"Gateshead has a reputation for hosting major international sporting events and we are thrilled to welcome the return of this premier cycling event. It was fantastic to see thousands of residents and schoolchildren line the streets to show their support in 2019.
"Gateshead's iconic Angel of the North and our beautiful countryside will once again provide the riders and spectators with a spectacular backdrop to this stage of the race.
"Events of a national scale like the Tour of Britain help inspire spectators of all ages as well as providing a welcome boost to the local economy. We also hope that it will encourage future generations to consider sustainability and enjoy cycling.
"It is also a fitting way to celebrate a great sporting weekend as it coincides with the start of a weekend of sport with the Great North Run."
Gateshead will host the Stage 6 finish of the Tour of Britain on the afternoon of Friday 10 September. The race will start in Carlisle with a route that will cross the Pennines, including three SKODA King of the Mountains climbs and then and finish alongside Sir Anthony Gormley's world famous Angel of the North.
We want to use the visit of the Tour of Britain as an opportunity for the people of Gateshead to leave their cars at home, to help us make this an enjoyable day where we celebrate not only the joy of cycling, but also promote a traffic-free environment around the event, so everyone can breathe clean air and help reduce carbon emissions.
School children across the borough are also getting behind the event and showing their support by creating designs for a jersey themed around climate change and how active travel can make a huge difference to improve air quality.
Gateshead declared a climate emergency in 2019 and is committed to all council operations going carbon neutral by 2030.
Our carbon emissions have already fallen by 55% since 2010 and we are working hard on further initiatives to reach our net zero goal.
Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain race director, said:
"This year's Tour of Britain route is truly spectacular, covering a greater geographical area than we've ever done before while also ticking off several things we've wanted to do for a long time. Be it visiting Cornwall and Aberdeenshire, hosting stage finishes on the summit of Great Orme and in the shadow of the Angel of the North, reintroducing a team time trial and visiting noteworthy and historic host venues new and old, I have a feeling that this year's race will be one for the ages."
The 2021 Tour of Britain begins in Cornwall on Sunday 5 September and finishes overall in Aberdeen on Sunday 12 September. ITV4 will once again screen live coverage of each stage with highlights of the best of the action.
Find out more about the Tour of Britain. (opens new window)
We are thrilled to confirm Britain's biggest professional cycle race, the Tour of Britain, will be returning to Gateshead in September.
The race arrives on Friday 10 September, with the finale of Stage 6 taking place alongside the world-famous Angel of the North.
This is the fourth year that Gateshead has hosted a stage of the Tour of Britain event, which has taken place in 2019, 2009 and 2008 but this year will be the first time a stage has culminated alongside Sir Antony Gormley's famed sculpture.
Councillor Angela Douglas, Gateshead's Cabinet member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said:
"Gateshead has a reputation for hosting major international sporting events and we are thrilled to welcome the return of this premier cycling event. It was fantastic to see thousands of residents and schoolchildren line the streets to show their support in 2019.
"Gateshead's iconic Angel of the North and our beautiful countryside will once again provide the riders and spectators with a spectacular backdrop to this stage of the race.
"Events of a national scale like the Tour of Britain help inspire spectators of all ages as well as providing a welcome boost to the local economy. We also hope that it will encourage future generations to consider sustainability and enjoy cycling.
"It is also a fitting way to celebrate a great sporting weekend as it coincides with the start of a weekend of sport with the Great North Run."
Gateshead will host the Stage 6 finish of the Tour of Britain on the afternoon of Friday 10 September. The race will start in Carlisle with a route that will cross the Pennines, including three SKODA King of the Mountains climbs and then and finish alongside Sir Anthony Gormley's world famous Angel of the North.
We want to use the visit of the Tour of Britain as an opportunity for the people of Gateshead to leave their cars at home, to help us make this an enjoyable day where we celebrate not only the joy of cycling, but also promote a traffic-free environment around the event, so everyone can breathe clean air and help reduce carbon emissions.
School children across the borough are also getting behind the event and showing their support by creating designs for a jersey themed around climate change and how active travel can make a huge difference to improve air quality.
Gateshead declared a climate emergency in 2019 and is committed to all council operations going carbon neutral by 2030.
Our carbon emissions have already fallen by 55% since 2010 and we are working hard on further initiatives to reach our net zero goal.
Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain race director, said:
"This year's Tour of Britain route is truly spectacular, covering a greater geographical area than we've ever done before while also ticking off several things we've wanted to do for a long time. Be it visiting Cornwall and Aberdeenshire, hosting stage finishes on the summit of Great Orme and in the shadow of the Angel of the North, reintroducing a team time trial and visiting noteworthy and historic host venues new and old, I have a feeling that this year's race will be one for the ages."
The 2021 Tour of Britain begins in Cornwall on Sunday 5 September and finishes overall in Aberdeen on Sunday 12 September. ITV4 will once again screen live coverage of each stage with highlights of the best of the action.
Find out more about the Tour of Britain. (opens new window)
