Worcester urged to back bid for international cycling race

Some of the world’s greatest cyclists could be hitting the streets of Worcester next year, with the City Council backing a bid to bring the UK’s top bike race back to the Faithful City.
 
The Council has agreed to lead a bid to host one of the final stages of the internationally renowned Men’s Tour of Britain in Worcester next September. It will contribute £15,000 towards the £80,000 sponsorship target that needs to be hit to secure the race.
 
Thousands of people will be thronging the city’s streets if the bid is successful, helping to build Worcester’s strong sporting reputation after it hosted a successful stage of the race in 2014, when Sir Bradley Wiggins led the Tour.
 
Council Leader Adrian Gregson said: “The Men’s Tour of Britain is the country’s biggest free-to-spectate sporting event and hosting a stage of it in Worcester will put our city on the national and international sporting maps.
 
“The City Council is committed to making Worcester both a prosperous city and a healthy and active city – and having part of the Tour of Britain starting here in Autumn 2017 will give a major boost to achieving those aims.
 
“When the tour was last here in 2014, 75,000 visited our city to watch it, spending over £1 million here and around the county, so there’s a clear boost to our economy.
 
“Having some of the world’s top cyclists riding through our streets and countryside is an inspiring sight, which I’m sure will encourage many of our residents to start peddling.
 
“I want to encourage businesses and other organisations around our city to back our bid to bring this fantastic international event to Worcester.”
 
The hunt is now on to raise the outstanding sponsorship amount. There are already commitments in place from neighbouring councils in Malvern Hills and Wychavon for a total of £20,000. That leaves £45,000 still to be found and the City Council will now be talking to potential sponsors across the city to plug the gap.
 
Anyone interested in sponsoring the Worcester stage of the Men’s tour of Britain should email helen.mole@worcester.gov.uk.