Northamptonshire has hosted a round of the Tour of Britain cycle race, which visited the county on Saturday (07/09).

Professional cyclists took part in a 91 mile course going around Northamptonshire in the second-to-last stage of the 2024 Tour of Britain event, starting and ending in Northampton and visiting multiple towns and villages across the county.

Thousands of enthusiastic spectators from towns and parishes across West Northants lined the streets to cheer on the world’s top cyclists as they raced through the area.

French cyclist Paul Magnier would take the stage victory ahead of Erlend Blikra and Ethan Vernon, who completed the podium.

The route taken started at the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus before heading to Daventry, around Silverstone and then north on a further course back through Daventry, before taking a further loop via Brixworth and concluding at a finish line on the Derngate in Northampton town centre.

The Tour of Britain tournament concluded with a final stage in Suffolk on Sunday.

Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture & Leisure at West Northamptonshire Council, praised local residents for turning out in great numbers to support the event.

Cllr Lister said, “We are overwhelmed by the outstanding support and incredible turnout from our residents and communities for the Tour of Britain Men in West Northamptonshire. The energy and enthusiasm from the community was truly inspiring and it was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate this world-class event.

“This day showcased not only the beauty and charm of our area but also the incredible community spirit that makes West Northamptonshire such a special place. We look forward to welcoming more events like this in the future and continuing to put West Northamptonshire on the map as a premier destination for sporting and culture excellence.”

James Seymour, Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment at the University of Northampton, added, “The atmosphere was electric, the town really got behind the riders and looked fantastic. It was an event Northampton can look back on with pride and the University is delighted to have hosted the start of the stage.”