Women’s Grand Prix adds something extra to the Tour of Britain

The countdown is on and excitement is building as the Tour of Britain gets set to roll into a town near you – and this year an elite women’s race has been added to the event.

The Westminster Women’s Grand Prix will form part of the final day of the tour, bringing the UK’s top female racers to the Whitehall circuit.

The circuit

Riders will race past some of London’s most famous landmarks, including Downing Street and Northumberland Avenue, before heading along the Embankment and through the shadow of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The final corner will bring riders through Parliament Square and back into Whitehall in front of the massed Tour of Britain crowds.

Ones to watch

Over 70 entries have already been taken for the London event. The starting line-up includes some of the greats in women’s road cycling, with Olympic Champion Laura Trott (above right) and three-time National Circuit Race Champion Hannah Barnes (above left) headlining. With Barnes beating Trott at the IG London Nocturne in June, and Trott turning the tables at the Ride London Grand Prix in August, you can expect the battle between these two to be fierce.

Coverage

Action from the Westminster Women’s Grand Prix will be incorporated into The Tour of Britain’s television coverage on ITV4 and British Eurosport. So spectators and supporters will have the chance to see more top class racing and some of Britain’s top female cyclists in action during the final day celebrations in London.

The future of elite female racing

Riding high on the marked progression of this year’s women’s race, a standalone women’s version of the Tour of Britain has been given the go-ahead for 2014. The women’s Tour will be a five-day event in the east of the country, most likely in May, and will have daily coverage on terrestrial television. Most critically it will attempt to become the first women’s cycling event to offer absolute parity between men and women in terms of prize money, support and backup.       

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More on the Tour of Britain:

Our indispensable guide to the 2013 Tour of Britain
So you’ve been inspired by the Tour of Britain?
Fourteen facts you might not know about the Tour of Britain