Residents, schools, businesses and visitors have been thanked for helping to make the stage 5 finish of the Tour of Britain a huge success.
Thousands of people lined the route for the UK’s most prestigious cycling event, as the cyclists passed through south and central Warrington on their way to raucous crowds at the stage finish, which ended in dramatic fashion at the Golden Gates at the Town Hall.
Together, the event spectators played their part in giving the cyclists a huge Warrington welcome. The atmosphere at the Tour Village grew throughout the day as thousands of people gathered in the area around Bank Park to witness for themselves the spectacular sprint finish.
In the build-up to the race, the Tour Village was alive with activity, music and entertainment. People were able to enjoy stunt bikes, a range of stalls and stilt walking and jugglers.
Highlights included a range of local heroes, from public health workers and emergency services, to disabled riders, school children, competition winners and North Cheshire Clarions youth division cycling to the finish line, cheered on by the crowds.
Even a brief downpour didn’t dampen spirits with the excitement and noise building to a crescendo as the cyclist arrived. And, in frenetic fashion with thousands cheering on the racers to the line, INEOS Grenadiers’ British rider Ethan Hayter sprinted to win.
Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Maureen Creahgan, said: “What an unforgettable day for Warrington. It was an occasion which will live long in the memories of everyone who watched it – whether at home or in person – and a day which really showed Warrington in its best light. To see the streets of Warrington lined with people made me prouder than ever to be Mayor of this great town.”
Cllr Russ Bowden, Leader of the council, said: “There is a real confidence surging through Warrington at the moment. We are a town that has the ambition and the people to deliver world class international events – and this was on show for everyone to see as we hosted the Tour of Britain. I would like to thank everyone who helped make the day such a tremendous success, from our staff to the event organisers and from local businesses and sponsors, including Ron Spencer Cycles, RunThrough, Tarmac and Gridserve, to – of course – the people of Warrington. Together we created a truly special event.”
Cllr Paul Warburton, Cabinet Member for Statutory Health and Adult Social Care added: “The Tour of Britain was a fantastic showcase of everything that makes Warrington great, celebrating our communities, our heritage and our sporting credentials. It was a truly magnificent day which I believe will help further embed cycling in the fabric of our town. My hope is that the excitement we saw from thousands of people of all ages as the Tour entered Warrington will inspire many more local people to take up cycling.“
