Guisborough will host the opening round of the Tour Series for the second year running when it welcomes to the UK’s leading televised cycle race series on Bank Holiday Monday (2 May).

The market town hosted the first-ever Yorkshire round of the team-based series in August 2021, which saw dramatic victories for eventual men’s champions Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling and the talented Great Britain Under-23 women’s team.

Following a day of community-focused events, the professionals will battle it out for glory on the same 1.3-kilometre (0.8-mile) circuit centred around the historic Westgate, Gisborough Priory and St Nicholas Church.  Highlights of the event will again be broadcast on ITV4.

Video: Highlights of the Guisborough Tour Series round in August 2021

Quotes

Mick Bennett, Tour Series race director, said: “Guisborough will always hold a special place in our hearts because it hosted the first Tour Series round after the COVID-enforced break. The welcome everybody in the town gave us was truly uplifting and unforgettable.

“The Tour Series teams are always eager to hit the ground running, so I know this year’s Guisborough round will produce a thrilling, free-to-watch spectacle from lights out to chequered flag on the May Bank Holiday Monday.”

Mary Lanigan, Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: “We are delighted to welcome back the Tour Series to Guisborough. It was a fantastic event and turn-out last year, even in the midst of Covid restrictions.

“This year, we’ll no doubt see even greater numbers coming to spectate and get involved in the activities on offer. It’s a brilliant celebration of the sport and opportunity to showcase our corner of the world, which is becoming ever popular with professional cyclists. We are very lucky to live in an area which lends itself so well to events like this, which in turn benefit our local economy.”

Councillor Louise Westbury, cabinet member for Climate Change and Culture, added: ““Our teams will be doing everything possible to ensure the event runs as smoothly and successfully as last year’s. The televised race is another excellent opportunity to show the world what a great place our area is to visit. We are developing a strong reputation for professional cycling events now, and seeing these athletes compete up close is so exciting and inspiring for our residents too – especially our young people.”

About the 2022 Tour Series

The Tour Series’ return to Guisborough will be the first of two major cycling events to take place in the borough of Redcar & Cleveland this year: stage four of the Tour of Britain, the UK’s most prestigious cycle race, will start in nearby Redcar on Wednesday 7 September before heading south into North Yorkshire.

Last year’s Guisborough round was the first Tour Series event to take place in over 800 days owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated 4,000 attended, with a peak audience of 219,000 viewers watching the series’ ITV4 highlights programme.

Guisborough joins Sunderland on the 2022 Tour Series schedule, with the northeast city also holding a round for the second successive year, this time on Tuesday 10 May.  Details of the next round to join Guisborough and Sunderland on the Tour Series calendar will be made later this week.