Cheltenham Festival of Cycling

The Bloor Homes Cheltenham Festival of Cycling brings OVO Energy Tour of Britain to Cheltenham

On Saturday 9 September, 120 elite cyclists raced through Cheltenham Town Centre, battling to finish first in the penultimate stage of the Tour of Britain. Starting in Hemel Hempstead before touring much of The Cotswolds, Stage Seven of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain culminated in a tough climb up the Skoda Cleeve Hill stretch, before skirting the Racecourse, freewheeling through Pittville Park, zipping down Albion Street, crossing the pedestrian area of the Promenade, to finish at Imperial Gardens in our historic town centre. In a carnival atmosphere across the borough, Dylan Groenewegen gave the crowds a thrilling finish by winning the stage. Groenewegen battled through the downpour and outsprinted triple stage winner Caleb Ewan and Brenton Jones.

A celebration of cycling

Organised by Cheltenham Borough Council, Stage seven of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain was just one of the events in a much wider celebration of cycling, which saw the town centre transformed with a festival vibe. With a focus on getting and staying active, hundreds of residents and visitors enjoyed the active Family Zone at Pittville Park, tried out bikes at the demo zone and visited the race village in Imperial Gardens where they could try out some of the latest models. Despite some heavy downpours, the town was buzzing all day. The excitement building towards the stage finish was infectious, and the route was lined with crowds cheering on the riders as they flew towards the finish line.