Cycling: Women's Tour 2022 to start in Essex and Suffolk

The 2021 event passed along Old Barrack Road in Woodbridge, Suffolk, during the final stage

The Women's Tour cycle race is to return to Suffolk and Essex for this year's opening stage.

Dozens of the world's top female riders will set off from Colchester's Northern Gateway Sports Park and head to the finish line on Angel Hill in Bury St Edmunds.

The opening leg, on 6 June, will be first of six stages across the country.

Race director Mick Bennett said it would be the "grandest Grand Depart we've ever had".

Last year, Essex hosted the penultimate stage of what is considered to be Britain's biggest and longest-running international women's cycling stage race.

The final leg was then held in Suffolk, where world champion Elisa Balsamo crossed the finish line first in Felixstowe.

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• Women's Tour of Britain cyclists in fourth stage

The opening stage of this year's event will follow the four-day bank holiday weekend in the UK to celebrate Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.

Mr Bennett said: "Suffolk and Bury St Edmunds have a special place in Women's Tour history so we're thrilled that they will feature in this year's opening stage, which, given the country-wide weekend of celebrations planned, will be the grandest Grand Depart we've ever had."

He said the route would take in "parts of Suffolk that we've not visited for many years" although full details have not been revealed yet.

Last year's penultimate stage started in Colchester

Suffolk County Council said the race had become a "staple" of the county's sporting calendar and it was "proud" to welcome it back again this year.

Colchester Borough Council said it was "fantastic news" that the Essex town was to host the Grand Depart and it looked "forward to welcoming residents and visitors to cheer on the riders and hopefully be inspired to get cycling for themselves".

The race will also return to Carmarthenshire for the second time in three editions - this time for stage five.

Details of the remaining four stages, including one in Oxfordshire, will follow in due course.