Tour of Britain set to return to Suffolk and Essex

Caleb Ewan won the stage when the Tour of Britain was last in Suffolk in 2017

The Tour of Britain is to return to the East of England, with stages in Suffolk and Essex.

On day five (7 September), some of world's top male cyclists will race through Suffolk before finishing in Felixstowe.

They will then go across the county border, finishing in Harlow, the following day.

Organisers said they were "thrilled" to welcome the tour back to the region for the first time in several years.

The start locations and full route details have yet to be revealed.

It will be the first time the Tour of Britain has returned to Suffolk since 2017, when Caleb Ewan sprinted to victory in Aldeburgh - although it will be the fifth time in modern race history that it has been to the county.

In 2017, Suffolk hosted the sixth stage, this year it will hold the fifth

Felixstowe has never previously welcomed the Tour of Britain, however its sister race, the Women's Tour, culminated there in 2021.

Similarly, Harlow has never previously hosted the men's race but a stage of the women's event was held there last summer.

Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain race director, said it was "great" the tour was returning to Suffolk after six years away.

He added its visit to Harlow was going to be "one of the most unforgettable days in the town's history to date".

The Women's Tour has been in both Essex and Suffolk in recent years - but that event will not be going ahead this year

The race will start in Greater Manchester on 3 September and culminate eight stages later in South Wales on 10 September.

Along the way the 100 riders will also race through Wrexham, the East Riding of Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

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Organisers said full stage routes and competing teams would be announced in the coming weeks.

It was recently announced that the Women's Tour had been cancelled this year due to funding issues.

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