The Tour of Britain organisers have announced the first six teams for the 2021 edition of the race with five domestic UCI Continental teams joined by a Great Britain national team. The 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic but organisers are set to return with the event later this year with eight stages run between September 5-12.
Mathieu van der Poel won the last Tour of Britain in 2019.
Canyon dhb SunGod, SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling, Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling, Saint Piran and TRINITY Racing will all take part in the stage race, while a number of international teams are likely to be announced in the coming weeks and months.
The five domestic UK team were invited by the race organisers, “in recognition of the challenges posed and the lack of racing opportunities since last March owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a desire to assist them with current and future commercial partnerships in a challenging economic climate,” according to a statement released by SweetSpot, the official race organiser.
“We’re delighted to be announcing the first six teams competing in the long-awaited 2021 Tour of Britain,” said Mick Bennett, the Tour of Britain race director.
“Together with British Cycling, we understand the challenges that they have faced over the past 14 months. We hope that these early invitations give them the chance to plan ahead to September, safe in the knowledge that their place is assured, so that they can arrive at the Tour of Britain in the best possible condition. We know from recent editions of the race that the Great British squad and domestic teams can illuminate the race – I’m looking forward to more of the same later this year!”
British Cycling have enlisted development teams in the race every year since 2012, with Tao Geoghegan Hart, Simon Yates Hugh Carthy all coming through the national team before embarking on hugely successful WorldTour careers.
The Tour of Britain always presents our young riders with a fantastic opportunity to go shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best teams and riders, and I know that the experience was invaluable for the development of the likes of Ethan Hayter, Matt Walls and Fred Wright, who have all since gone on to make their mark on the UCI WorldTour,” said Stephen Park, Performance Director at the Great Britain Cycling Team.
“Having all five of Britain’s UCI Continental teams in the race is great news for the domestic sport and the fans watching from the roadside too, and the Great Britain Cycling Team squad can’t wait to join them on the start line in September.”
The 2021 Tour of Britain kicks off in Penzance on September 5 and takes in finishes in Bodmin, Exeter, Wales, Warrington, Gateshead, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen.
