Skip to content

Tour of Britain 'exciting and enjoyable' to watch live

Ellie BrowningNorth West, Clitheroe
BBC Joan Fletcher, who has short wavy blonde hair and dark-framed glasses and is wearing an olive green waterproof coat with hood, stands smiling in Clitheroe town centre holding a black umbrellaBBC
Joan Fletcher enjoys the "rainbow of colour that just goes shooting past" as the cyclists race through the town

Residents braved torrential downpours to cheer the Tour of Britain women's cycling race as it visited Lancashire for the first time.

Stage two of the race is passing through more than 70 miles (113km) of the county, starting in Clitheroe and finishing in Blackpool.

Riders will tackle Waddington Fell and the Nick o' Pendle before passing through areas including Sabden, Whalley, Hurst Green, Longridge, Broughton, Weeton and Lytham, followed by a sprint to the finish line next to Blackpool's Mirror Ball.

Clitheroe resident, Joan Fletcher, said the race was "so exciting and enjoyable" to watch. The town also hosted the men's race in 2015, which was the last time the Tour came to the county.

"You just get this big build up, and then all of a sudden you get this rainbow of colour that just goes shooting past," Fletcher added, while standing by the safety barriers in the rain to see the riders.

"It's great, lovely."

A group of cyclists in racing gear ride closely together on a wet town street during a cycling event. Several riders wear bright helmets and team-branded jerseys, while spectators stand behind barriers holding umbrellas and watching from the roadside. The road surface appears rain-soaked, and sponsor signs and shopfronts are visible in the background
Stage two of the women's race started in Clitheroe and will finish in Blackpool

One resident who watched the riders, Colin Ball, said the race was "great for Clitheroe".

"I was going to go shopping but I thought I'll stop and watch instead," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I can't cycle myself," the 77-year-old said, "but I just enjoy watching the bike race, but I don't see enough of it on TV."

Colin Ball wearing glasses and a black-and-blue zip-up jacket stands facing the camera in front of a wooden doorway. The door has the number 12 above it, and parts of nearby buildings are visible through the glass panels on either side
Colin Ball says the race is "great for Clitheroe"

John Robey, from Preston, cycles about 5,000 miles (about 8,000km) a year around the area.

"I just love cycling," he said.

"It's great to have the Tour of Britain in Lancashire, so you can enjoy the lovely Lancashire weather," he joked.

Two men wearing cycling helmets stand side by side outdoors on a rainy day. One wears a bright green waterproof jacket, while the other wears a red cycling jersey under a light rain jacket. Several umbrellas, cyclists, and buildings are visible in the background
John and Stephen enjoy cycling in Lancashire

His friend Stephen also enjoys cycling.

"You can do it at any age, at any ability," the 73-year-old said.

"I love to see people at the top of the profession with great skill and great equipment.

"It's really good to see some of that experience in some of the conditions that we have to put up with a lot," he said.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

More on this story
Related internet links