The Tour of Britain – a high point in Cumbria’s sporting calendar

Posted on October 15, 2018 | Events, News

Here in the Lake District, we’re accustomed to welcoming outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world for a variety of sporting endeavours. As September arrived – and with it, the riders of the Tour of Britain – the area’s cycling aficionados rolled out the red carpet, turning out in huge numbers to cheer the peloton through stages five and six of this year’s prestigious event.

It was an amazing opportunity for locals and visitors alike to witness the progress of some of the top cyclists in the world, as they raced through a selection of the county’s most picturesque regions – from windswept coastal lowlands to arduous mountain climbs.

Friday 7 September saw the stage six route travel 169km from Barrow-in-Furness to Keswick, passing through the central Lake District via Grasmere to finish at the Forestry Commission’s visitor centre, after not one but two gruelling ascents of Whinlatter via its eastern side. There are plenty of race enthusiasts at Russell Armer, so we were delighted when the tour passed along Rydal Road – right by one of our newest developments, Lesketh How!

After a hard-fought battle on Whinlatter, Team Sky’s Wout Poels took the stage, out-sprinting the eventual overall tour winner, Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step). Alaphilippe had looked set to triumph but was pipped to the post by Poels in the final 500 metres of the leg in what couldn’t have been a more a thrilling finish. Briton Hugh Carthy (EF Education First-Drapac) was placed third.

Results

Tour of Britain, stage six: Barrow-in-Furness – Whinlatter Pass (168.3km)

1. Wout Poels (Netherlands) Team Sky in 4-01-51
2. Julian Alaphilippe (France) Quick-Step Floors at 2 seconds
3. Hugh Carthy (GB) EF Education First-Drapac at 12 seconds