Gloucestershire plays host to Women's Tour cycling race

In an unassuming car park in the centre of Tewkesbury, across the road from a Tesco Metro, almost 100 of the world's best cyclists got ready for stage 3 of the Women's Tour.

Just around the corner, the town's high street was temporarily closed. Blue, white and red bunting zig-zagged across the street while a podium stood next to the post office for the teams to be presented to the crowd of people who gathered to watch.

Unlike other sports, you don't need a ticket to get into this stadium. Fans could walk right up to the team buses to watch the riders' final preparations or stop them to say hello or for a photo as they cycled past to sign on.

For the first time in the eight-year history of the Women's Tour, the race held a stage entirely within Gloucestershire. While the men's Tour of Britain has visited the county before, the arrival of Britain's premier women's cycling race marked an opportunity for locals to witness another major international sporting event on the doorstep.

Starting in Tewkesbury, the 67-mile (108 km) route travelled west through the Forest of Dean before looping back in to finish alongside Gloucester's historic docks.

British women's road champion Pfeiffer Georgi, from nearby Berkeley, knew her home knowledge gave her an edge over her rivals. The roads of stage 3 are where she does her training.

"It's really exciting, even just driving in this morning on the roads that I train on, already starts that buzz," Georgi told the BBC.

"I know most of the roads on today's course, I do a lot of training, so I know how hard it's going to be, also the technical descents. I think it gives a bit of an advantage that I can tell my team-mates places they can be sharper with positions, so it's nice."

The stage is so close to home that Georgi's father, Peter, even volunteered to help her team DSM during the stage handing out water bottles on the roadside in Cinderford.

"Wherever they go they get parents or friends or local people to help them hand out bottles and if we don't do that and that isn't an option, the riders all have to come out the back of the bunch, go back to the team car and get their bottle," he said.

"On the twisty roads we have in England that's sometimes more difficult than it sounds.

"It's nice to be part of the race, I love being part of cycling anyway so to be able to do it and hand a bottle to your daughter."

Tewkesbury-born Paralympian hand-cyclist Mel Nicholls - who was tasked with getting the race started at 11am - knows the significance a race like the Women's Tour coming to her home county can have on inspiring others to get on their bikes.

"To have the Tour of Britain and Women's Tour in Gloucestershire is amazing, but to have it come to my hometown - it's where I start every ride every day," Nicholls said.

"It's that excitement that it brings to Gloucestershire and to highlight our fantastic towns and villages and countryside and women's cycling, it's getting bigger and bigger and that's just encouraging everyone to get on their bike.

"You might not follow cycling or racing, you know different amounts, but actually seeing people out there on bikes, getting that buzz about it, getting that excitement.

"We all remember what London 2012 was like and it's that little bit of hype we get from these events. It's fantastic, so hopefully it's really going to encourage a lot more people."

The men's Tour of Britain will also host host its own stage entirely within Gloucestershire for the first time when it returns this September for its 2022 edition. Stage 6 will see riders return to Tewkesbury and Gloucester city centre for the start and finish.

"We have a fantastically beautiful county and these type of events highlight the great beauty we have across our county," said Councillor David Gray, the Gloucestershire cabinet member for environment and planning.

"It's great that we managed to get the race to come to Gloucestershire this year. Everybody should take the opportunity to see world class athletes and also to get the inspiration that comes from seeing great athletes performing at the peak of their game."

Georgi's insider knowledge of the roads paid off as for the second stage in a row, her team-mate, sprinter Lorena Wiebes, took the win when the race cantered into Gloucester a little under three hours later.

The 21-year-old led the Dutchwoman out in the sprint for the finish line, playing a key supporting role in the victory.

"I was chasing on and I got back on the group at like 5k to go and I was just trying to get to the front, find Lorena," Georgi added.

"In the end the last 'k' [km] she just followed my wheel and we took the lead with like 5-600 to go and I dropped her off and she was up there.

"It's nice when you do your job and you've got someone who can finish it off and deliver. It always gives the team a lot of confidence to commit fully."

She added: "I really enjoyed this stage, just knowing all the roads just gave me a bit more confidence and it's obviously nice having a win really close to my house."

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