This year’s OVO Energy Women’s Tour Grand Depart in Suffolk will take place between Beccles and Stowmarket, marking the first time that both market towns will host Britain’s leading women’s pro-cycling race.
Ninety-six of the world’s best female riders will line up in Beccles on Monday 10 June to tackle a 157.6-kilometre (98-mile) route that will take in the northern and central parts of the county before finishing in Stowmarket.
Two female riders from the club, Jenny Anderson & Jan Smith, have the privilege of leading out the peloton from Beccles on Monday morning (10th June).
We have also been chosen to promote the club at the Festival of Cycling in Beccles, on Sunday 9th June, prior to the Women’s Tour starting in the town on Monday. We have been allocated a pitch and would like to try and get a range of bikes there for a display – Road bike, TT, MTB, Fat Bike etc. We plan on giving out leaflets and generally promote the club. Some Sunday club rides also stop off in Beccles, to increase our presence at the event.
Stage timetable
| Stage feature | Estimated time of arrival |
| Start – New Market, Beccles | 10:30 |
| Eisberg sprint – RAF Honington | 13:19 |
| Eisberg sprint – Fornham St Martin | 13:40 |
| SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb – Little Welnetham | 14:02 |
| Eisberg sprint – Ipswich Road, Stowmarket | 14:34 |
| SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb – Purple Hill | 14:44 |
| Finish – Ipswich Road, Stowmarket | 14:53 |
Click here to explore and download the full stage one timetable
Beccles
Host venue for the first time in 2019
Start location: Market Street, NR34 9HA
Beccles is a charming market town located beside the River Waveney at the southern point of the Suffolk and Norfolk Broads. Set among rolling countryside, the town boasts many independent shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses, with a wide range of community events taking place throughout the year including a carnival, duck race, antiques market, food festival and more.
Beccles Lido, home to the annual Beccles Triathlon, is one of the town’s most popular attractions during the summer months. Meanwhile the River Waveney and scenic Waveney Valley offer plenty of opportunities for riverside walks, canoeing and boat trips, including those offered by the Big Dog Ferry (bigdogferry.co.uk).
One of the town’s most recognisable landmarks is the Bell Tower. At 97 feet tall, it stands detached from the main body of St Michael’s Church in the centre of the town and offers spectacular views across the surrounding countryside.
Beccles Quay is another popular area and is the Southern Gateway to The Broads, which is excellent for sailing and water activities, with the quayside being ideal for families, walkers and those interested in wildlife.
For more information please visit thesuffolkcoast.co.uk.
Stowmarket
Host venue for the first time in 2019
Finish location: Ipswich Street, IP14 1AZ
Stowmarket is located at the geographical heart of rural Suffolk on the River Gipping. The Town occupies a strategic location in the centre of the county, 12 miles North West of Ipswich and 14 miles South East of Bury St Edmunds on the A14 trunk road.
The town is also served by the main Norwich to London rail link. Originally an agricultural market town, industry developed following the canalization of the River Gipping in 1793, bringing new prosperity to Stowmarket. Today the old towpath forms a pleasant footpath through the Gipping Valley from Stowmarket railway station to the docks at Ipswich and is one of the many fantastic walking routes Stowmarket has to offer. Click here for more information.
The medieval heart of Stowmarket lies around the Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Mary and in the area leading down to the riverbank. The town has many buildings listed by the Department of National Heritage as buildings of special architectural or historic interest and one, the Parish Church, is classified as being of exceptional interest.
Stowmarket has plenty to offer visitors. As well as a wide range of shops in the town centre, Stowmarket is home to the award-winning Museum of East Anglian Life – one of the biggest museums in Suffolk, a thriving cinema in The Regal, an annual carnival, an annual music festival, an historic church and much more.
Visit stowmarket.org for more information, or please drop-in to the local Visitor Information Point, located at Stowmarket Library Milton Road, Stowmarket IP14 1EX (01449 700549).
