About the Women's Tour

The 2022 Women’s Tour, the biggest all-female cycle race in the world, takes place Monday 6 – Saturday 11 June 2022.  It attracts the best riders, including Olympic and world champions, as well as the most elite British riders and stars of the future.

This year’s Grand Départ on Monday 6 June is being jointly hosted by Colchester and Suffolk. The event follows a four-day Bank Holiday weekend to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and will bring opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to watch the race, cheer on the riders, and get cycling for themselves.

Over 100 of the world’s best riders will gather at the Sports Park at Colchester’s Northern Gateway to begin their five days of racing.  They’ll cycle through the town centre and on through the wider borough before crossing into Suffolk towards the finish of the stage at Angel Hill in Bury St Edmunds.

As part of its commitment to promoting health and well-being, and to help boost the economy of the borough, Colchester Borough Council successfully bid to host the Tour in 2021 and 2022.

“It’s fantastic that Colchester is to host the Grand Depart for this global sporting event which comes to our borough for a second year. We look forward to welcoming residents and visitors to the town to cheer on the riders and hopefully be inspired to get cycling for themselves. In 2021, nearly 50,000 spectators from outside Suffolk and Essex came to our region to enjoy the Women’s Tour and we look forward to showcasing this international competition once again to attract even more visitors to the region.” - Cllr Paul Dundas, Leader of Colchester Borough Council

Last year’s event in Colchester attracted more than 5,000 spectators and contributed a net economic impact on the local economy of £130,000. Here's a reminder of the event: