We will be doffing our hats in a colourful show of support when Britain’s premier men’s cycling race passes through a Warwickshire village.
The Deeley Group will pay homage to the world’s top cyclists at the OVO Energy Tour of Britain this year, after issuing hard hats featuring the colour schemes of the four race leaders’ jerseys, ready for when cycling’s elite tackle the final Warwickshire stage sprint at Pillerton Priors.
The OVO Energy Tour of Britain will arrive in Warwickshire for the second year running on Friday, September 13.
The south Warwickshire parish will be the site of the third and final Eisberg Sprint, and is home to one of the Deeley Group’s latest homes developments – The Meadows – which features 10 new countryside houses and bungalows.
The colours of the four race leaders’ jerseys – blue for the Cetaphil Points Jersey, black for the Skoda King of the Mountain Jersey, red for the Eisberg Sprints Jersey, as well as the OVO Energy Green Jersey – will all be displayed on industry-standard hard hats as workers complete the final stages of construction at The Meadows.
Edward Hudson, Business Development Manager at the Deeley Group, said: “With the OVO Energy Tour of Britain set to race past one of our newest developments, we felt this was a fantastic opportunity to show our support to UK cycling.
“We saw first-hand the positive impact that cycling can have on the local community at the Starley Sportive – an event we help organise – earlier this year and we are always looking to get involved in sport, health and wellbeing wherever we can, particularly as we celebrate our status as European City of Sport.
“The Meadows is in a picturesque location around seven miles south east of Stratford upon Avon, featuring ten homes with large gardens within the village setting.
“Our construction team will be able to make use of a prime location when the tour passes through, with an excellent view of the third sprint, and they will no doubt give a great cheer to all the riders.
“And the site will be immaculate for the television cameras as our show home opens the next day!”
The 186.5km route includes Warwick, Kenilworth, the University of Warwick, Meridan, Fillongley, Atherstone, Mancetter, Hartshill, Galley Common, Corley, Bedworth, Bulkington, Brinklow, Long Lawford, Bilton, Dunchurch, Kites Hardwick, Princethorpe, Ashorne, Wellesbourne, Ettington, Edgehill, Warmington, Temple Herdewyke, and three ascents of Burton Dassett on a 12km route.
The peloton will head up towards Meriden via Kenilworth and Berkswell, before travelling across North Warwickshire to Bedworth and Bulkington.
Riders will then head south towards Brinklow and the outskirts of Rugby, and back up to Princethorpe before racing along Fosse Way, down to Wellesbourne, and through Ettington and Edgehill.
Three Eisberg Sprints await competitors during the stage, the first at Berkswell, the second at Brinklow, and the third at Pillerton Priors.
Competitors will then face three Skoda King of the Mountain challenges in a gruelling final stretch including two full loops of Burton Dassett County Park before crossing the tour’s first-ever hill top finish line.
CAPTION: Edward Hudson (on bike) and left to right: Arron Green (Site Operative), Darren Cox (Site Manager), Matt Laight (Carpenter).
