The BMI Bath Clinic has been announced as silver sponsor, and SouthGate Bath as the bronze sponsor, for the Bath Stage of The Tour of Britain next month.
Stage Five of the Tour will take place on Thursday 8th September, and is expected to arrive in Bath and North East Somerset at around 3.30pm, having crossed South Wales and Gloucestershire.
Thousands of spectators will watch as around 120 of the world’s top professional cyclists go over the finish line on Royal Avenue, below the Royal Crescent.
The area will be turned into a Cycle Village for the day, with children’s races, mountain bike displays, bandstand entertainment, children’s competitions, food and drink stalls and more.
BMI Bath Clinic’s nursing and physiotherapy teams will be there offering free blood pressure checks and sports injuries advice.
Executive Director of BMI Bath Clinic, Jacky Jones said: “We’re delighted to be able to support the Bath stage of the Tour. BMI Bath Clinic is very much a hospital for the whole community offering health assessments, physiotherapy and sports injuries treatment so we are encouraging everyone to be inspired by The Tour of Britain and get on their bikes!
“Cycling ways is a great way of exercising while enjoying the beautiful scenery our city has to offer.”
SouthGate will be putting 32 red, white and blue bikes on display overhead and at locations throughout the centre. The bikes have all been spray-painted free of charge by Lansdown Mazda.
“We pride ourselves on supporting the local community and are very excited to be a part of The Tour of Britain this year,” said Kirsty Whiting, SouthGate’s Marketing Manager.
“This is a very exciting event to be a part of; it’s something different from what we’ve previously been involved in. We are most looking forward to seeing the reaction of the general public to our bike installation and thank the Council and Lansdown Mazda for their support.
“It’s a pleasure to give back to the community and we can’t wait to see this exciting race come through our world heritage city.”
Locals and visitors alike are also invited to visit SoughGate on Saturday 27th August, when Bristol Airport and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will be offering the chance to win a pair of tickets flying from Bristol Airport via Amsterdam to anywhere in the world on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ route network.
This is the first time that Bath & North East Somerset Council has hosted stage finish of the Tour, although it hosted stage start of the 2014 Tour, as well as the round of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series last year.
Councillor Martin Veal, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “The support of our sponsors is essential to making this the Tour a real success. We expect it to attract thousands of spectators to the final of Stage Five.
“The Council has been working with the Tour’s organisers and local businesses to make sure that we deliver a world-class event for residents and visitors. Visitors to SouthGate will be welcomed with a spectacular display which makes it quite clear that Bath is a city that welcomes cyclists and is a great city to visit by bike.”
The headline sponsors for the Bath Stage are Bristol Airport and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Marmot Tours are gold sponsors.
To find out more, visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/tourofbritain.
