British cycling race rerouted after 20mph speed limit means support vehicles 'can't keep up'

23 August 2024, 07:01

A major cycling race has been forced to reroute riders due to Wales' 20mph default speed limit, organisers have confirmed.

Riders on the Junior Tour of Wales had to be redirected after organisers decided that support vehicles would not be able to keep up with the cyclists without speeding.

Three of the five stages of the cycle race, which kicks off on Friday, have now been altered or re-routed entirely after the realisation.

Speed limits on national roads in Britain do not apply to cyclists, meaning safety vehicles would be restricted while riders surge ahead.

Organisers revealed the race's finish line has also been moved from Nantgaredig, Carmarthenshire, as a result of the speed restrictions.

It comes as London was voted one of the slowest cities in the world after swathes of the capital were placed under 20mph speed restrictions.

The finish line was picked as the town is home of three-time Olympic cycling medallist Emma Finucane.

Richard Hopkins, the race organiser, said: "A Welsh government scheme designed to enable cycle races to manage race and public safety through 20mph zones has failed, leaving us with a major problem.

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"Even though there was only seven miles of 20mph across the whole 237-mile, four-day race, and even then split into a number of very short sections, we couldn't guarantee to manage all of them safely."

More than 100 riders will descend on Brynmawr, Blaenau Gwent, on Friday as the race kicks off.

The race organisers say that of the 237-mile route, only 7-miles that fall under the 20mph limit.

Speaking with the BBC, Mr Hopkins continued: "In the process we've lost a large part of the character and challenge the event is famous for - including our stage finish in Nantgaredig, the home village of Welsh Olympic champion Emma Finucane, as well as the climb of the Black Mountain in Carmarthenshire.

"It's massively demoralising, after putting so much effort into trying to make the race as a whole viable, and it also leaves me wondering what's going to happen next, because every time I think we might be in a good place, something else rolls along to knock it back."