Powys is preparing to welcome some of the world’s best female cyclists as Welshpool will host British Cycling’s first major race of 2024.

The Lloyds Bank Women’s Tour of Britain is scheduled to set off from the start line in Welshpool on Thursday, June 6, starting from Broad Street at 11.15am.

Five UCI Women’s Continental teams and six British Continental teams will be in the line-up, along with an all-star Great Britain team featuring former world champion and two times Women’s Tour winner Lizzie Deignan, as well as Olympic gold medallist Elinor Barker.

Elynor Bäckstedt, one of two Welsh cyclists competing with the Great Britain team said: “It will be really nice to have two of us from Wales in the team. I would love that extra support from the Welsh crowd, and I think we will have it to be honest.

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“The Welsh fans, you see them in The Tour for G (Geraint Thomas) and Owain (Doull), they come out in full force, and that’s so special. For a nation as small as we have, it really backs its athletes and just gives them so much support, no matter where they are in the world.

“All of a sudden, I’ll be at a race in the middle of nowhere and someone will come up to me with a Welsh flag like and say: ‘Oh I live down the road. It’s so nice to see you’. You don’t expect that, and I think that’s something so special about where we come from, people just support each other.”

The cyclists will embark on a 142.5km route to Llandudno, passing through Berriew, Castle Caereinion, Llanfair Caereinion, Dolanog, Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa, Pen-y-bont-fawr and Llangynog.

Powys County Council is a stage one partner. Director of Economic Development and Growth Diane Reynolds said: “We are delighted that this year’s Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Women is going to start here in Powys, from Welshpool.

“It provides a great opportunity to watch some of the world’s top sports stars in action and for us to showcase some of the great cycling routes we have in Powys and the beauty of our natural surroundings.”

British Cycling Performance Director, Stephen Park, added that the race could be important in preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic games.

He said: “We know that the team will relish the rare opportunity to race at home, and for the Paris hopefuls among the squad, the event will play a crucial role in the final preparations for the games.”