The 2019 OVO Energy Women’s Tour will feature six stages for the first time in the event’s history. The prestigious event, launched by SweetSpot Group in 2014, will grow from its present five days and once again forms part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour.
The 2018 edition of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour attracted 14 of the world’s top 15 teams and a field of 120 riders, featuring Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European champions aplenty.
Commenting on the announcement, Race Director Mick Bennett said: “We are delighted to have been granted a sixth day of racing for the OVO Energy Women’s Tour to build upon the success of the first five editions. Teams and riders have been asking us to extend the event and to broaden the range of stages, which the flexibility of a sixth day will enable us to do.”
Heath Harvey, Chief Executive of SweetSpot Group, added: “We have worked closely with British Cycling and the UCI to grow the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in a sustainable fashion and after the success shown by the first five editions it is only right that the event can visibly grow.
“We are immensely proud that Britain is at the forefront of the growth in women’s cycling and the addition of a sixth stage will enable us to take the event to more people than ever before, to showcase women’s sport and inspire more people to be active and get on their bikes.”
This year’s OVO Energy Women’s Tour was won by Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb) and featured stages in Suffolk, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire before finishing on the North Wales coast in Colwyn Bay.
The full calendar for the 2019 UCI Women’s WorldTour will be confirmed on Friday 28 September at the UCI World Road Race Championships in Innsbruck, Austria.
