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The Tour of Britain starts in Liverpool on 7th September. Stage three takes in the scenic beauties – and stiff climbs – of the Brecon Beacons in mid-Wales. Journalists from national newspapers and magazines rode part of the route last weekend with pro rider Dean Downing. As well as writers from the Sun, the Mail on Sunday and the Telegraph there were journalists from endemic media such as Cycling Plus, Boneshaker, and Adventure Cyclist Magazine of the US.
The press trip was commissioned by a collective of tourism and food business in Powys, and organised by PR company A Marr & Associates. The journalists were John Whitney of Cycling Plus, Max Wooldridge of the Mail on Sunday, Tor McIntosh of Boneshaker Magazine, freelancer Jon Sparks, Matt Hampton of the Sun, Carol Edrich of Adventure Cyclist Magazine, and Tom Cary of the Daily Telegraph. The riders were led by Luke Skinner of Drover Holidays, a bike hire and cycle holiday firm based in Hay on Wye (and which is organising one and two day guided tours of the Tour of Britain’s third stage). Dean Downing rides for the NFTO Pro Cycling Team (this is his last season of pro racing but he says he wants to continue to work within the sport).
Road cycling in the Brecon Beacons is on a roll – earlier this year the British National Cycling Championships were held in the area.
On Sunday the journalists cyclists 80km of the Newtown to the Tumble stage of the Tour. The Tumble is a 6km climb between Abergvenny and Blaenavon. The journalists stayed in cottages badged as “cyclist friendly”.
Expect specialists and mainstream media coverage from the press trip soon.
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