The Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men will return to South Yorkshire for the first time in almost 20 years this September as Sheffield and Barnsley gear up to hold the third stage of Britain’s national Tour.

Stage three of the race, on Thursday, 5 September, will head from Sheffield to Barnsley, taking in Rotherham and Doncaster during the route. The race last came to South Yorkshire in 2007 when a stage started from Rother Valley Country Park. 

Welcoming the news, Cllr Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council said:

“The Tour of Britain Men is a true spectacle of professional cycling, and we can’t wait for Barnsley to host the final leg of the South Yorkshire Stage. 

“We have a beautiful borough which we’re proud to show to a global TV audience as the race meanders through our towns and villages, and our newly redeveloped award-winning town centre is the perfect place for the finish line. In recent years, Barnsley has welcomed a stage of the Tour de France and the Tour de Yorkshire, which were both hugely popular and attracted thousands of visitors.

“We look forward to welcoming people from across the country and around the world to enjoy a fantastic day of cycle racing in Barnsley, the Place of Possibilities.”

More details of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men, including the stage three route map, detailed stage timings, and competing teams, will be announced in the coming weeks.

This year will mark the first time that a stage of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men has started in Sheffield, with the city having hosted stage finishes on three occasions between 2004 and 2006, while for Barnsley, it will be the first visit by the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men.

Since the last visit to South Yorkshire by the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men, the area has famously hosted a stage finish of the Tour de France (2014), as well as four stages of the Tour de Yorkshire (two starts and two finishes) between 2016 and 2019. 

Barnsley has also hosted rounds of the Lloyds Bank National Circuit Series town centre races on several occasions, while the Sheffield Grand Prix has become a popular round of the same series, with the 2024 race taking place in a week’s time in the city centre on Wednesday 17 July.

The Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men begins in the Scottish Borders on Tuesday, 3 September, followed by a second stage in the Tees Valley. Following the South Yorkshire stage, the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men heads to the Midlands and West Northamptonshire before concluding in Suffolk on Sunday, 8 September, after six stages of racing.