The 2025 Tour of Britain is finally here. Having kicked off in Suffolk on Tuesday 2nd September, the six-day route will stretch across the island to South Wales, where it’ll conclude on Sunday 9th September in central Cardiff.
With pro racing back on British shores this week, it would be a waste not to go and see our Lycra-clad heroes in the flesh. The race is billed as Britain’s biggest free-to-watch sporting event, so it won’t even cost you a penny to see Remco Evenepoel dart along the local high street.
If you’ve never been to a bike race before, it can be difficult to know where to start. No need to worry though. Having attended bike races across the UK and Europe, I’ve had my fair share of experiences, both as a journalist and a fan. So, in preparation for this week’s cycling festivities, I’ll share my top tips for watching the Tour of Britain – or any bike race for that matter – in person. We’ll weigh up your roadside options, where to stand and what time to head to the curb to cheer on the peloton.
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What to expect
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There are several go-to spots to watch any bike race, but it really depends on where you’re visiting from, what you want to get out of the race and how much time you’re willing to sit on the curbside.
First though, it’s important to know where the race is heading, and when. In the 2025 Tour of Britain’s case, you can find detailed maps and time schedules on the race’s official site. Consider taking a few screenshots of them before heading out – they’ll come in handy, I promise. Most of the course will be closed to traffic from between 30 to 10 minutes before the scheduled time the race passes through as indicated by the organisers, except for the stage start and finish. For those locations specifically, British Cycling has compiled a set of handy spectator guides to let you know the opening times of the fan villages and ceremony schedule on offer.
There’s no Tour de France-like sponsor caravane at the Tour of Britain. All that’ll precede the riders is a fleet of police and race marshals, who’ll run through the course just ahead of the peloton’s arrival. Soon after, you’ll catch sight of the 100-odd riders rolling through, with team cars and support vehicles in tow. Usually, a van known as the broom wagon will indicate the end of the race procession, which helps avoid unnecessary delays to the road reopening.
Now that you know what you’re getting yourself into, let’s weigh up the most popular spots to watch the Tour of Britain.
Camp out at the stage finish
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The natural choice for many is to head straight to a stage finish. Whichever one you choose, the locations will be filled with fan noise, especially around the podium ceremony and the all-important rush to the line. And as such, stage finishes also attract the largest crowds.
Given the hubbub around the finale, the stage finish is actually the hardest place to catch glimpses of the riders, both in terms of their speed and the thickness of the crowd. Realistically, you may have to camp out for a barrier spot hours prior if you want a decent perch in view of the finish line. And while the atmosphere keeps the spirits high here, it’s likely you’ll only get a momentary sight of the bunch as they rattle past at speeds of up to 70kmh if it’s a sprint finish.
On the other hand, head to the team buses afterwards and you’ll be able to see the riders warming down. If you want to collect memorabilia, this is the place to do so, with team helpers sometimes passing out used bidons and musettes after the stage. That said, the riders themselves typically aren’t in much of a mood for talking post-race. Besides, they’re often rushed straight onto a team bus, which will often depart within 30 minutes of the stage finish.
While it’s always something of a waiting game at the finish, fan villages will be open all afternoon near each finish at this year’s race to help you pass the time, with big screens to be propped up close to the finish line, broadcasting the race as it approaches its finale. If you do plan on heading to the finish, I’d recommend arriving one to two hours before the riders’ scheduled arrival.
Scheduled finish times at the 2025 Tour of Britain
- Stage 1, Southwold: 15:05
- Stage 2, Stowmarket: 15:15
- Stage 3, Ampthill: 14:40
- Stage 4, Burton Dassett Hills Country Park: 15:15
- Stage 5, The Tumble: 14:55
- Stage 6, Cardiff: 14:45
Visit the stage start
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In all honesty, I’ve always preferred the stage start over the finish, at least as a spectator. While it may not have the high-speed thrill or a winner to crown, the morning start is hands-down your best chance to catch the riders at their most relaxed.
Indeed, the start is by far the best-value spectator section if you’re looking to spend more time surrounded by the pros. All 114 competitors (or however many are left in the case of the later stages) will be required to appear at a sign-on presentation each day, which usually happens on stage close to the start gate. The ceremony is roughly an hour long, meaning riders will emerge from their team buses long before the race actually starts.
While the presentation stage will seem like the simplest way to see every rider in full splendour, the team bus paddock is really the best place to spot them as they size up their bikes and roll out for both the sign-on and the race start. I’d aim to get there around 15 minutes before the presentation starts, but feel free to hover around. The bus area is often quieter pre-stage than it will be after the race.
Once everyone’s signed on, make your way over to the start area, marked out by green hoardings. Riders will start to appear here around five to ten minutes before the official flag-drop. And if you manage to get up close to the barriers, you can even eavesdrop on the pros as they prepare for the four-hour ride ahead.
Start times at the 2025 Tour of Britain
- Stage 1, Woodbridge: 11:00 (10:10 sign-on presentation)
- Stage 2, Stowmarket: 11:00 (10:10 sign-on presentation)
- Stage 3, Milton Keynes: 11:30 (10:40 sign-on presentation)
- Stage 4, Atherstone: 10:30 (9:40 sign-on presentation)
- Stage 5, Pontypool: 11:30 (10:40 sign-on presentation)
- Stage 6, Newport: 11:45 (10:50 sign-on presentation)
Go for a climb
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Many view climbs as be best place to watch a pro bike race. Why? Simply put, the riders are at their slowest here, meaning you get extra time to see them. Plus, you also benefit from the likelihood of splits being created in the bunch, which again prolongs the experience.
However, there’s one added element to the climbs that can’t go unmentioned: the atmosphere. The hills are often where you find the most hardcore fans. Just think of those iconic climbs from the Tour de France, awash with fanatical fans waving smoke flares and rattling cowbells as the peloton rolls by. Fans will often coordinate rides to these KOM spots ahead of time, ready to create an unofficial fan zone of their own making. And without barriers to contend with, fans are often welcome to get a little closer to the riders on these uphill ramps, as long as you respect their safety.
This year’s Tour of Britain route has plenty of steep ramps to choose from, mainly from Stage 4 onwards. With Birmingham close by, Burton Dassett Hills will be a honeypot for fans to catch the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Oscar Onley dancing out the saddle. If you’re in Wales, meanwhile, consider heading to the lower slopes of The Tumble near Abergavenny if you want a small slice of some Alpine atmosphere. Be warned, though – these spots can often be the rowdiest, so prepare for fancy dress and beer cans aplenty.
Looking elsewhere
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If you want to avoid the crowds on the climbs or the finishing straight, your best bet is to find somewhere off the beaten track. That might be the closest spot to your house, or somewhere you’ve tactically chosen to maximise your one-on-one experience with the peloton.
There are several advantages to choosing somewhere clear of the hustle and bustle, the most important being time. On most sections of the route, especially out of town, you don’t have to fight for positions close to the barriers. With that, you can really just rock up and find your spot uncontested with around 10 minutes until the peloton passes through.
For extra value, look out for where the race passes through these more remote sections more than once on the day. Stages 3, 4 and 5 all include looped segments where the race passes by on several occasions. This could be a great way to get more bang for your metaphorical buck.
Regardless, just make sure you have a time schedule at hand so you’re not cutting it too fine or you risk getting caught out by road closures.
What to avoid
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While it’s hard to go wrong at the Tour of Britain, there are certainly a few things I’d advise against.
Unless the peloton is descending past your doorstep, downhills are easily the worst place to catch the action. The appeal of high-speed riders sounds good on paper, but with the group spinning past quicker than you can ‘Tao Geoghegan Hart’, it’s really not worth it. Not only that, it’s also downright scary seeing the speeds they manage to clock up.
In a similar vein, I wouldn’t recommend heading to an intermediate sprint. They may seem like a good way to get close to a finish line atmosphere, but the race is just going to roll past at quicker speeds than elsewhere on the course – and with no fanfare either. If you want to head for a mid-stage sprint spot, I’d recommend at least moving a couple of hundred metres past the line. There, the speed will be brushed off slightly, with those in front catching their breath after scooping up the points.
If you can’t make it onto the roadside to watch the Tour of Britain in person, it’ll be available to stream via Discovery+ and ITVX. For more information, read our full guide on how to watch the 2025 Tour of Britain
