Hemel greets Tour of Britain

Living Magazines Tour of Britan

Brandle first, Dowsett takes yellow jersey but Hemel Hempstead wins by a mile

Hemel Hempstead enjoyed a day in the sun on Friday 12 September when stage 6 of the Tour of Britain reached a thrilling climax in Gadebridge Park.

The longest stage of this year’s Tour reached the finishing line at about 3.30pm but Hemel had been partying for hours by then. Gadebridge Park was colonised by cyclists and fans of all ages. There were races, challenges and games; kit, suppliers and cycle specialists from far and wide.

And the race? A three-man breakaway maintained its advantage and the crowd was treated to two finishes. Austria’s Matthias Brandle won, Briton Alex Dowsett came second and took the yellow jersey, and the crowd did Hemel Hempstead proud.