Powys gets its first Tour of Britain stage conclusion

The elite cycle race will also pass through large parts of the county, organisers announced today.

Stage four of the race will end at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd outside Builth Wells.

Wales will once again play host to two days of the Tour of Britain, with North, Mid and South Wales all set to be visited on Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday 8.

Denbigh will begin proceedings as Denbighshire host their first ever stage start on the morning of September 7, before stage four heads through Flintshire and on to Powys, for the finish at the Royal Welsh Showground.

The race is expected to bring tens of thousands of people to the region, packing the starts and finishes as well as lining the route of the race.

Councillor Avril York, Powys County Council's cabinet member for regeneration, said the stage finish would provide a "huge" economic boost for the area.

She said: "I'm delighted that this fantastic sporting spectacle is returning to Powys – the green heart of Wales. We have been proud to host five Tour of Britain starts since 2010 but to have a stage finish in the county for the first time is truly exciting.

"Not only will this attract thousands of people, hosting a stage finish will give the area a huge economic boost. We're looking forward to making this a memorable occasion for all and I'm sure our county will once again warmly welcome the race when it returns in the autumn."

Last year cycling fans were left disappointed as the tour did not pass through the region, despite it attracting 70,000 people to the county in 2014, boosting the region's economy by £700,000

Ken Skates, Welsh Government deputy minister for culture, sport and tourism, said: "The Tour of Britain is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase Wales' unique and beautiful landscape to the world, as well as highlighting our ability to host a variety of major events.

"The spectators in Wales have always given the cyclists a real warm Welsh welcome and have created a fantastic atmosphere, I hope that people from across Wales come out to support the event again this year. Being a part of an event such as this can really inspire people to want to take up the sport and 2016 being Wales' Year of Adventure gives the perfect opportunity to plan some two-wheeled adventures in Wales."

The exact route the tour will pass through is yet to be announced, race organisers confirmed.