London will host cycling's 2017 Women's Tour final stage, with the race to open on June 7 in Daventry, according to the BBC. The five-stage event, won by Britain's Lizzie Deignan last year, "will conclude in the capital" on June 11. Its fourth edition "will also include stages in Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and Derbyshire." All of the world's top 15 teams "will take part in the race," which is a part of the Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) Women's WorldTour (BBC, 2/15). In London, William Fotheringham reported since the British Women's Tour's inception in '14, its organizers "have not hidden their intention to give their event parity with their flagship men's event." Now they "expect to take another major step forward with a central London finish." Race organizer Sweetspot's Guy Elliott said, "It’s hugely exciting. There is a big social agenda planned around with the help of the mayor’s office, all about getting more women cycling." As well as the 14 laps of a 6km circuit in Piccadilly, "the five-day event will also include two hilly stages in the Peak District and two less demanding stages which will go close to 150km." Elliott: "It’s going to be a tough race, but we’ve seen that women racers like courses which test them." If there is "one issue which is now bugging the organisers, however, it is the fact that they cannot extend the event beyond the current five days in spite of the fact that there appears to be more than enough interest from potential host towns to enable them to do so." Elliott said, "We did ask British Cycling if we could have seven days, and it’s not clear why we were turned down" (GUARDIAN, 2/15).
