Crowds Defy the Weather to Cheer on Women's Tour Cyclists

In spite of grey skies and wet weather, the elite cyclists competing in the inaugural Women's Tour of Britain were greeted in Bedford Borough yesterday by large crowds and cheering schoolchildren. An exciting second stage of the five-day race was won by Italian Rossella Ratto, who outsprinted her compatriot Susanna Zorzi in front of the crowds on The Embankment to win the the stage and take the overall race lead.

Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "It was great to see so many people out, in defiance of the bad weather, enjoying the action in and around Bedford. The finish along the Embankment was a tremendously exciting spectacle. Even in the bad weather Bedford looked good on the TV coverage, and I want to congratulate the riders and and thank everyone who has helped to make this a successful event for people of all ages to enjoy."

Mayor Dave presented Rosella Ratto with her stage win award, as captured on Bedford Borough Council's Twitter account: https://twitter.com/bedfordtweets/status/464408775005601792