Rod Ellingworth appointed as race director for Tour of Britain events

British Cycling has announced Rod Ellingworth as race director for its Tour of Britain events.

Taking almost 15 years of experience working at the sport’s biggest races to the role, Ellingworth will be a pivotal member of an experienced team that is being brought together to support the delivery of the two events in 2024.

Speaking about his appointment, Ellingworth said: “I know how valuable and life-changing the experience and memories of major cycling events can be, and feel incredibly privileged to now have the opportunity to play such a vital role in the future of the Tours of Britain.”

His appointment is said to reflect British Cycling’s ambition to develop British talent across all event functions, to support the future growth, sustainability and success of the races.

Ellingworth joins a growing team working towards the delivery of the events in 2024, starting with the Tour of Britain Women from June 6 to 9.

Working alongside him will be Andy Hawes (route director), Mark Leyland (start director), Paul Knight (finish director) and Lucy Jones (major events consultant), who collectively possess more than four decades of experience working on the Tour of Britain and major international events across sport.

Work is continuing to finalise the route details for the Tour of Britain Women, with a further update to be shared in the coming weeks.

British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton OBE, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Rod, Andy, Mark, Paul and Lucy to the team, as we continue to work around the clock to ensure the delivery of our Tour of Britain events this year.

“Rod returns to British Cycling with an enormous amount of knowledge and experience, and I know that he is fiercely passionate about helping the races to grow and succeed in the future.

“We’re looking forward to supporting his development in the role, as part of our commitment to providing opportunities for British talent through our flagship events.”

Dutton has described organising the Tour of Britain Women as “a real race against time” but remains “excited” by the opportunity and “overwhelmed” by the enthusiasm and support being shown towards the events.