SOME of the world’s top cyclists will be rolling into town in the Lloyds Tour of Britain this Saturday, when Stage 5 takes riders on a spin around Monmouthshire and twice up the legendary Tumble climb.

Fans will be out in force at the roadside, not least because Welsh cycling superstar Geraint Thomas is making his last appearance in a professional race, after a stellar 19-year senior career.

The riders face an 83-mile route from the start at Pontypool Park to a summit finish atop The Tumble above Abergavenny, before racing a 69.8-mile final leg between Newport and Geraint’s home city Cardiff next day, including Caerphilly Mountain.

Stage 5 starts from Pontypool Park in Torfaen at 11.30am and heads straight into Monmouthshire towards Usk and Chepstow, taking in the first of five king of the mountain ascents at Llangwm, averaging 4.7 per cent over its two miles.

From Chepstow, the race heads up the three-mile Itton Hill, and then heads on to Monmouth via Devauden and Trellech, before heading out along Rockfield Road and taking the Old Ross Road climb back to Abergavenny via Cross Ash and Llanvetherine, through Mardy and Llanfoist.

Then it heads up The Tumble, averaging an 8 per cent incline, followed by a fast descent into Blaenavon and along the Afon Lwyd valley to Pontypool.

The stage then retraces its route to Usk, turning north via the Chain Bridge across the river, back to The Tumble and the final, gruelling race to the summit finish after more than 2,330m of ascent.

The race resumes next morning (Sunday, September 7) at 11.45am beside the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales in Newport.

And while the 69.8-mile final stage only features two categorised climbs (Mynydd Bedwellte and Caerphilly Mountain), the constant undulations add up to almost 1,750m of ascent, with a fast finish down to Cardiff’s Bute Park, passing the Maindy cycle track where Geraint started as a youngster.

The Lloyds Tour of Britain began on Tuesday (September 2) in Suffolk and takes in Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Warwickshire before hitting South Wales.

Saturday’s expected timings are START Pontypool Park 11.30am / Usk 11.51am / Llangwm 12.07pm/ Itton 12.27pm/ Llanishen 12.38pm / Monmouth 12.55pm / Abergavenny 1:35pm / The Tumble (first passage) 1.47pm / Blaenavon 1.50pm |/ Pontypool 2.04pm / Usk 2.20pm / Llanellen 2.40pm / FINISH The Tumble 2.55pm.

Full timings, stage routes and road closures can be found at https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/tourofbritain/men/stagefive

Rolling Road closures 11.30am - 12.30pm A472 - Berthon Road – Little Mill to Pantypwydden Farm – Pantypwyddyn Farm to Little Henrhiw – Little Henrhiw to The Island – Woodside – Bridge Street – Castle Parade – A449 T to Usk B4235 - Chepstow Road – Usk Road – Mynyddbach to Mounton Brook – Mounton Brook to Chepstow A466 - St Lawrence Road

12.30pm -1.30pm B4393 - Itton Road – Itton Common to Cefngarw Wood – Cefngarw Wood to Nex Common – Nex Common to Cobblers Hill – Cobblers Hill to Little Crumblands House – Little Crumblands House to Quarry Road – Quarry Road to Cross Lane – Cross Lane to Trellech – Chepstow Road – Church Street – Monmouth Road – Portal Road – Cinderhill Street – St Thomas Square B4233 - Drybridge Street – Rockfield Road B4347 - Porthygaelod Farm to Post Office Row – Turners Wood to Porthygaelod Farm – The Boot to Turners Wood R36 - Celyn-Kiln to the Boot B4521 - Hill House to Trebella Farm – Pont Gilbert to Hill House – Old Ross Road – Ross Road1.30pm-2.30pm B4521 - Grosvenor Road – Hereford Road A40 - Park Road – Frogmore Street, Brecon Road A4143 - Llanfoist to Abergavenny – Merthyr Road B24245 - Merthyr Road – Blaenavon Road

1.45pm -3.30pm A472 - Berthon Road – Little Mill to Pantypwydden Farm – Pantypwyddyn Farm to Little Henrhiw – Little Henrhiw to The Island – Woodside – Bridge Street B4598 - Porthycarne Street – Abergavenny Road – Kemeys RoadR45 Chainbridge Road R54 Nantyderry Road, Nantyderry Road A4042 - Llanover to Pencroesoped – Llanellen to Llanover B4269 - Llanellen to Llanfoist, Gypsy Lane B4246 - Merthyr Road to Blaenavon Road

Full road closures The Tumble– To allow for the safe construction of the finishing village at The Tumble, the B4246 between Govilon and Blaenavon will be closed between 06:30 and 18:30 on Saturday, 6 September 2025. Emergency vehicle access will be allowed. Access will be available for residents outside of the race passing through Blaenavon Road, though some delays are to be expected when the riders are on the Tumble.R50 Blaenavon to Llanellen, Govilon The road will be closed east from its junction with the B4246 Blaenavon Road to its junction with Cefn Y Coed Road between 06:30 and 18:30 on Saturday, 6 September 2025. Emergency vehicle access will be allowed.