The City of Newport proudly hosted the start of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Mens Stage 6, the final stage of the race, from Newport to Cardiff at the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales on 7 September 2025.
The Lloyds Tour of Britain is the UK's biggest cycling race, and this year’s race was especially significant as it marked the final professional appearance of cycling legend Geraint Thomas. Over 1,000 spectators enjoyed free tickets to welcome 38 cycling teams, representing 26 nationalities, who took part in the race. They also witnessed Geraint’s last-ever official race sign-on. Geraint surprised and delighted crowds by cycling around the velodrome track with his son before hopping off his bike to greet many of his fans, sign T-shirts and pose for selfies.
Before the race began, Geraint was honoured with a ceremonial cycling guard of honour. Geraint passed through this symbolic formation, marking his final stage as a professional cyclist with heartfelt applause and admiration from the cycling community. The riders then headed out for the final leg to Cardiff, Geraint’s hometown, for his farewell celebrations—making this a truly memorable moment for fans and the local community.
Newport Live, with support from Momentwm, Newport City Council Beicio Cymru and British Cycling, organised a wide range of free activities throughout the day. Sessions included track cycling, Wheels for All, MTB pump track, Les Mills RPM indoor cycling, and a Momentwm bike valet service.
“The Lloyds Tour of Britain Mens Stage 6, a British Cycling event was proudly hosted by Newport City Council in partnership with Newport Live, and supported by UK Government through its Shared Prosperity Fund,” said Andrea Ovey, Director of Business Development at Newport Live.
“It was a privilege to be part of such a historic moment, especially at the Geraint Thomas Velodrome, which we renamed in honour of Geraint’s Tour de France victory in 2018. This year’s event was particularly special as it marked his retirement from professional cycling, and we were thrilled to help celebrate his incredible career.”
The event also provided the perfect opportunity for Newport Live to unveil its brand-new range of Geraint Thomas Velodrome merchandise. The collection, which includes both high-performance cycling kit and casual souvenir apparel, proved a huge hit with fans on the day, whether they were seasoned cyclists or simply looking to commemorate the occasion. Items were available to buy or pre-order for collection, and the full range remains available to purchase at the Geraint Thomas Velodrome or online at: www.newportlive.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/products/regular.
Newport Live’s Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales is one of just five indoor Velodromes in the UK, the national facility in Wales and hosts many local, national and international events, as well as running a series of cycling sessions for everyone from children to adults, and at every stage from learning to ride, to advanced competitive racing events.
To find out more about cycling at Newport Live: www.newportlive.co.uk/trackcycling
