Tour of Britain 2013: Bradley Wiggins Wins as Cavendish Takes Three Stages
Table of Contents
- Race Overview
- Stage 1: Peebles to Drumlanrig Castle
- Stage 2: The Lake District Test
- Stage 3: Wiggins Takes Control in Knowsley
- Stage 4: Cavendish Strikes in Wales
- Stage 5: Bennett's Breakthrough Win
- Stage 6: Yates Announces Himself on Haytor
- Stage 7: Cavendish Doubles Up in Guildford
- Stage 8: London Crowns Wiggins
- Final General Classification
- Storylines That Defined the Race
- Race History and Context
- FAQ
- Related Articles
Race Overview
The 2013 Tour of Britain ran from September 15 to September 22. It marked the tenth edition of the modern race, and it delivered one of the most complete fields British cycling fans had seen in years. Sir Bradley Wiggins arrived as the biggest name in the peloton, fresh off his historic 2012 Tour de France win. He left Scotland to London eight days later as the overall champion, wearing the IG Gold Jersey.
The route covered rolling stages in Scotland, a summit finish in Devon, a hard individual time trial in Knowsley, and the traditional closing sprint in London. Riders from Sky Pro Cycling, IAM Cycling, Omega Pharma Quick-Step, Garmin Sharp, and MTN Qhubeka all took turns in the spotlight. Mark Cavendish, Elia Viviani, Gerald Ciolek, Sam Bennett, and Simon Yates each claimed stage wins across the eight days of racing. The race arrived on the calendar just weeks after the inaugural Arctic Race of Norway, adding to a packed September of European stage racing.
Stage 1: Peebles to Drumlanrig Castle
The race opened in the Scottish Borders with a 209.9-kilometre stage from Peebles to Drumlanrig Castle. Elia Viviani of Cannondale won the sprint after more than six hours of racing. He beat compatriot Alessandro Petacchi and Milan-Sanremo winner Gerald Ciolek on the rise through the Buccleuch Estate in Dumfries and Galloway.
Viviani made his move with 150 metres left, jumping clear of Ciolek before Petacchi came through for second. The win gave Viviani the first IG Gold Jersey of the race, aided by time bonuses, along with the lead in the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification.
"I am very happy for this win, but I hope to win again in the next few days," Viviani said after the stage.
Stage 2: The Lake District Test
Stage 2 took the peloton from Carlisle to Kendal across 186.6 kilometres through Cumbria and the Lake District. Heavy rain fell for most of the day. Gerald Ciolek of MTN Qhubeka handled the conditions best, out-sprinting Sam Bennett of AN Post Chain Reaction on the steep finishing climb of Beast Banks in Kendal.
Ciolek, who turned 27 that week, described a tough day in the saddle. He said his team led him out from the bottom of the final climb, and that a small slip on the last corner briefly opened a gap before he closed it back down for the win. The result moved Ciolek into the overall race lead by 20 seconds.
Stage 3: Wiggins Takes Control in Knowsley
The 16-kilometre individual time trial at Knowsley Safari Park changed the complexion of the race. Bradley Wiggins clocked 19 minutes 54 seconds to beat Sky Pro Cycling teammate Ian Stannard by 36 seconds, with Garmin-Sharp's Jack Bauer third. British time trial champion Alex Dowsett finished fifth.
Wiggins took the overall race lead by 37 seconds over Stannard, with IAM Cycling's Martin Elmiger a further ten seconds back in third. Speaking afterward, Wiggins said he had made no secret of wanting to win the stage and that conditions were difficult, but he was fully committed regardless of the risk.
Stage 4: Cavendish Strikes in Wales
Stage 4 ran 188.4 kilometres from Stoke-on-Trent to Llanberis in North Wales. Mark Cavendish of Omega Pharma Quick-Step won the bunch sprint ahead of Elia Viviani and Garmin Sharp's Steele Von Hoff. Wiggins stayed safe in the peloton and kept his overall lead heading into the second half of the race.
Stage 5: Bennett's Breakthrough Win
The race moved south to Wales for a 177.1-kilometre stage from Machynlleth to Caerphilly. Sam Bennett claimed the biggest win of his career at that point, holding off Michal Golas and Martin Elmiger. Bennett had finished second to Ciolek in Kendal three days earlier, and he described the Caerphilly win as something he could barely believe.
Bennett explained that he had learned from the earlier near miss. Rather than going deep too early, he sat on wheels and controlled his effort until it was time to make his move, a tactic that paid off with the stage win.
Stage 6: Yates Announces Himself on Haytor
Stage 6 brought the race's first summit finish, a 137-kilometre run from Sidmouth to Haytor on Dartmoor. Young Great Britain rider Simon Yates timed his effort perfectly, coming out of a select group in the final kilometre to beat Sky Pro Cycling's David Lopez Garcia, with Martin Elmiger third.
Wiggins finished just seven seconds behind Yates, safely protecting his overall lead. Yates would go on to be named Best Under-23 Rider by the end of the race, a result that hinted at the Grand Tour success he would later find in his career.
Stage 7: Cavendish Doubles Up in Guildford
The Tour of Britain returned to Guildford for Stage 7, a 155-kilometre run from Epsom. Mark Cavendish repeated his Stage 4 win, beating Elia Viviani and Gerald Ciolek in the sprint on Guildford's historic High Street. It was a fitting location, since Cavendish had also won there in 2012. Wiggins finished safely in the pack to protect his overall advantage of 26 seconds over Elmiger heading into the final stage.
Stage 8: London Crowns Wiggins
The 88-kilometre London Stage, presented by TfL, brought the race to a close on Whitehall. Mark Cavendish completed a hat-trick of stage wins, holding off Sam Bennett and Elia Viviani in the bunch sprint. It was Cavendish's third straight Tour of Britain stage win in the capital, a run that started the same year Chris Froome capped his own 100th Tour de France triumph in Paris with Cavendish chasing stage wins of his own.
Bradley Wiggins finished safely in the pack to secure the overall title and the IG Gold Jersey, a jersey he had first worn since the Knowsley time trial on Stage 3. Martin Elmiger finished second overall, also winning the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Jersey. Simon Yates completed the podium in third overall and claimed the Bradley Wiggins Foundation Best Young Rider Trophy. Angel Madrazo added the Yodel Direct Sprints Jersey to the King of the Mountains Jersey he had already secured.
Speaking after the finish, Wiggins said the feeling was more relief than anything else, adding that the pressure had been there all week after he publicly said he wanted to win the race and then took the leader's jersey on day three.
Final General Classification
After eight stages, the overall standings were as follows.
| Position | Rider | Team | Time | Deficit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Bradley Wiggins | Sky Procycling | 29h 45' 22'' | — |
| 2 | Martin Elmiger | IAM Cycling | 29h 45' 48'' | 0' 26'' |
| 3 | Simon Yates | Great Britain | 29h 46' 25'' | 1' 03'' |
| 4 | David Lopez Garcia | Sky Procycling | 29h 46' 30'' | 1' 08'' |
| 5 | Jack Bauer | Garmin Sharp | 29h 46' 35'' | 1' 13'' |
| 6 | Sergio Pardilla | MTN Qhubeka | 29h 46' 38'' | 1' 16'' |
| 7 | Ian Stannard | Sky Procycling | 29h 46' 56'' | 1' 34'' |
| 8 | Sebastien Reichenbach | IAM Cycling | 29h 47' 04'' | 1' 42'' |
| 9 | Michal Golas | Omega Pharma Quick-Step | 29h 47' 08'' | 1' 46'' |
| 10 | Marcel Wyss | IAM Cycling | 29h 47' 19'' | 1' 57'' |
Storylines That Defined the Race
Wiggins delivers on home soil. Wiggins had come off his 2012 Tour de France win with expectations high for every race he entered on British roads. He answered those expectations by winning the Knowsley time trial and then riding a controlled, defensive race over the remaining stages to protect his lead.
Cavendish's sprint hat-trick. Mark Cavendish won three of the eight stages, all in bunch sprints, and closed out the race with back-to-back wins in Guildford and London. It underlined his status as one of the fastest finishers in the sport at that time.
Simon Yates arrives. Yates was still a Great Britain national team rider in 2013, yet he beat a strong senior field to the top of Haytor and finished third overall. His Best Young Rider award was an early sign of the Grand Tour general classification rider he would become.
IAM Cycling's consistency. Martin Elmiger finished second overall, and IAM Cycling was one of the most consistent teams across the eight days, regularly placing riders inside the top ten of both stage and team results.
Race History and Context
The Tour of Britain traces its roots back to the Milk Race, which ran from 1958 until 1993. The modern professional Tour of Britain, run under UCI rules, launched in 2004. The 2013 edition was the tenth running of that modern format, which is why organisers and riders referred to it as an anniversary race.
The race is Britain's leading professional road cycling stage race and regularly attracts UCI WorldTour and ProContinental teams alongside a Great Britain national team made up of the country's top domestic and development riders. Simon Yates rode for that Great Britain team in 2013, a common pathway for British riders before they turn professional with a WorldTour outfit. For a look at how a modern Grand Tour route is built, see how the Vuelta a España's route compares.
FAQ
Who won the 2013 Tour of Britain?
Sir Bradley Wiggins of Sky Pro Cycling won the overall general classification, finishing 26 seconds ahead of IAM Cycling's Martin Elmiger.
How many stages did Mark Cavendish win in 2013?
Cavendish won three stages: Stage 4 to Llanberis, Stage 7 to Guildford, and the closing Stage 8 in London.
Who won the King of the Mountains title?
Angel Madrazo won the SKODA King of the Mountains Jersey, and he also added the Yodel Direct Sprints Jersey by the end of the race.
Who was the Best Young Rider in the 2013 Tour of Britain?
Simon Yates, riding for the Great Britain national team, won the Bradley Wiggins Foundation Best Young Rider Trophy after finishing third overall and winning the Haytor summit finish.
How long was the 2013 Tour of Britain?
The race ran over eight stages and eight days, from September 15 to September 22, 2013.
Where did the race start and finish?
The race started in Peebles, Scotland, and finished in London on Whitehall as part of the London Stage, presented by TfL.
Did Bradley Wiggins win any individual stages?
Yes. Wiggins won the Stage 3 individual time trial at Knowsley Safari Park, which put him into the overall race lead for the rest of the week.