The Women's Tour, Britain's biggest and longest running international women's cycling stage race, will return to Suffolk this summer as the county hosts the finish of the opening stage on Monday 6 June.

Event organisers SweetSpot have revealed the 2022 race will begin at Colchester's Northern Gateway Sports Park for an opening leg through Essex and south Suffolk before culminating on Bury St Edmunds' Angel Hill.

It will mark the cathedral town's third appearance in race history, although it will be the first finish there since Marianne Vos won the finale of the 2014 edition.

The Suffolk stage will take place on Monday 6 June, which follows the four-day Bank Holiday weekend in the UK to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.

Details of the route of the opening stage from Colchester to Bury St Edmunds, which will pass through Babergh, will follow in due course, and there is a chance that enthusiast from the Shotley peninsula will get to see the cyclists at close quarters.

Cllr Derek Davis, cabinet member for communities at Babergh District Council said: "Cycling is great way to get active, whatever your level, and I hope our residents will be inspired to get out and about and explore more of our beautiful district."

"It's fantastic that Suffolk will once again play host to the renowned Women's Tour.

"National sporting events like these are a great way to showcase the history and beauty of our county, get people active, and remind us why we're proud to call Babergh home.

"I'm excited to see the full route over coming weeks and where people can watch the race for themselves in our district."

Mick Bennett, Women's Tour race director, said: "Suffolk and Bury St Edmunds have a special place in Women's Tour history so we're thrilled that they will feature in this year's opening stage, which, given the country-wide weekend of celebrations planned, will be the grandest Grand Départ we've ever had.

"We're looking forward to taking the race into parts of Suffolk that we've not visited for many years as the route heads into the county from Colchester, before a long-awaited return to Bury St Edmunds for the stage finish, scene of an unforgettable victory for Marianne Vos in 2014."

Cllr Andrew Reid, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Public Health, Public Protection and Communities, said:

"The Women's Tour has become a staple of Suffolk's Sporting calendar and we are proud to welcome the race back to Suffolk this year.

"Suffolk will play host to stage one of the race, finishing in Bury St Edmunds once again, as it did the first time the Women's Tour came to Suffolk, back in 2014.

"The race always provides a great opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate all that our county has to offer, whilst inspiring people to become more physically active."

This year's Women's Tour will also include a return to Carmarthenshire for the toughest summit finish in race history to date, taking place on Black Mountain near Llangadog.

Organisers expect all 17 teams with mandatory UCI Women's WorldTour event invitations to be on the start line in Colchester, including the 14 UCI Women's WorldTour teams. The final line up of teams for the race to be announced in the coming weeks.