In just three years, the Women’s Tour has grown to become arguably the biggest women’s race on the calendar, with only the Giro Rosa (for tradition) and the Tour of California really offering much rivalry in the English-speaking world.

Of course, there are other cracking multi-day races (Emakumeen Bira, ‘Healthy Ageing Tour’) that have their place, but few have garnered the accolades that the Women’s Tour has picked up from riders and directors.

The organisation has been excellent – so far – and the crowds have been phenomenal. Every year, the roadside supporters have been out in their tens of thousands, on every stage, on every street. The role played in galvanising the growth in women’s cycling as a sport and as a participant hobby can’t be underestimated.

© Theo Southee Photography/The Tour

Mick Bennett and his colleagues have much to be proud of, but every edition is a new challenge to be managed. 2017 sees longer stages and harder courses with a total of 650 kilometers over five days.

We’ll see a marquee stage around the streets of London, ridden by the 15 top-ranked squads in the world, and almost all the top level riders are here with the notable exceptions of Amelie Dideriksen, Annemiek Van Vleuten and Coryn Rivera. All three former winners take part – Lizzie Deignan, Lisa Brennauer and Marianne Vos – guaranteeing that any new name on the victory roll will have earned her stripes.

© The Tour

The arrival of OVO Energy as a new title sponsor suggests that the race’s profile is one that is attractive to investors despite there still being issues surrounding cycling’s less savoury aspects (doping, for instance, in the men’s scene, and issues around harassment and exploitation raised recently in the women’s context).

If this relationship lasts and proves beneficial for both parties, then the Women’s Tour should get even stronger in 2018 and beyond. Regardless, this year’s event has so much going for it, and so many subplots. Of specific interest for British fans will be to see how Boels-Dolmans balance the ambitions of home favorite and defending champion Lizzie Deignan with those of Olympic champion Anna Van Der Breggen.