Etape Cymru Disrupted After Markers Moved

The closed road Etape Cymru cycle event taking place in Wrexham today has been disrupted after route markers were moved.

The news was broken by @wrexham follower Ioan Said this morning who tweeted “Some idiots have disgraced #Wrexham by sabotaging the #etapecymru race #cycling So angry!!”

He said that markers had been moved by people unknown causing some of the near 2,500 cyclists taking part to take a wrong turn.

Ioan was in position to take photographs for the Wrexham Year of Culture team when a marshalling car came past and said that cyclists were lost and that they were trying to catch up with them.

Another Twitter user, Andrew Danson, also spoke of the disruption, he said:

“Trying to watch @didge2 and @TechnoJimbo in the Etape cymru but they have got lost in the first 10 miles. 2500 cyclists missing.”

The cyclists were eventually returned to the correct route, however, later in the day there were reports of a collision involving participants near Johnstown after a car with a trailer pulled out in front of them.

The 100 mile competition has taken months of planning between event organisers K-Extreme Ltd and Wrexham County Borough Council.

It is hoped that the race will become an annual event in Wrexham.

The Etape Cymru is one of only two traffic-free sportive events in the UK and a series of road closures had been prepared through the day starting close to Tetra Pak on Wrexham Industrial Estate and passing through well-known local climbs such as the Horseshoe Pass, The Shelf, The Garth and Worlds End before finishing back in Wrexham.