tour de manchester route

Almost 1,600 cyclists take part in Tour de Manc charity bike ride

It was split into four distinct rides, depending the ability of the rider: the 200-mile 'Mad Manc', the 100-mile 'Full Manc', the 100-kilometre 'Half Manc' and the 50-kilometre 'Mini Manc'.

• 12:51, 5 SEP 2021

Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox

We have more newsletters

Almost 1,600 cyclists saddled up to take part in the 6th Tour de Manc, a charity bike ride across Greater Manchester.

It was due to take place in May but was cancelled due to the pandemic and was re-scheduled for today, setting off from Bowlee Country Park in Middleton.

The event is increasingly popular, with double the number of entrants this year compared to 2019.

READ MORE: Manchester's property boom sees houses sell for £25k to £40k over asking price

It was split into four distinct rides, depending the ability of the rider: the 200-mile 'Mad Manc', the 100-mile 'Full Manc', the 100-Kilometer 'Half Manc' and the 50km 'Mini Manc'.

The starts were staggered and the first cyclists rode off from 7.30am.

Depending on which of the four categories they entered, the riders went as far as Belmont in Lancashire, north of Bolton, Wigan and Saddleworth.

The youngest was 16 and the oldest 89.

The 2019 event raised £135,000 for a series of Manchester-based charities and this year the organisers hoped to exceed that for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, the Seashell Trust and the Haematology & Transplant Support Charity (HaTS) at The Christie hospital.

Founder and co-organiser Danny Franks said: "It's not just your elite cyclists or men in lycra. We are reaching out to all cyclists to come and do the Tour de Manc."

He decided to launch the event after watching the Tour de France come through Yorkshire in 2014 and it has grown in popularity over the last six years.

He added: "The Tour de Manc is about raising money for Manchester charities using the inclusive power of cycling.

"It is not a race. Our original idea was to run epic cycling events which could raise significant funds for registered charities.

Sign up to the free MEN email newsletter

Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletter

You can sign up very simply by following the instructions here

"We’re delighted that the event is growing and is using cycling as a force for good in Greater Machester.

"Cycling has recently had big boost in popularity as people of all ages seek to keep fit and healthy, and we welcome all new riders who want to take on the Tour de Manc challenge."

• Most Recent

Everything you need to know about cycling in France your independent guide

The Tour de Manche cross-Channel bike route

The tour de manche bike route is a cycling route linking devon and dorset in england to brittany and normandy in france, writes lynette eyb..

Click here for a GPX download of this route

The Tour de Manche cycling route links in with the European Cyclists Federation's EuroVelo network of cycleways . The route on the English side of the Channel links Plymouth to Roscoff, and continues down the Atlantic Coast of France as part of the EuroVelo 1 bike route, La Velodyssey. Across the top of France, the section of the Tour de Manche from Roscoff to Carentan forms part of the EuroVelo 4 cycling route that eventually leads to Ukraine.

Both the Petit Tour de Manche bike route and the main Tour de Manche cycling route are signposted routes – these are the signs used in Brittany and Normandy on the French side of the English Channel.

The official website has detailed route information, plus GPS trackers, and key points of reference along the way.

The Cycling Northern France guidebook , published by Excellent Books, is a great companion for northern coast of France. See also the excellent V4 guidebook.

Cycling accommodation in Normandy and Brittany

To find a bike-friendly place to stay, zoom in to see the B&Bs, hotels and self-catering options on our map below, or search our Where to stay section .

Guided cycling holidays in northern France

There are several companies offering self-guided cycling holidays along the routes of the Tour de Manche, as well as on some inland routes. Tours around Mont St Michel and coastal routes are particularly popular. Most include accommodation, route notes and maps, plus local support and advice. Bike hire can usually also be arranged on request. You can search our organised tours section here .

More information on cycling in Normandy

We have more information on the site for cycling in northern France , starting with our cycling guide to Normandy . We also have a page dedicated to website links and maps for Normandy . See also our overview of seeing Mont St Michel by bike .

For accommodation for cycling in Normandy, see our Where to stay section. See here for bike hire in Normandy .

More information on cycling in Brittany

See our guide to cycling in Brittany and our further article on cycling Brittany's greenways . South of the Tour de Manche, we have guides to cycling the Nantes-Brest Canal , St Malo , Quimper , Vannes , Rennes and Dinan .

For accommodation for cycling in Normandy, see our Where to stay section. See here for bike hire in Brittany .

Related articles

• Le Tour de Gironde à Velo
• 2024 Tour de France program and race guide
• Tour de France 2024 route: Stage-by-stage guide
• 2023 Tour de France program and race guide
• Tour de France 2023 route: Stage-by-stage guide
• Tour de France 2022 route: Stage-by-stage guide
• Véloroute de la Vallée de la Baise (V82 bike route)
• Linking the Lot Valley Bike Route to the Canal des 2 Mers (Canal de Garonne)

On the blog

Help with bike hire in France

I've launched a 'bespoke' bike hire service to help you find bike rental in France. Here's how I can help you.

Posted: 21 Mar 2024

Cycling in France?

Search for tours & accommodation

What are you looking for? What are you looking for? All Accommodation - Campsites - Hotels, hostels and B&Bs - Self-catering All Tours - Guided - Self-guided

Where do you want to look? Where do you want to look? All France /r/n Alsace /r/n Aquitaine /r/n Auvergne /r/n Brittany /r/n Burgundy /r/n Champagne-Ardenne /r/n Corsica /r/n Franche-Comté /r/n Languedoc-Roussillon /r/n Limousin /r/n Loire Valley-Centre /r/n Lorraine /r/n Midi-Pyrénées /r/n Nord-Pas-de-Calais /r/n Normandy /r/n Paris-Île-de-France /r/n Pays de la Loire /r/n Picardy /r/n Poitou-Charentes /r/n Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur /r/n Rhône-Alpes /r/n

Share this:

© 2011-2021 Freewheeling France | Copyright, Cookies, Privacy and Advertiser T&Cs |

• Reset Password

Tour de Manc 2024

05 may 2024 - middleton, greater manchester.

• Nearby Events

With four great routes to choose from, the Tour de Manc sportive requires true Northern grit!

Choose from 200km, 100 miles (160km), 100km or 50km.

This sportive is run entirely by unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to local charities and good causes. It's been doubling each year since the inaugural running of Tour de Manc in 2016.

It's a full service sportive with 4 routes (50Km "Northern Quarter"; 100Km "Manc Challenge", 100 Miles "The Classic Manc" and the 200Km "Mad Manc". Great stops (nutrition, food and drinks included, challenging routes, free photography, medals and take home freebie, prizes and a fun vibe.

Supported by Mechanics, Marshals and fantastic volunteers, this Sportive is unmissable.

• 05 May 2024 7:00am Up to 200 km (124 miles)
• Tickets Not On Sale From 38.00 GBP
• Tour de Manc 2024 Tour de Manc 2024 Middleton, Greater Manchester , UK 2500 Riders
• Up to 200 km (124 miles)
• From 38.00 GBP
• 2500 Riders

Share this Sportive

Sportive Breaks

Tour de Manc

5th May 2024

Sunday 5th May

difficulity 

£40 event entry pp

Why book this trip.

Sportive Breaks are proud to be partners of the Tour de Manc. While we usually travel overseas for our sportives, this one is a bit closer to home, riding some of our local roads.

The Tour de Manc is 100% not for profit, and welcomes a mix of participants, from first time sportive riders looking to raise money for their chosen cause, to seasoned riders looking to challenge themselves on the Mad Manc.

There are 4 distances to suit every level of rider – the 50km Quarter Manc, the 100km Half Manc, the 100 mile Classic Manc or the 200km Mad Manc

The Classics Manc is the original 100 mile route, through 9 boroughs of Greater Manchester, with 7,000ft of climbing. If you fancy going all out on the Mad Manc, it’s a 200km ride with 10,000ft of climbing, including an extra loop just to make sure you experience the Ramsbottom Rake! The 100km Half Manc misses some of the Southern parts of the region, but still has some tough climbs including Owd Betts. The Quarter Manc route is designed to be achievable for most riders, but still has a couple of hills to test your legs.

Raise Money for Charity : It’s not compulsory, but we encourage you to raise money for the charity of your choice.

Closed Road Sections:  Sections of the course are on closed roads, including the Werneth Low KOM/QOM.

Feed stops on all routes: Feed stops on all routes

What's Included?

Signposted route.

GPX files also available

Feed stops on all routes

Finishers Medal

Tour de Manc beer for all (18+) finishers

Sportive Entry

4 distances available

Highlights from the Past Event

More about the event.

Sportive Breaks are proud to be partnering with our local sportive, the Tour de Manc. This is a rite of passage for any Mancunian cyclist, whether you’re just getting into the sport and want to challenge yourself over 50km, or if you’re an experienced sportive rider who fancies a 200km ride.

Since its first edition in 2017 the event has gone from strength to strength, and the 2024 edition promises to be even bigger and better!

All 4 distances start & finish at Bowlee Community Park in Middleton, Greater Manchester.

You're in safe hands

We have a team of highly experienced professionals who have been organising cycling trips for over 25 years. We are members of ABTA and ATOL so book with confidence.

Plenty to choose from

Did you know we offer the biggest selection of European Gran Fondo and Cyclo-Sportive events.

Spread your payments

Our payment plan is an interest-free payment method where you will have the opportunity to spread payment for your booking. *Selected products. Terms and Conditions apply

Logistics covered

We know the routes, we know the roads. We know how the event works and the best hotels for the start and finish. We organise everything for you; transfers, bike transport, additional feed stops, rep support and more.

Find Out More About Other Cycling Hospitality With Sportive Breaks

3/5 -->Milan Sanremo Ride and Watch

Sportive and Gran Fondo

5/5 -->La Marmotte

4/5 -->Vätternrundan, Sweden

5/5 -->La Marmotte, Tour de France and Etape du Tour

Tours and Weekenders

5/5 -->Etape du Tour

3/5 -->Tro Bro Leon

Village hotel Bury

The village hotel in Bury is in prime location for this event. The hotel has a on site Starbucks, pub and restaurant. There is a indoor swimming pool and a fully equipped gym including squash courts and fully qualified staff.

Rooms have en-suites, sky tv, free wifi and complementary tea and coffee.

The hotel offers a wide range of food options from burgers to steaks and you can either eat downstairs or have it to take away to your room.

Username or email *

• United Kingdom

Manchester Foundation Trust Charity

Tour de Manc

Get on yer bike and support Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity by taking part in the 2024 Tour de Manc!

There is a variety of routes to suit riders of all abilities – 50km, 125km, 175km and 200km . Take in the sights of Greater Manchester and enjoy the fantastic, welcoming atmosphere at this proper Manc cycling sportive, all while fundraising for our young patients.

How to take part

For full details and to register for the event, please visit the Tour de Manc website here. Registrations are now open.

Use RMCH20 for discounted entry to be part of our team.

Once you’re registered, create your  JustGiving Page here .

Top fundraising prize

We are grateful for our corporate partners, The Renew Hub, part of SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK. The Renew Hub repair and resell pre-loved items, whilst giving back to the community. They will be volunteering on the day at our Saddleworth Hotel Pitstop, and Charity Tent by the finish line, so be sure to say hello!

We will be awarding a £200 voucher to the fundraiser who raises the most money for our charity, generously donated by The Renew Hub to spend at their online shop.

Terms and conditions

• A minimum value of £250 in sponsorship applies.
• Online fundraising pages will be reviewed six weeks after Tour de Manc, at 4pm on Monday 17 th June, to allow you to collect all your sponsorship.
• The winner will be notified on Tuesday 18 th June.
• Manchester Foundation Trust Charity will notify the winner by email.
• The voucher is not transferable and may be redeemed by the winner only.
• The Voucher must be redeemed within 12 months of receiving it.
• If you wish to opt out of this competition, please let us know here: [email protected]

Tour of Britain 2023 Route stage 1: Altrincham - Manchester

A few years ago, Deansgate in the heart of Manchester city centre was the scene of a Mathieu van der Poel victory. The recently crowned World Champion both clinched the stage win and the overall Tour of Britain title in 2019. That stage also set off from Altrincham and the route was virtually similar.

The route goes from Altrincham to Manchester in an anti-clockwise direction. Along the way the riders tackle the climbs up Werneth Low (2 kilometres at 8%), Grains Bar (7.7 kilometre 5.2%) and the Ramsbottom Rake (2.1 kilometres at 9.1%) before it levels out in the last 40 kilometres. The race then enters Manchester from the west.

The 2019 of the Altrincham/Manchester race culminated in a reduced bunch sprint won by Mathieu van der Poel. It was a close finish with his compatriot Cees Bol finishing in second, while Matteo Trentin crossed the line in third.

Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 1 .

Another interesting read: results 1st stage 2023 Tour of Britain.

Tour of Britain 2023 – stage 1: route, profile, more

Click on the images to zoom

Tue 16 Apr 2024

2024 newspaper of the year

@ Contact us

Your newsletters

Tour de France 2023 route map: A guide to every stage of this year’s TdF and the race schedule in full

The 2023 tour de france starts in bilbao and finishes in paris, with eight mountain stages including a potentially decisive stage 17.

The 2023 Tour de France route features the welcome return of an iconic climb and a Queen Stage in the final week that is likely to determine the yellow jersey wearer come Paris.

In short, there will be eight flat, four hilly and eight mountain stages as well as one individual time trial when the Tour de France runs from 1-23 July.

The Grand Depart takes place in the Basque Country for the second time, with riders then swapping Spanish tarmac for French during the third stage.

From there, general classification contenders will be put to the test with two consecutive mountain stages in the Pyrenees before heading north.

Every medal Laura Kenny won in track cycling as Olympic legend retires

And for the first time since 1988, the race is heading for a summit finish up the Puy de Dome for Stage 9, the scene of an epic tussle between Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor in 1964, and more bizarrely where Eddy Merckx was punched in the kidney by a supporter disgruntled by his dominance 11 years later.

A rest day follows the Puy de Dome, and after three more mountain stages from 13-15 and another rest day, Stage 17 could prove decisive when riders tackle the “roof” of the Tour atop the Col de la Loze. The 28.1km “beyond categorisation” climb averages a six per cent gradient and is swiftly followed by a descent to the finish line at Courchevel.

Conquer that climb, conquer the Tour – the winner there could well be supping champagne in yellow when heading down Paris’ Champs-Elysees, as champions have done since 1975.

How to watch Tour de France 2023 in UK Dates:  1-23 July (rest days on 10 and 17 July) Start times:  Vary day by day, but typically between 11am and 1pm in the UK – the final Stage 21 starts at 3.30pm TV:  ITV4, Eurosport and Welsh-language channel S4C Live stream:   ITVX , Eurosport’s  website  and  discovery+ Highlights:  Daily highlight shows will be broadcast on ITV4 and Eurosport, with stage highlights, interviews and analysis on both  ITV.com  and  Eurosport.co.uk

Tour de France 2023 daily schedule

Stage 1: Sat 1 July, Bilbao – Bilbao, 182km (hills)

Stage 2: Sun 2 July, Vitoria-Gasteiz – San Sebastian, 209km (hills)

Stage 3: Mon 3 July, Amorebieta-Etxano – Bayonne, 185km (flat)

Stage 4: Tue 4 July, Dax – Nogaro Circuit, 182km (flat)

Stage 5: Wed 5 July, Pau – Laruns, 165km (mountains)

Stage 6: Thu 6 July, Tarbes – Cauterets, 145km (mountains)

Stage 7: Fri 7 July, Mont de Marsan – Bordeaux, 170km (flat)

Stage 8: Sat 8 July, Libourne – Limoges, 201km (hills)

Stage 9: Sun 9 July, Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat – Puy de Dome, 184km (mountains)

Rest day: Mon 10 July

Stage 10: Tue 11 July, Parc Vulcania – Issoire, 167km (hills)

Stage 11: Wed 12 July, Clermont Ferrand – Moulins, 180km (flat)

Stage 12: Thu 13 July, Roanne – Belleville-en-Beaujolais, 169km (hills)

Stage 13: Fri 14 July, Chatillon-Sur-Chalaronne – Grand Colombier, 138km (mountains)

Stage 14: Sat 15 July, Annemasse – Morzine, 152km (mountains)

Stage 15: Sun 16 July, Les Gets – Saint Gervais, 180km (mountains)

Rest day: Mon 17 July

Stage 16: Tue 18 July, Passy – Combloux, 22km (individual time trial)

Stage 17: Wed 19 July, Saint Gervais – Courchevel, 166km (mountains)

Stage 18: Thu 20 July, Moutiers – Bourg en Bresse, 186km (hills)

Stage 19: Fri 21 July, Moirans-en-Montagne – Poligny, 173km (flat)

Stage 20: Sat 22 July, Belfort – Le Markstein, 133km (mountains)

Stage 21: Sun 23 July, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Paris Champs-Elysees, 115km (flat)

Most Read By Subscribers

Premier League : pour résoudre ses problèmes de buts, Manchester United souhaite un nouvel attaquant

• Lire dans l’app
• Copier le lien Lien copié

FOOT - Ten Hag, l’entraîneur des Red Devils, a déclaré que son équipe avait besoin d’un nouvel attaquant.

Manchester United a besoin d'un nouvel attaquant pour résoudre ses problèmes de buts, a déclaré le manager Erik ten Hag avant le déplacement de samedi à Bournemouth en Premier League.  Manchester United a marqué 45 buts cette saison, ce qui en fait l'équipe la moins prolifique parmi les 10 premières équipes du classement.

• Calendrier et résultats Premier League
• Classement Premier League

Le Danois Rasmus Hojlund, 21 ans, qui a été recruté pour 72 millions de livres (90 millions de dollars) en août, a marqué 13 buts en 34 apparitions toutes compétitions confondues. Anthony Martial a marqué deux fois cette saison et est blessé depuis janvier. Le club a pu compter sur l'aide de l'ailier gauche argentin Alejandro Garnacho, qui a marqué neuf buts en 41 apparitions, tandis que Marcus Rashford, auteur de 30 buts la saison dernière, en a marqué huit en 38 matches.

Ten Hag avait écarté la possibilité de signer un attaquant lors de la fenêtre de transfert de janvier, citant les règles du fair-play financier, mais il a maintenant confirmé ses plans pour la saison prochaine. «Je pense que cela aiderait» , a déclaré le manager néerlandais aux journalistes vendredi. «Il faut plus d'options. On a besoin d'une double position à chaque poste. "Il y a des postes où nous n'avons pas eu le choix cette saison - le poste d'attaquant, le poste d'arrière gauche - et cela a eu un impact négatif sur les résultats» .

«Nous travaillons en arrière-plan sur des plans avec les recruteurs. Le plan est prêt, mais nous devons l'exécuter» . Le manager a ajouté qu'il était ouvert aux idées des nouveaux propriétaires du club, espérant qu'ils collaboreraient.

À VOIR AUSSI - Marquinhos, le joueur le plus capé du PSG

• Premier League: Rodri, Foden, Ederson ... Guardiola fait le point
• Premier League: fin de saison compromise pour Raphaël Varane
• Premier League: l'Angleterre proche d’adopter des règles pour limiter les dépenses de ses clubs
• Premier League
• Erik ten Hag
• Manchester United

Partager via :

Plus d'options

Il n'y a actuellement aucun commentaire concernant cet article. Soyez le premier à donner votre avis !

Premier League: le sauna, meilleur nouvel ami de Grealish

LE SCAN SPORT - Adepte des bains de chaleur, le milieu de Manchester City a investi. En effet, d’après le Sun, il se serait offert un sauna.

Premier League : défait par Crystal Palace, Liverpool perd gros dans la course au titre

Les Reds ont cédé à Anfield face aux Eagles ce dimanche, lors de la 33e journée de championnat anglais. City reste en tête avant le match d’Arsenal face à Aston Villa.

• Résultats et matches en direct
• Actualité Ligue 1
• Transferts football
• Actualité Top 14
• Résultats et classement Tour de France
• Jeux olympiques
• Actualité Golf
• La Solitaire du Figaro
• L'équipe de France de football
• Résultats Ligue 1
• Résultats Ligue 2
• Résultats Ligue des champions
• Résultats Ligue Europa
• Résultats Liga
• Résultats Premier League
• Résultats Serie A
• Résultats Bundesliga
• Résultats Coupe du monde
• Ballon d'Or France Football
• Résultats Top 14
• Résultats Pro D2
• Actu 6 Nations
• Calendrier 6 Nations
• Coupe d'Europe de rugby
• Actu Coupe du monde 2023
• Calendrier Coupe du monde 2023
• Classement Coupe du monde
• Coupe du monde féminine
• Calendrier Tennis
• Roland-Garros
• Open Australie
• Classement ATP
• Classement WTA
• Roger Federer
• Rafael Nadal
• Novak Djokovic
• Karim Benzema
• Kylian Mbappé
• Zinedine Zidane
• Didier Deschamps
• Lionel Messi
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• Julian Alaphilippe
• LeBron James
• Classement Ligue 1
• Classement Ligue 2
• Classement Liga
• Classement Bundesliga
• Classement Serie A
• Classement Formule 1
• Classement NBA
• Classement Top 14
• Classement 6 Nations
• Calendrier équipe de France de foot
• Calendrier XV de France
• Calendrier PSG
• Calendrier OM
• Calendrier Olympique Lyonnais
• Calendrier Stade Français
• Calendrier Racing 92
• Calendrier Stade Toulousain
• Calendrier Formule 1
• Calendrier AS Monaco
• Pronostics foot
• Pronostics turf
• Comparaison des meilleurs bookmakers
• Bonus Winamax
• Bonus Betclic

À tout moment, vous pouvez modifier vos choix via le bouton “paramétrer les cookies” en bas de page.

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• CBS Sports Home
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School
• Horse Racing 

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• PGA Tour on CBS
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft is coming up!

• Podcasts Home
• The First Cut Golf
• Beyond the Arc
• Eye On College Basketball
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City's ailing Kyle Walker and the Champions League's impact-makers

From luis enrique tactical choices to niclas fullkrug's lack of scoring, what will make the champions league difference.

The Champions League quarterfinals conclude this week with all four ties delicately poised (as always you can catch coverage of all the action across CBS, Paramount+ , CBS Sports Golazo Network , and CBS Sports Network ). On Tuesday two of La Liga's representatives have one goal margins to hold on to, but neither Barcelona nor Atletico Madrid would argue that they are overwhelming favorites against Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. Twenty four hours later it is the turn of the English sides to try to find daylight over their illustrious opposition. Both Arsenal and Manchester City drew in their first legs, can they overcome Bayern Munich and Real Madrid? Here are the men who could swing the tie in either direction:

Golazo Starting XI Newsletter

Get your soccer fix from around the globe, your ultimate guide to the beautiful game as our experts take you beyond the pitch and around the globe with news that matters., thanks for signing up, keep an eye on your inbox., there was an error processing your subscription., 1. barcelona vs. psg: luis enrique.

When his pre-match press conference was defined by a debate over whether he or Xavi better represented the Barcelona way -- though sidetracking a game preview with philosophical treatises suggests more Parisian values -- it seemed certain Luis Enrique was going to flex his coaching muscles. That he did... and it might well have cost PSG a real shot at their first Champions League title. 

There was logic to using Marco Asensio as a false nine; if the hosts were going to win a midfield battle against Ilkay Gundogan and Frenkie De Jong they would probably need greater numbers (though why Warren Zaire-Emery was not entrusted to be part of that clash is hard to comprehend). There is dropping back, however, and then there is registering only five of your 17 touches in the attacking third, where you complete only two touches before being hauled off at half time. If a false nine is to be truly effective he has to take a center back with him, Asensio only did that once, creating one of the best openings Kylian Mbappe had in the first half. Those were altogether too rare though in a team whose raison d'être even now, as he stands by the exit door, needs to be getting Mbappe as many shots as possible.

Given that this is not the first time Luis Enrique's adjustments to the PSG XI have backfired -- take the trashing at Newcastle's hands in the group stages -- it might be easy to paint the former Barcelona man as the problem. That would not entirely be the case. Plan A might have backfired, but the adjustments improved the situation. Further back, Lucas Hernandez was pushed out to the right side of defense so Marquinhos could come infield and anchor the back three in possession. Zaire-Emery's introduction brought high grade ball carrying too; had the defense not lost Andreas Christensen at a corner then PSG might be travelling to Barcelona in a much better position.

Meanwhile, Bradley Barcola's introduction moved Ousmane Dembele closer to Mbappe, PSG's two deadliest forwards theoretically empowered to create merry chaos together. It worked extremely effectively for the former, but the latter was held to just one shot from range, Barcelona throwing as many bodies as they could at the right corner of the box to force the danger man into giving the ball up.

None of the difficulties faced by PSG are unfixable for a coach of Luis Enrique's qualities. The challenge will be threading the needle between experimentation and purposeless noodling. 

2. Dortmund vs. Atletico: Niclas Fullkrug

At the final whistle of the first leg of this tie, you could have pencilled in Sebastien Haller as the game changer who might swing this tie in Dortmund's direction. He might have already done so, his ghosting run into the penalty area and smart volley halving the deficit in the Metropolitano and giving his side a real chance of doing the business in front of the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday. The 29-year-old, however, limped out 10 minutes into the win over Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend and is now reportedly a doubt for the remainder of the season.

The task will instead fall to Niclas Fullkrug, the veteran striker acquired to plug a gap in the Dortmund frontline over the summer. For much of the season he did so reasonably effectively with 13 goals in 39 games. Crucially, however, none of those have come in his last nine games, Edin Terzic compelled to praise the 31-year-old's work rate after he drew blanks against Atletico Madrid. For much of that game Fullkrug struggled to get involved, not even completing a pass in the opposition half until the first minute of first-half added time.

However, something was beginning to click for Dortmund and their center forwards after the interval, particularly for Haller after his introduction, but also for Fullkrug earlier on. This is not the Atletico of old, the duel-winning defensive monsters who gave center forwards no opportunities to impose themselves on the game. There is space between the lines if you are prepared to exploit it, and if a striker drops deep then the center backs may feel compelled to follow. On more than one occasion that brought threatening moments for Dortmund, this Fullkrug flick on slipping just out of reach for Julian Brandt before he could bear down on goal.

On plenty of other occasions Fullkrug dropped into that space between the lines to find more time. Had he flicked Emre Can's pass round the corner to either Marcel Sabitzer or Karim Adeyemi, rather than the gap between them, and Dortmund would have had a two on one down their right to attack.

What changed with Haller's introduction was subtle but impactful. The Ivory Coast forward began his attacks by dropping deep as the man he replaced had had, but used that to spin in behind, functioning as something of a third man runner, profiting from an Atletico midfield that did not have anyone whose first instinct was to follow him. If Fullkrug can repeat that trick then he should get the chances he needs to break his goal drought and swing the tie in Dortmund's direction.

3. Man City vs. Real Madrid: Kyle Walker

It only took 21 seconds for Madrid's tactics to become apparent in the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. The ball was cycled to Vinicius Junior and he was flying down the left, leaving Manuel Akanji in his rearview mirror.  Come the final whistle there were altogether too many of those long blue arrows below or, even worse, the ones where Vinicius manages to carry the ball into the penalty area.

No matter how much steady control City exert, Madrid are going to manufacture opportunities to spring Vinicius. Pep Guardiola can't stop it at source but what he will hope he is able to do is deploy one of the very best weapons in the sport for slowing the best wingers and wide forwards. Kyle Walker has done it against Mbappe, he has done it against Sadio Mane and he has done it against Vinicius, whose best opening on his last trip to the Etihad was snuffed out by the England international.

All the more worrying then that Guardiola could offer no assurances that Walker would be ready to go from the off on Wednesday having returned from a hamstring injury to be part of the matchday squad against Luton on Saturday. "He feels much better but he was injured, so now we will see in the next days," said Guardiola after the Luton match. "But he is good, he feels good.

"Maybe he can help with minutes because it is a 'final' but I don't want to lose him for a long time if he gets injured. He will train a bit more now and we will decide. I know how important Kyle is against the players from Real Madrid. But he was not in Madrid and Manu [Akanji], Josko [Gvardiol], John [Stones], Ruben [Dias] played incredibly well. We will see."

As Guardiola himself insisted, City can still win without Walker. After all, curious though it might be to say given they conceded three goals, his side did an impressive job of getting into their slow it down, control the game mode. Events just happened. Then again, it really helps no end to have someone with the afterburners to catch every loose ball or breakaway in the nick of time.

4. Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus

When every game has the tumultuous win or bust status that Arsenal's have at the moment, the value of players seems to be set by nothing more than what they did the last time out. Memories of Gabriel Jesus' game-changing cameo against Bayern Munich are already gone, replaced by the sense of a player and team running on fumes after a bright start against Aston Villa. Certainly Mikel Arteta might wish for more consistency from his marquee No. 9, but this is an injury struck forward who fears he might need another operation on his knee come the summer. You take what you get.

What you get from Jesus might be just what is required in the Allianz Arena. Against Villa it looked like the 27 year old did not have the pace to get away from their high line, possibly a cause of concern for the long term, but perhaps nothing more than the tell tale sign of a player who has not fixed an underlying fitness issue. Thomas Tuchel did not, and likely will not, advance as far up the pitch a Bayern Munich defense anchored by Matthijs De Ligt and Eric Dier. If his side play anything like they did in the first leg -- and there has been no great fitness or form boost to suggest Bayern might change it up -- the defensive line will be deep, the focus in build up being feeding quick ball to Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala or Thomas Muller, who can then spring the wide forwards in behind.

If Bayern's line is deep then someone is going to have to prise it apart. Enter Jesus, who has never seen a blind alley that he has not been tempted to dribble down. While that might drive Arsenal fans to distraction on occasion it could prove extremely effective against an opponent who are not blessed with top tier one-on-one defenders. That much was certainly the case in the first leg, where Jesus drew defenders to him with quick feet and laid the ball off for Trossard to score the equalizer.  The defensive deficiencies that convinced Tuchel that Joshua Kimmich is not a holding midfielder are hardly going to be masked at right back if Arsenal can get overloads on that flank. Nor does whoever comes in for the suspended Alphonso Davies profile as a more effective one on one defender.

The challenge for Arteta is how best to deploy Jesus' skills. Much will depend on whether Martin Odegaard shakes off the nebulous issue which forced his withdrawal in defeat to Villa. Take him out and Arsenal will be forced into the sort of adjustments in relation to their captain that they have not been forced to make since Odegaard's arrival. If the Norwegian is fit, however, there is a case to be made for starting Jesus from the off but that could well mean sacrificing either Kai Havertz, in rich scoring form of late, or the control that Jorginho may afford. If not them then perhaps Jesus could start wide on the left, a role where he has put in an almighty shift for the team in the past but where Gabriel Martinelli might also prove effective.

These are mostly good problems for Arteta to have -- far preferable to Tuchel trying to find pace on the flanks without Davies, Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman -- and at the forefront of his mind will surely be those moments when Jesus took the game to Bayern. If the Brazilian is able to do so again then Arsenal might find themselves bound for the semifinals.

Our Latest Champions League Stories

Corner Picks: PSG in trouble against Barcelona

Tom fornelli • 4 min read.

UCL picks: Experts like Barca and Atleti to advance

Pardeep cattry • 7 min read.

How should PSG line up against Barcelona

Jonathan johnson • 4 min read.

What to know about the Champions League quarterfinals

Pardeep cattry • 4 min read.

UEFA coefficient: England seek fifth UCL spot

Jonathan johnson • 9 min read.

Luis Enrique's tactical decisions cost PSG vs. Barca

Share video.

Potential Champions League quarterfinal game-changers

Luis Enrique's tactical decisions cost PSG

Barca youth shines under the Paris lights

Why Haaland should be 'back' despite struggles

Second leg predictions after high-scoring first legs

Arsenal block party: Arteta's dominant defensive line

What to know about Atletico vs. Dortmund

What to know about PSG vs. Barcelona

NBA expert picks for every round: Who wins it all?

05. May. 2024

MELON TWISTED ENOUGH FOR A

• 11 Boroughs
• 3100 meters
• 6 Feed Stations

The toughest challenge in the Tour de Manc ® programme is the Mad Manc – It’s called that for a reason – as well as the challenge of 205km distance and a LOT of climbing, you’ve a time limit too. Too slow and you’ll be diverted onto one of the shorter routes.

£45 + Booking Fee

The 2024 205km route

(The route may be subject to change). The Mad Circuit

The Circuit

All three longer rides head out on a flat, mainly downhill route, past Heaton Park, towards Salford and right through the iconic Salford Quays where you will pass Media City, Lowry Theatre, Imperial War Museum and Old Trafford. Then, staying on the flat across South Manchester, you will enjoy sweeping swiftly through the leafy suburbs of Cheadle Hulme and Woodford to our new feed station in Poynton, courtesy of and with thanks to the good people of Poynton. Shortly after the pavé (cobbled) section at Norbury Junction (mind the level crossing!), the Mad Manc splits from the others and for the first-time heads east out to the start of the Peak District. We sweep up to Disley, New Mills and Mellor, before rejoining the Classic and Challenge at Marple Bridge. Then onwards to our old friend, a closed road KoM/QoM section up the short, but very steep Werneth low climb, affording you a sensational view of Manchester and a panorama of the hills to the Northeast and North – enjoy that view! Here our second feed station awaits courtesy of the wonderful Chef and Brewer Hare and Hounds Inn – who kindly let us use their facilities. On another day you’d stop here and enjoy a beer and their great food, but not today.

After a quick “light” refreshment stop, you’ll head through Tameside and several climbs around Saddleworth, passing through Uppermill hills before a long steady climb to the third feed station at the fine and stately Saddleworth Hotel. Here you can enjoy great food (including scones) and coffee whilst taking in another great view.

On departing the Saddleworth Hotel grounds, you’ll take on a couple of testy climbs including the Grains Bar climb which featured as a Tour of Britain KoM segment. You then climb over to Newhey, ride through Milnrow and past the current sound of Big Ben (Rochdale Town Hall) before another stop (Number 4) at Norden Community Primary School. There will be more hot food and a chance to prepare yourself for the harder half of the ride. First you climb Owd Betts, then down to Ramsbottom and up the famous Ramsbottom Rake – you’ll remember that for a long time and you can tick off another ‘Great British Climb’. You’ll rejoin the main course heading through Edgeworth and taking on a closed road section to Belmont where you will enjoy another feed station. There’s great nutrition, truly incredible views and you will need to replenish your reserves at the Bolton Sailing Club (stop number 5) as you still have another handful of climbs over to Rivington then back towards Bolton. If you are still in need of sustenance, there is another feed station (Number 6) at Bleakholt after Ramsbottom before the climb back up Owd Betts. Then just to add that little sting to the tail, you have a short sharp climb to the Windmill before a fantastic winding descent which takes you to within a few miles of the finish. As you pass through Heywood you’ll have to keep up the pace up otherwise you’ll be diverted to the shorter route and you’ll miss the last climb of the ride up Heap Brow!

The Tour de Manc® is not all about the fastest and this is not a race – we award spot prizes for grit and determination too. Please note that the route is subject to change.

About The Team

Our partners, classic manc, ask a question.