Via Roma Stage 5 Rutupiae (Richborough) --> Venonae (High Cross) 275 km
"This is a woman's resolve; as for men, they may live and be slaves" - Boudica
Stage 5 of the Via Roma crosses the English Channel and starts just south of Rutupiae, almost exactly 150km away from Arras. It is here that the Roman's landed when they launched the invasion of Britain in 43 AD, and the remnants of the fort built to protect the beachhead still remain. As the Roman army advanced Rutupiae became a civilian settlement, and a major port, and well renowned for it's oysters. Once the conquest of Britain was complete 25m high Triumphal arch was built, whose base is still visible in the below picture.
There stage heads inland and after 25km arrives at the town of Durovernum (Canterbury). Durovernum was the best crossing of the Stour river, and became a centre for religion. It remained a thriving town, on the way between Rome and Londinium, until Rome abandoned Britain in the 5th century. Here, the roads from the four major Kentish ports merged before heading into Londinium along Watling Street, and it is Watling Street which we will follow for the vast majority of the rest of the stage.
The stage then continues west, along Watling Street, through Durobrivae (Rochester) and Noviomagus (Dartford) and then hits the days only categorised climb, a category 4 bump, with 1km at 6%.
The peloton will then cross the Thames, and enter Londinium, where they will face the days sprint point. Londinium was founded at the first point in the Thames narrow enough for the Roman's to build a bridge, and it quickly grew to become the capital of Roman Britain. At the turn of the 3rd century AD the Romans built a Wall around Londinium, that at 5km long and 6 metres high, was one of the largest works they attempted in Britain, and certain remnants of it still stand today.
After exiting Londinium the stage rejoins Watling Street and runs North by North east for another 125km. It is somewhere along this route that the Boudica met her fate, in the Battle of Watling Street. Boudica first started her rebellion by attacking and ransacking Camulodunum (Colchester), while the Roman governor was in Wales. She then lead her army into Londinium, which the Romans abandoned, so she burnt the city to the ground, and destroyed the first London bridge. She then lead her army up the route of this stage, to Verulamium (St. Albans, which was also destroyed.
The governor, Suetonius had arrived in time to retreat from both towns, and he continued his retreat along Watling Street, pursued by the Celtic army. Eventually Suetonius managed to amass an army of 10,000 troops, and found a narrow battleground along the road, which he felt gave him the opportunity to defeat the Celtic army, which numbered 200,000 (including women and children). The narrow battlefield funnelled the Celtic army, and didn't enable them to flank the Roman's, whose discipline and superior weaponry won the day. It is unclear whether Boudica died in battle or took poison after the defeat, but her death ended the rebellion, and Celtic resistance to Roman rule in southern Britain.
Once we reach the finish town of Venonae (High Cross) the route does a short 9km loop, to head round the town, and come back from the other side of Watling Street, to finish outside the remnants of the fort that protected Venonae. This enables the first uphill finish of the race, which although a short climb, 6% for 400 metres, including a flatter final 100 metres, should be tough enough to ensure that we get a different type of rider contesting the finish.
"This is a woman's resolve; as for men, they may live and be slaves" - Boudica
Stage 5 of the Via Roma crosses the English Channel and starts just south of Rutupiae, almost exactly 150km away from Arras. It is here that the Roman's landed when they launched the invasion of Britain in 43 AD, and the remnants of the fort built to protect the beachhead still remain. As the Roman army advanced Rutupiae became a civilian settlement, and a major port, and well renowned for it's oysters. Once the conquest of Britain was complete 25m high Triumphal arch was built, whose base is still visible in the below picture.
There stage heads inland and after 25km arrives at the town of Durovernum (Canterbury). Durovernum was the best crossing of the Stour river, and became a centre for religion. It remained a thriving town, on the way between Rome and Londinium, until Rome abandoned Britain in the 5th century. Here, the roads from the four major Kentish ports merged before heading into Londinium along Watling Street, and it is Watling Street which we will follow for the vast majority of the rest of the stage.
The stage then continues west, along Watling Street, through Durobrivae (Rochester) and Noviomagus (Dartford) and then hits the days only categorised climb, a category 4 bump, with 1km at 6%.
The peloton will then cross the Thames, and enter Londinium, where they will face the days sprint point. Londinium was founded at the first point in the Thames narrow enough for the Roman's to build a bridge, and it quickly grew to become the capital of Roman Britain. At the turn of the 3rd century AD the Romans built a Wall around Londinium, that at 5km long and 6 metres high, was one of the largest works they attempted in Britain, and certain remnants of it still stand today.
After exiting Londinium the stage rejoins Watling Street and runs North by North east for another 125km. It is somewhere along this route that the Boudica met her fate, in the Battle of Watling Street. Boudica first started her rebellion by attacking and ransacking Camulodunum (Colchester), while the Roman governor was in Wales. She then lead her army into Londinium, which the Romans abandoned, so she burnt the city to the ground, and destroyed the first London bridge. She then lead her army up the route of this stage, to Verulamium (St. Albans, which was also destroyed.
The governor, Suetonius had arrived in time to retreat from both towns, and he continued his retreat along Watling Street, pursued by the Celtic army. Eventually Suetonius managed to amass an army of 10,000 troops, and found a narrow battleground along the road, which he felt gave him the opportunity to defeat the Celtic army, which numbered 200,000 (including women and children). The narrow battlefield funnelled the Celtic army, and didn't enable them to flank the Roman's, whose discipline and superior weaponry won the day. It is unclear whether Boudica died in battle or took poison after the defeat, but her death ended the rebellion, and Celtic resistance to Roman rule in southern Britain.
Once we reach the finish town of Venonae (High Cross) the route does a short 9km loop, to head round the town, and come back from the other side of Watling Street, to finish outside the remnants of the fort that protected Venonae. This enables the first uphill finish of the race, which although a short climb, 6% for 400 metres, including a flatter final 100 metres, should be tough enough to ensure that we get a different type of rider contesting the finish.
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