Mountains, valleys, bleak moorlands face Tour of Britain racers

The Tour of Britain, the country's premier cycling event, will this year start in Glasgow for the first time in eight years, with a grand finish in London, the organisers announced.

The 1,308 km race will take riders from the Scottish Lowlands, England's scenic Lake District, the spine-chilling hairpin bends of the Cat and Fiddle Pass in the Peak Forest, and valleys of Wales, to the famous bleak Dartmoor in southern England.

"We are confident that this year's route will provide the opportunity for eight exciting days of racing and a multitude of opportunities for riders and teams to be aggressive and make the race but also a fantastic race that will showcase the British countryside," Race director Mick Bennett said Friday.

Having last welcomed the Tour of Britain in 2008, Glasgow will host the Grand Depart of the opening stage on Sept. 4, he added. Stage one will cover 168 km.

Stage two -- 195 km -- takes place in one of England's most scenic areas, the Lake District, and will include iconic climbs through mountainous terrain.

The 182-km third stage, will see racers tackling the iconic 10-km climb of the Cat and Fiddle, a mountainous road across the Peak District, known for its challenging hairpin bends.

In stage four, which is 217 km, the race moves to North Wales , with stage five -- 205 km -- beginning in the Rhondda Valley of South Wales, with the stage ending for the first time in the Roman city of Bath, one of England's tourism hotspots.

The race then moves to southern England, with 150-km stage six taking place in Devon as well as the famous bleak Dartmoor National Park.

Bristol takes center stage in stage seven (91.5km), which will include a 15 km time trial. This will include the 600-meter SKODA King of the Mountains climb of Bridge Valley Road.

London will again host the 100-km final stage on Sept. 11, which will use the same circuit as last year, focusing on Regent Street, the Heart of London and the Northbank, with a finish close to Piccadilly Circus.

Race director Bennett said the tough circuit and time trial in Bristol with summit finish will be a great preparation for the World Championships, but will also be a fantastic race showcasing the British countryside.

"The route includes major cities such as Glasgow, Bristol, Bath and London, and visits each of Scotland, England and Wales, while at the same time touching many smaller communities and areas where we know the passion and support for cycling is so great," added Bennett. Endit