Features

Tomorrow sees the start of the Tour of Britain, now in its seventh edition since the multi-stage race around the country was revived in 2004 and which in previious had been variously the Milk Race, the Kellogg’s Tour and the PruTour. As final preparations are made with the riders gathering in the North West ahead of the Grand Départ in a little over 24 hours’ time, here’s road.cc’s guide to the teams and the route of the race that will unfold across the country over the next eight days.

Missed the Etape this year? France a bit too far? In September you get a chance to ride a stage of another professional bike race, and you don’t have to leave the shores of Blighty to do it.

“Did you enjoy that? Any complaints?” asked Neil Smith, co-organiser of last weekend’s Anthony Maynard Sportive, as he swiped my timing chip on the finishing line. Perhaps he’d read some of my previous reports. “Yes” and “No” respectively, were my responses offered in those mildly euphoric, endorphin-enhanced moments when the pedalling stops, in this instance after 110km in the saddle.

Who’d be a sportive organiser these days – especially one attempting to run an operation outside the realms of the well-established, well-funded, well-manned major events? There certainly seems to be no shortage of takers, but based on our experience this year they are chasing a thinly spread sportive-riding market while struggling to meet increased rider expectations.