The route of the 2014 Tour of Britain was unveiled this evening at Canary Wharf in London. As well as the Stage 1 circuit in Liverpool, revealed this morning, the race will also be visiting Bath and Brighton on an eight-day journey round the country that culminates in a double-header final day in London with an individual time trial followed by a road stage, as happened in 2011.
We'll bring you more later, but to start with, as the race raises its profile — this year, for the first time, it has UCI 2.HC status — there will be three hours of live TV coverage every day on ITV. Now that is something to look forward to.
Race director Mick Bennett says: "With our toughest summit finish yet, an individual time trial in London and several longer stages, this year's Tour of Britain has a varied and testing route that will present opportunities to a variety of riders.
"The route will again showcase some fantastic scenery, and combine major British cities with charming and picturesque towns and villages, as well as testing climbs, all of which will make for a memorable Tour.”
Jonny Clay, director of cyclesport at British Cycling, added: "This year's Tour of Britain is set to be the biggest and best yet and is a fantastic way to showcase the event's new, upgraded 2.HC status.
"The Tour of Britain will not only deliver on every level for cycling fans, giving them the opportunity to see the best teams and riders in the world competing on their door step, but it is also a great day out for people of all ages. Watching the race from the roadside is free, allowing thousands of spectators to get caught up in the excitement of the event passing through their city, town or village.”
Organisers have agreed with Transport for London that the Tour of Britain will finish in London for the next five years.
Here's the route:
| Stage 1 | Sun 7 Sep | Liverpool |
| Stage 2 | Mon 8 Sep | Knowsley to Llandudno |
| Stage 3 | Tue 9 Sep | Newtown to the Tumble |
| Stage 4 | Wed 10 Sep | Worcester to Bristol |
| Stage 5 | Thu 11 Sep | Exmouth to Exeter |
| Stage 6 | Fri 12 Sep | Bath to Hemel Hempstead |
| Stage 7 | Sat 13 Sep | Camberley to Brighton |
| Stage 8a | Sun 14 Sep | London individual time trial, presented by TfL |
| Stage 8b | Sun 14 Sep | London circuit race, presented by TfL |
81 thoughts on “Tour of Britain full route announced”
10th & 12th September holiday
10th & 12th September holiday request going in when I get in work tomorrow.
interested to see how exactly
interested to see how exactly they get from Worcester to Bristol, could be a day off work for that one.
Really really disappointed
Really really disappointed that there’s no scottish stage this year plus nothing North of Liverpool take it the orgainisers can’t remember the lake stage last year with all the people lining honister.The last 2 Scottish starts have been amazing and have showed my kids up close what dad likes to watch on the TV for hours at a time. So in all just gutted they won’t be coming close enough to take the kids.
Really really disappointed
Really really disappointed that there’s no scottish stage this year plus nothing North of Liverpool take it the orgainisers can’t remember the lake stage last year with all the people lining honister.The last 2 Scottish starts have been amazing and have showed my kids up close what dad likes to watch on the TV for hours at a time. So in all just gutted they won’t be coming close enough to take the kids.
What no SCOTLAND????
What no SCOTLAND????
Thank heavens there’s only
Thank heavens there’s only one stage in the North West/North Wales to disrupt my work.
Any news yet on which stages
Any news yet on which stages will be used for Tour Ride sportives this year? Really hoping for the Exeter stage, and it looks like it would be a good choice with the start and finish so close together. That’s got to make the logistics easier!
Nothing north of liverpool,
Nothing north of liverpool, what a joke, Tour of Britain, erh no it ain’t !!
Tour of Britain ? NOT!!!!!! I
Tour of Britain ? NOT!!!!!! I know that you cannot please all of the people all of the time, but we have not had TOB in the North East for some years now, disappointed again.
Stage 7….Finishes in
Stage 7….Finishes in Brighton
I think I just pee’d my pants! =D>
Ah, the oh so predictable
Ah, the oh so predictable “nothing in [insert area of the country] therefore it’s shit/it’s not a Tour of Britain”
If you think you can negotiate with the dozens of parties responsible, find start and finish towns and a route that fits in with all the other myriad logistics of running the ToB, I’m sure Sweetspot would love to hear from you, there’s probably a lucrative job for you.
I wonder if the TdF organisers get this in France when they announce the route of the Tour which will invariably miss out half the country…?
This is great news – it’ll
This is great news – it’ll mean they finally have to fix some of the Devon roads.
Agree with a lot of comments,
Agree with a lot of comments, its very poor that there are no routes for the North yet london gets 2 bloody stages, the whole thing stinks of back handers.
Tour of Britain, shafting the
Tour of Britain, shafting the places that helped support the race and get it upgraded.
Gawd help us. I wonder if
Gawd help us. I wonder if Brittany folk look at the TDF map each year and complain? I agree that the NE has been overlooked in recent years but the Lakes and Scotland have both had a pretty good deal over the past 3 years and it is still North Wales’s turn.
Living just north of Liverpool with a cycle magazine to
fill I’m very happy. Straight out of bed to the race start both days and a lift back from Llandudno on stage 2. Suits us sir!
That brown envelope full of cash we slipped to Mick last year seemed to do the trick.
MercuryOne wrote:Gawd help
Dont get me wrong mate, the North East no more deserves it than any other area selected, what peeves me is that it always has to finish in london, why ?
Other than the traditional finish in Paris for the Tour, the other GT’s dont always finish in the capital and neither do a lot of other country based tours. It’s the same with football all the interntionals are at wembley. Anyway i hope its great race
I could have lent you a
I could have lent you a picture from last year if you couldn’t find one for the article. In fact, help yourself: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rick01/9860133354/in/set-72157635732730096
Just wondering whether the
Just wondering whether the ToB locations have been designed to fit around TdF visiting Yorkshire and Giro visting Ireland and why o why, all of a sudden, does Scotland want to be a part of Britain? 😀
Quote:Other than the
La Vuelta traditionally finishes in Madrid, no? So that would leave the Giro that traditionally finishes in Milan for other reasons….
It doesn’t always finish in
It doesn’t always finish in London, it’s finished in Glasgow and also Liverpool since being revived in 2004
the fact is, eight stages can’t cover the whole of Britain and they never will.
Wow. “London” content = 7.
Wow. “London” content = 7.
Quote:what peeves me is that
Er, maybe because they’ve got an agreement with DfT/London to finish there for the next 5 years?
And you’re talking rubbish, the Vuelta always finishes in Madrid (well OK, it has done for the last 20 years), the Giro has mostly always finished in Milan and there are loads of other week long Tours that have a dedicated finish town.
Celebrate it – 3 hrs of live coverage plus highlights every day. The fact that Britain, 10 years ago didn’t even have a national tour, now it’s the highest UCI classification, it’s been won by British riders! So it doesn’t pass your front door – that doesn’t mean it’s because of back handers or shady deals, it’s just the logistics of running it. You can’t take it everywhere every year.
crazy-legs wrote:Quote:what
Er, maybe because they’ve got an agreement with DfT/London to finish there for the next 5 years?
And you’re talking rubbish, the Vuelta always finishes in Madrid (well OK, it has done for the last 20 years), the Giro has mostly always finished in Milan and there are loads of other week long Tours that have a dedicated finish town.
.
OK i hold my hands upto the Vuelta, other than this year – Santiago de Compostela, its Madrid, Giro – no, it doesn’t finish in Rome, tour de Suisse – no, Tour of Poland – no. I’m not talking rubbish i’m simply making a point.
So having spoken face to face
So having spoken face to face this evening with the people who make these decisions; they know that the route wouldn’t please everyone, but they are committed to taking it back to Scotland, North of England, East Anglia etc in the next few years.
no real surprises about the
no real surprises about the london finish, and tbh it will almost certainly bring in the majority of sponsors, but always wondered why they don’t make more of the UK landscape? Britain is pretty small and so transfers will never be THAT arduous. always thought 1 stage in any of; scotland, wales, NE/NW to start then at least 1 other of those areas in stage 2 and then snake down country with various landmarks/famous climbs in there? not going to throw toys out pram cos not a scottish stage this year, as last couple have been great, but don’t see why it has to be such a small area covered. regardless of thoughts on route, the coverage, profile and participation is growing every year, which can only be a good thing.
Vote no to independence and
Vote no to independence and maybe there will a Scottish stage next year. If not there will be a need for a tour of Scotland. (-;
Yay… still coming to
Yay… still coming to Wales.. happy days 🙂
day off for the bath to hemel
day off for the bath to hemel hemestead stage 😉
Before The North gets too
Before The North gets too huffy I’d just like to remind everyone about that little bike race in Yorkshire this July.
joemmo wrote:Before The North
Still had to have the 3rd stage finishing in the dump didnt we though rather than the east coast of Yorks which would have been far better.
As the man says you can’t run
As the man says you can’t run a eight day stage race that will visit every corner of the UK.
I’m sure it will be back to the Peak District and Yorkshire in coming years so I’ll have to put up with the Tour de France this year and the Tour of Yorkshire (Criterium International ?) in the subsequent few years.
East Anglia’s got the TdF and the Womens Tour coming that way which other areas are not getting.
Isn’t the Vuelta finishing in Santiago de Compostela this year BTW ?
You’ve got to know that
You’ve got to know that they’ve had a lot of crap from teams/riders about the transfers involved when it’s covered the whole of the country in 8 days.
Reckon a more compact route like this is a sign of things to come – and it’ll hopefully vary year on year,
Quote:From now on transfers
The above from the website’s press releases today.
Personally I’m delighted that there’s a couple of stages around South Wales and Bristol / Bath and damning the fact that these stages are mid-week.
There’s always next year for the ToB to go elsewhere.
With reference to Scotland
With reference to Scotland and the North East of England, you can only please some of the people some of the time. Unless of course you live in Knowsley, East Devon and London.
But Yorkshire has Le Tour and Scotland the Commonwealth Games, I hear you say. Who really give a flying fart about the Commonwealth Games? All the pro teams will be lining up for that!
As you can see in the link, the Commonwealth Road Race lacks any imagination. The planners must have only had a Day Tripper bus ticket when planning the route. “hills to the North and South you say?” Let’s showcase the best Scotland has to offer by going past Glasgow Central Station…
Dunks517 wrote:Let’s showcase
erm…. it isn’t going past Central Station, it’s going past Queen Street Station, Argyle Street Station, High Street Station and Buchanan Street Underground. B-)
stenmeister wrote:Dunks517
It looks like it is here:
http://www.glasgow2014.com/image/cycling-road-map
No stage of the Tour of
No stage of the Tour of Britain in Yorkshire yet again, Good enough for 2 stages of the Tour de France but not the Tour of Britain it seems.
paulmerrett wrote:No stage of
I would imagine all the cities and local authorities are spent up after chucking money at ASO to get the Tour.
paulmerrett wrote:No stage of
Are you not taught to share in Yorkshire?
Gizmo_ wrote:paulmerrett
Not as greedy as it would seem that London is
Olympics route/Prudential or whatever they call it, a finish of le Tour and still “two stages” on top.
Personally don’t think it’s too bad for Yorkshire, we did have MTB world cup for two years, National Champs t’other year and now the greatest show on earth. Also after le Tour, TofB looks a bloody miserable affair and Liverpool is not a million miles away.
Yorkshie Whippet wrote:
Not
Okay, so London gets three days of racing at UCI HC or WorldTour level, and probably two HC in future.
One of those races, RideLondon, will take place mainly in Surrey, while this year the Tour de France spends maybe an hour in London.
But from next year, Yorkshire – and nowhere else – gets its very own THREE-day stage race, arranged by ASO and probably also at HC level.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that it will be taking place.
But it does rather shoot down the argument that London (home to around 60 per cent more people than Yorkshire, by the way) gets everything.
Simon_MacMichael
Okay, so London gets three days of racing at UCI HC or WorldTour level, and probably two HC in future.
One of those races, RideLondon, will take place mainly in Surrey, while this year the Tour de France spends maybe an hour in London.
But from next year, Yorkshire – and nowhere else – gets its very own THREE-day stage race, arranged by ASO and probably also at HC level.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that it will be taking place.
But it does rather shoot down the argument that London (home to around 60 per cent more people than Yorkshire, by the way) gets everything.— Yorkshie Whippet
Simon, not quite sure what your point is, other than you can cut and paste to take things out of context.
Lot of moaning about the
Lot of moaning about the route, but that’s basically an indicator of the ToB’s rising status – everyone wants a piece. The article says the organisers want the stages closer together this year, but I’m sure they will continue to experiment with routes to cover the beautiful hills in the North and Scotland. Chill folks – it’s great news that the event is growing in popularity.
God, not in the Cotswolds
God, not in the Cotswolds ….again! I expect it to go past my house every other year or i’ll..i’ll….i’ll
I’m giving up bike for 30 days!
That’ll show ’em.
solentine wrote:God, not in
Apart from most of Stage 4 😉
Simon_MacMichael
Lets see if they do it properly…
anyone for Bushcombe Lane…
Dont get me wrong folks, i’m
Dont get me wrong folks, i’m not saying the NE deserves it more, far from it. As people have said we have the Tour coming to Yorkshire so thats probably why there are no stages up this way in the ToB, which i agree with.
It’s the london thing that annoys me but thats personal and got nothing to do with the ToB. As i said i hope its a cracking race but i wont be watching the last 2 stages, a tt around london followed by a circuit of london, really gets the blood pumping in anticipation doesn’t it 😕 .
Dartmoor in September? Tasty.
Dartmoor in September? Tasty.
Looks like a good summer of
Looks like a good summer of cycling to me, yes it does miss big bits of the country but you just hope that as the the race becomes more established that the organisers are fair and that starts and stages are spread throughout the country in the coming years. I was personally was hoping for a Horseshoe pass stage this year (Liverpool to Llandudno) but you have to take what you get!
Nice to see some action in
Nice to see some action in the South East, no I don’t mean that smelly traffic filed blot on the landscape we call our capital, will be heading to Brighton for stage 7.
perhaps we can rename it to
perhaps we can rename it to “The Tour of London” ??
Looks like the route on the
Looks like the route on the Friday is going through Wallingford via Nettlebed to Chinnor. I’ll be ducking out of work and cycling over to see that I expect!
Plenty of short and steep (15%+) climbs around that bit of the route but I expect they won’t be using them. Too narrow for the riders, cars etc.
Disappointed they have
Disappointed they have dispensed with ‘filthy mountain – although the double ascent was a bit daft. The atmosphere and crowds particularly over the last 2 years were epic. Had hoped they would find a way to finish the Welsh stage in Cardiff somewhere but…I guess a nice little ride up to The Tumble is now in order. Just need to find a nice pub….
I have travelled across from
I have travelled across from Northumberland to Carlisle to watch The Tour of Britain for the last two years. Was really hoping my area got a look in this year. Would be a really good back drop seeing the Castles of Northumberland been cycled past, especially for TV coverage.
I am not really sure when it last past my way, sure those with a better memory will tell me when the North East last had a visit?
The Route has rather disappointed me but I shouldn’t get too down as I have 2 nights booked in Yorkshire when the main event is on!
Oh at last! Something is
Oh at last! Something is coming down towards the South East! About time, lovely scenery 😀
It goes past the road one up
It goes past the road one up from me in Sussex … I’m happy <:P
goggy wrote:It goes past the
And thinking about it, they may even fill in some of the trenches in the town, especially if they don’t want to see Pro riders sprawling outside the joys of Iceland and the 99p store
goggy wrote:goggy wrote:It
more likely they’ll claim they are recreating the Forest of Arenberg
Quote:I am not really sure
It did Darlington – Gateshead in 2008 and 2009 with a loop up into Kielder Forest.
The NE hasn’t seen as much of the Tour of Britain as some other areas but that’s not necessarily down to the organisers – maybe one town really wants it but there’s no suitable finishing town nearby on that day. Maybe one council won’t allow it through their area on that day. Whole host of reasons.
Petition your council to bid for a stage.
no one complaining that
no one complaining that Abergavenny gets a stage finish and the nationals then….
The “Tour of England and
The “Tour of England and Wales”.
As others have said, you
As others have said, you can;t cover the entire country decently in 8 days. So leaving aside the transfer concerns by the teams, there appear to be two options
1) spread it around geographically every year, and just expect people to drive up to 3 hours to see “their” region’s leg.
2) Pick areas of the country each year to locate it… so the south gets it this year, the NW next, east anglia and the midlands in 2016 – etc.
Which ever is picked somebody somewhere will lose out. The past few years in the South-west has meant Sidmouth for us in Wiltshire – or London. Hardly “doorstep”.
As it I am well chuffed that its coming within a mile of my front door this year. I’m happy enough that it probably won’t be back around these parts for a few years. Them’s the breaks.
didds
didds wrote:2) Pick areas of
I like this idea. You could even take it further and use a couple of towns/cities as hubs and run the stages in a different direction from the hubs each day.
You could say have four days based out of Taunton, a rest day and then another four days based out of Stirling one year and the next year pick another two hubs. The rest day is only there to facilitate the relocation between hubs. Can you imagine the concentrated revenue brought into an area and the boost to local cycling.
Just an idle musing. Please don’t shoot me, it’s been a very long day. 😀
Just in preparation for
Just in preparation for Scottish independence. will enjoy watching tour of Scotland though, lots of mountain stages
Just in preparation for
Just in preparation for Scottish independence. will enjoy watching tour of Scotland though, lots of mountain stages
Have a look at this pipe
Have a look at this pipe dream for next year: http://www.strava.com/routes/92370
Dunks517 wrote:Have a look at
I like the look of that mate 😀
Stage 2 Braemar – Dundee,
Stage 2 Braemar – Dundee, having a summit finish up Craigowl Hill (3.4km at 9.3%)
Stage 2 Braemar – Dundee,
Stage 2 Braemar – Dundee, having a summit finish up Craigowl Hill (3.4km at 9.3%)
Quote: So leaving aside the
There is, of course, the third option where the whingers do a bit of growing up and recognise that it’s not always going to go their way.
It’d probably a step to far to ask them to get behind the Tour and offer congratulations to those areas that have the opportunity to showcase this time round..
Simon, i assume your from
Simon, i assume your from London, although i maybe wrong.
Its when your not from London you realise how much more the city gets compared to other areas. Its not just cycling but a lot of other sports as well and its the mentality of a lot of Londoners that becuase its the capital it should automatically get more and its this that annoys and frustrates people.
I dont particularly like London having worked and lived there for a while but i suppose being the capital it will get more.
In the end as long as the race showcases the country and the fans then all is well and good.
stumps wrote:Simon, i assume
Would you like some help with that chip on your shoulder? Perhaps a flower in your hair would make you feel better?
stumps wrote:Simon, i assume
Born in Scotland, lived there a few years and have often gone back, grew up and started working in London, went to university in Wales and have lived last several years in Oxford and, more recently, the Cotswolds. So been around a bit and certainly don’t have London-centric mindset.
Time to make this a two week
Time to make this a two week race and spread it around a bit more. A lot of the country is left untouched, central britain, the east and northeast, nothing.
No lake district stage…..
No lake district stage….. BOOOOOOOOO ! ~X(
No lake district stage…..
No lake district stage….. BOOOOOOOOO ! ~X(
I guess the Scottish
I guess the Scottish referendum has already happened, new to be, why are there no stages anywhere even remotely close to Scotland at all, the highlands would be an epic stage and easy to get from Aberdeen to watch some form of professional cycling
Haha! Some South East action,
Haha! Some South East action, definitely pop to Brighton for the day
Unless I’m mistaken, the ToB
Unless I’m mistaken, the ToB takes the route to places that support it financially so it can only go where the councils are willing to a) host it and b) pay for it. That’s one of the main issues behind the long transfers and the geographic inequalities. If you want a stage, a council near you has to be willing to do it and to put its hand in its pocket.
As well as cost, from an
As well as cost, from an armchair perspective there’s hopefully consideration given to choosing a course that showcases some of the country’s areas of natural beauty and obviously some decent gradients. Basically it needs to look good on telly!
Then of course you’ll get the NIMBYs not wanting spectators and everything else descending end masse into the national parks……and also if the stages are out in the sticks there’ll be fewer spectators.
We’ve been spared a Stoke
We’ve been spared a Stoke stage! <:P