THE South West stages of the Tour of Britain will be the toughest ever, according to organisers.
Devon County Council is co-hosting the two South West stages with Somerset County Council and they are determined that the gruelling routes will make this year’s race the biggest and best yet, setting new benchmarks for The Tour.
Stage 4 from Minehead to Teignmouth on 14 September will be The Tour’s first ever coast-to-coast stage, covering 107 miles (171kms). The following day will take in Dartmoor National Park for the first time as Stage 5 stretches 109 miles (176 kms) from Tavistock to Glastonbury.
The South West stages make up a quarter of the entire race and provides two of the three longest routes on this year’s Tour. Over the two days the riders will face six King of the Mountains climbs (four of them being the most challenging Category One climbs) and six Sprints over the two stages. The Stage 4 climbs at Ralegh’s Cross on Exmoor, Somerset, and Peak Hill in Sidmouth, Devon, are expected to test the riders to their limit.
Around a quarter of a million people were attracted along the route of the two South West stages in last year’s Tour, generating almost £6million for the economies of Devon and Somerset over the two days, and it’s hoped that this year’s race will prove even more popular.
The Tour of Britain 2010 begins in Rochdale on Saturday 11 September and finishes in London on Saturday 18 September. ITV4 will broadcast daily highlights at 7pm.
