Tour of Britain 2008 Takes Cycling to the People
3rd April London Transport Museum – Covent Garden
- Iconic London circuit lays down blueprint for future Tour finishes
- Overall Finish in European Capital of Culture
- New Stage in North East of England
- Daily TV coverage
Today (3rd April) at the London Transport Museum, Technical Director Michael Bennett and CEO Hugh Roberts unveiled the route of the 2008 Tour of Britain Michael Bennett said: “This is the most ambitious and wide reaching edition of the race to date with an 8 day route starting in the heart of London and finishing in Liverpool.
From the Thames to the Mersey, this is an iconic route that presents a wonderful picture of Britain.” Introducing the race to an audience of partners, sponsors and members of the press, Hugh Roberts declared: “The event you see before you today is the distillation of four years of development and strategic growth, doubling in length over that time. Along the way we’ve instigated the creation of a multi-force escort team for race safety and acted as a springboard for the generation of cyclists who are making the UK the world leader in the sport. The Tour of Britain is at the heart of cycling in the UK, taking the sport to the people.”
Link: 2008_ToB__Route_HiRes
The launch event saw a number of firsts unveiled by the organisers of the race:
Central London Start: The 2008 race will begin with an 85km stage around an 8.5km circuit in the heart of London. Following on from last summer’s Tour de France grand depart, spectators will have another opportunity to see the peloton race en masse around the city centre with all the action covered live on a giant screen. The 8.5km circuit that the organisers have created along with partners TfL will, in future years form the finale of the whole race as part of a 4 year deal also announced today.
Link: 2008_ToB_London_Route_HiRes
Finish in Liverpool: European Capital of Culture: For the finale of this year’s race, The Tour returns to the North West, the region where it all began in 2004 and where better than Liverpool, European Capital of Culture. The final stage of the race will begin in Blackpool, another regular stopping
Also: Regional press releases
Worcester to host 2008 Tour of Britain
Worcester is set to become centre stage in the cycling world for the second time as Britain's premier cycling event returns to Worcestershire for the Stage Four start of the 2008 Tour of Britain. The route for the 2008 Tour of Britain Cycle Race was unveiled today at the London Transport Museum with Worcester named as host for the start of Stage Four, taking place on Wednesday, September 10, 2008.
The Tour of Britain attracts many of the world's top professional cyclists and Stage Four will see approximately 100 riders set off from Worcester Racecourse for a gruelling 100 mile race to the finish at Stoke-on-Trent. September 2007 saw Worcester host a stage of the Tour of Britain for the first time where 3,300 spectators cheered the riders off from Worcester Racecourse, with a further 72,000 spectators watching the race on route. It is estimated that the Tour of Britain brought £3.2million to the West Midlands region and it is hoped that this figure will be improved upon for 2008.
Councillor Derek Prodger MBE, Worcestershire County Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "I am delighted that the Tour of Britain is returning to Worcestershire. The tour is an opportunity for Worcestershire to showcase its countryside, towns and people and provides a platform to show the rest of the UK and overseas that Worcestershire offers both world-class leisure and economic opportunities. "
The tour starts with a circuit race around the streets of Westminster on September 7, and finishes in Liverpool on September 14 after completing nearly 1,000 kilometres. Full details of the Stage Four route from Worcester to Stoke-on-Trent will be announced later in the spring and will be available on www.worcestershire.gov.uk/choose
Stage five of Tour of Britain: Darlington to Newcastle Gateshead
Commenting on the Tour of Britain coming to North East England for the first time, Stella Hall, Creative Director of the culture10 programme at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “We are delighted that the Tour of Britain will be coming to North East England for the first time.
“It is a fantastic event and a real opportunity for us to continue to showcase our region as a place of sporting excellence, with beautiful scenery and iconic locations that provide the perfect backdrop for spectators to enjoy international sporting events.
“The Darlington to NewcastleGateshead stage of the Tour is part of a year-round programme of exciting sporting events here in the region, which also includes the Northern Rock Cyclone festival of cycling in June.”
The stage is part of North East England’s world-class festivals and events programme, highlighting cultural excellence in arts and sports and managed by culture10 based at NewcastleGateshead Initiative. The course will begin in Darlington and wend its way northwards past key iconic locations in North East England, with the stage finish on NewcastleGateshead quayside.
South West Stage Sets the Standard
Somerset County Council is delighted to once again host the South West Stage of the Tour of Britain when it ventures into the region for the second time on Tuesday 9 September. Race organisers have confirmed that the race is set to take off from the south of Somerset in Chard, the birth place of powered flight1, and will finish at Burnham-on-Sea in the north of the county.
Full details are being kept under wraps until 28 April when the South West route will be unveiled. However, Somerset County Council has confirmed that this year the race will also be supported by Devon County Council, Exmoor National Park Authority and South Somerset District Council, so speculation about the route is rife.
The Tour of Britain’s Technical Director, Mick Bennett, said that “Somerset set a new standard for the event” in 2007, when over 70,000 spectators flocked to watch the race at key points around Yeovil, Taunton and Exmoor.
Praising the way that Somerset County Council and partners in Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Emergency Services worked together to make the day a success, Mick described the stage as “the best day ever seen in British cycle racing, on a par with the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia” events.
Cllr Jill Shortland, Leader of Somerset County Council, said: “The success of the first ever South West stage of the Tour of Britain exceeded our expectations and we are confident that the 2008 stage will be even better. We took a bold step in securing a stage of the race for Somerset and that decision has created immense benefits for the county. The impact it has had on the local economy, the profile it has created for our county and the promotion of cycling is indeed profound.”
Councillor Brian Greenslade, Leader of Devon County Council, said: “Devon County Council is proud and pleased to be supporting Somerset County Council in bringing the Tour of Britain to the region for the second year running, and this year Devon has secured a longer section of the stage. This is the perfect way to promote cycling in the south west and Devon's landscape is ideal for this sort of high profile race, offering some of the toughest but also some of the most scenic routes of the Tour. The world class riders can be sure of a rousing reception in Devon for such a prestigious event and it is a great opportunity to showcase to visitors what Devon has to offer.”
South Somerset District Council is helping to fund the event and welcomed the news that Chard was chosen to host the event. Cllr Tim Carroll, Leader of South Somerset District Council, said: “I am exceptionally pleased that the Tour of Britain is starting within South Somerset for the second year running. The start at Chard this year will highlight the importance of South Somerset’s second largest settlement and its vital contribution to the west of the district.
“South Somerset District Council has already secured £10,000 to support the event and we are currently looking at ways to provide further funding. This is an event that will bring hundreds of thousands of pounds to Chard and indeed the whole of Somerset, and we are pleased to work with the County Council to prepare for it.”
Yorkshire Region Welcomes Tour of Britain
Yorkshire and Humber will host a stage of the Tour of Britain cycle race for the fifth consecutive year. The Yorkshire leg, to be held on the 11 September, has a brand new route that takes in some of the best urban and rural landscapes in the region.
The race has become a popular fixture in the region’s sporting calendar, bringing visitors to the region and providing an exciting day out for young and old. Terry Hodgkinson, chair of Yorkshire Forward said:
“I am delighted that the region is hosting the Tour of Britain once again – in addition to bringing cycling enthusiasts to the region, the event offers an excellent opportunity for people to ‘get on their bikes’ and enjoy the region’s cities and open spaces whilst raising their fitness levels.
“Yorkshire Forward, together with its partners across Yorkshire and Humber, has a clear goal to attract more major events to the region by demonstrating its ability to host major sporting events. The Tour of Britain has been one of our biggest successes, and we are happy to welcome the riders and the organisers to Yorkshire.”
Gary Topp, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Culture: “High quality cultural and sporting events provide an excellent opportunity to showcase to the world the achievements and aspirations of our region. The Yorkshire stage of the Tour of Britain Cycle Race will attract both national and international attention for an area not only rich in scenic beauty and cultural heritage but it also demonstrates that Yorkshire is a leading outdoor destination for cyclists of all abilities”.
David Andrews, chief executive of Yorkshire Tourist Board said: "The Tour of Britain is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the wonderful landscapes and cityscapes of Yorkshire to a global audience. The Tour provides a great chance to encourage additional visitors to the region as spectators of the event, as well as demonstrating what a wonderful location Yorkshire is for enjoying the great outdoors. We are confident that this year's event will be a huge success and will further raise the profile of Yorkshire as a world class destination."
Related Links
British Cycling's Race Report & Photos
