Stage 2 of the Tour of Britain
Story posted May 19, 2008
Route for Milton Keynes to Newbury Stage Announced
SEEDA Backed stage brings Tour to 2 new venues
Milton Keynes to host Race HQ -- Newbury to host stage first ever stage finish
Organisers, Sponsors and hosts of the second stage of this years Tour of Britain today came together to unveil the route of the second stage of the 2008 Tour of Britain. Once again, with the backing of SEEDA, the Tour of Britain returns to the South East region for a third consecutive year and once again the riders are to be taken to the limit over a route of nearly 150km that they will be expected to cover in a little under four hours.
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is one of the main sponsors of the Tour of Britain. SEEDA’s Director for Sustainable Prosperity Oona Muirhead said: “This race can create a major economic boost for both Milton Keynes and Newbury as it provides them with a unique opportunity to showcase both locations as well as the villages and towns en-route. This kind of event really does help to put the South East on the map as a competitive, professional and desirable destination for hosting major sporting events, especially in the run up to the 2012 Games.”
Perhaps this is a stage for Mark Cavendish who won two stages in last year's race.
Milton Keynes – Stage start and Race HQ
When the riders line up for the start of stage 2 of the race on 8th September they will already be familiar with Milton Keynes as the town will also be the location for the race HQ or ‘permanence’ in the days leading up to the race. As such, Milton Keynes will see all the 96 riders, 100 team personnel, 300 race staff and volunteers arrive in the town to begin the task of assembling and preparing the infrastructure for the race that will begin on 7th September in the centre of London. The presence of the Tour of Britain in Milton Keynes is expected to deliver significant economic impact to the town, not only through the hotel rooms booked in the town but also through the spend of the hundreds of spectators who are expected in the town for the race.
The start of stage 2 will take place by the main station in the town and before they head over the horizon, the riders will complete a full lap of the town centre, giving everyone the opportunity to get a good look at the field of riders which may well include a number of Olympic champions. John Lewis, chief executive of Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP), said: “Milton Keynes is a cycle-friendly city and we therefore anticipate hundreds of spectators will be supporting the Tour of Britain. Attracting such a high profile event reinforces MK’s growing prominence in the world of sport.”
A colourful sight for a town to have coming through it's centre.
A Challenging Route in the South East
The second stage of the race comes the day after the ‘Grand Depart’ of the 2008 Tour of Britain in the centre of London. The riders will have completed a fast and furious 80km circuit race in the capital the day before and as such there shouldn’t be massive time gaps between the riders, making stage 2 the first opportunity for a major sort out of the overall standings in the race.
Tour of Britain Route director Graham Jones described the route of stage 2:“After a relatively flat opening hour of racing, heading south through Aylesbury and on past Thame the riders will reach the biggest test of the stage, the E.ON King of the Mountains Climb at Goring & Streatley. The climb itself is 1.5km long and is followed by twisty narrow roads for quite some distance. This will make it difficult for riders to organise a chase and anyone dropped at this point in the stage could have a long and lonely ride to Newbury!” The remainder of the route takes the riders west before swinging around to approach the finish of the stage in Newbury.
Stunning Finish in Newbury:
Newbury is one of the smallest towns ever to host a stage of the Tour of Britain so far, thanks in no small part to the enthusiasm of the local community and the generosity of businesses in and around the town. September 8th will be a huge day Newbury, a pretty market town that is currently better known for racing on 4 legs rather than 2 wheels! The arrival of The Tour of Britain will attract thousands of people to the town to witness the race and provide a welcome boost to the local economy as well as putting the town on the map and the TV with the race due to be screened on ITV4 that night.
Ian Grose, leader of Newbury Town Council commented: “Newbury is looking forward to hosting this fantastic event for the first time. The final couple of kilometres will prove to be a real test for the peloton, with every chance of a spectacular sprint finish in our picturesque market town, and the route offers spectators plenty of opportunity to watch the riders. Newbury will be “en fete” for the day with something to suit everyone – come along and make a day of it!”
The Tour of Britain is more than just a sporting event, it is a cultural phenomenon that brings colour, excitement and inspiration to the places it visits as well as boosting the economy throughout the region. September 8th is set to be a big day for the region and the organisers of the race are looking forward to the welcome they will receive in the region.
RELATED LINKS
Information and route maps for stages
British Cycling Home Page for Tour of Britain News
