108 NUMBER OF RIDERS
€117,140 TOTAL PRIZE FUND
3,482M CLIMBING ON THE HILLIEST STAGE, STAGE TWO
1,310KM TOTAL RACE DISTANCE
18,821M CLIMBING OVER THE COURSE OF THE RACE
STAGE 1
SUNDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER
PENZANCE >BODMIN 180.8KM
Not far from where travellers start the famous Land’s End to John o’ Groats challenge spanning the entire length of the nation, Penzance will host the beginning of the riders’ own long journey northwards through Britain this week. This is the Tour of Britain’s first visit to Cornwall, and it makes up for lost time by visiting many of the region’s most famous sights and seaside resorts, from St Ives in the west to Falmouth in the east to Newquay in the north.
Wind might have been a factor had the route stuck to the coastline, but instead it zigzags from coast to coast and remains mostly inland, safe from the autumnal coastal breezes. That means that, despite a rolling parcours, the bunch isn’t likely to be reduced much come the uphill finish at Bodmin. A gradient averaging 5% in the final kilometre is unlikely to instil as much fear in the riders as the mythical Beast of Bodmin Moor used to in locals a few decades ago, but it will be enough to favour the punchier finishers like Wout van Aert over pure sprinters like Mark Cavendish, even if the road does level out for the final few hundred metres.
Where to watch
The climbs of Zennor and Rosewall Hill are tackled within quick succession before the arrival into St Ives, and offer some great seaside views.
STAGE 2
MONDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER
SHERFORD >EXETER 1 83.9KM
This story is from the September 02, 2021 edition of CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 02, 2021 edition of CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What prep does my bike need for summer?
Pro bike mechanic Glen Whittington shares his tips for the successful de-hibernation of your bike
6 WAYS TO THINK YOURSELF FASTER
However flawless your physical preparation, the mind has a tendency to throw a spanner in the works come the big day. James Witts offers six ways to keep the brain onside with the body
MAURICE BURTON'S - SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
9 life lessons from Britain's first Black cycling champion
Brown and Niewiadoma beat Vollering
SD Worx-Protime are far from unbeatable in 2024, as team misses out in Ardennes Classics
Pogačar lays down marker for Giro d'Italia
Liège win signals Slovenian's readiness for clash with Geraint Thomas, reports Adam Becket
GSI Mini Espresso Set 1 Cup - £51.50
Starting off with the coffee makers that require a heat source, we have the GSI Outdoors Mini Espresso Set 1 Cup.
A love affair
Coffee connoisseur Adam Becket delves into the storied yet mysterious relationship between cycling and the original energy drink
AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM!
Older cyclists don't only extend their healthy years, they keep alive the passion to strive. Rob Kemp meets eight indomitable over-50s
THE HUB
All the news you might have missed from the last seven days
Paris Galibier
Eccentric but iconic English bike that’s still in production today