News & Events

The Tour of Britain Cycle Race 2007

Tuesday, 11 September 2007 will be the first time this international race visits the South West region, and it's a chance for towns along the route to take full advantage of the promotional and tourism opportunities.

Somerset County Council has secured a stage of the race for five years from 2007 and gained funding for this plan from the Somerset Strategic Partnership, Somerset Rural Renaissance Fund and the Exmoor National Park Sustainable Development Fund.  Taunton Deane Borough Council, Active Exmoor and the Fleet Air Arm Museum have also provided active support for this year’s South West stage.

96 professional riders are expected to compete in 16 international teams in this years event.  Exact details about the participants will be released in early August.

Organisers are viewing the South West stage as the most challenging and scenic of the race, and expect it to be a decisive stage. Porlock Toll Road and an 8km climb from Lynmouth will provide some of the toughest challenges in the Tour’s history. The teams will cover 169.2km ( approx.105 miles) in about four hours before crossing the finish line in Taunton’s North Street.

The South West stage route starts at 10.30am at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, near Yeovilton. It then passes Somerton, Langport, Othery, Burrowbridge, Durston, Bishops Lydeard, Williton, Dunster, Minehead, Simonsbath, Exford and Wheddon Cross, before the riders are heading back to the County Town.

Tour of Britain Stage 2 Route Map

Tour of Britain Stage 2 timings

To tie in with the Tour stage, a major new exhibition about cycling through the ages at the Somerset County Museum, ‘On Yer Bike! From the boneshaker to the Tour of Britain’, runs from 30 June – 22 September.  Exhibition visitors will have the chance to enter a competition to win a bike, which will be presented to the winner at the South West stage of the Tour of Britain on 11 September.  The competition prize bike is a Look 565, value £2,500, kindly donated by Tri UK and Fisher Outdoor.

For more information, visit www.bikesomerset.co.uk

 

 

Created on July 11th 2007

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