Tour of Britain is 'toughest yet'

Edvald Boasson Hagen dominated last year's Tour of Britain. The 2010 race will visit several established venues for The Tour of Britain, but also takes-in several regions and venues for the first time, venturing into Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and revisiting Wales for the first time since the race's revival in 2004.

The two West Country stages would appear likely to sort out the potential winners and riders face massive, tiring, transfer after the second of these having to get from Glastonbury at the finish of stage five to King's Lynn in distant Norfolk for the start of the following day's stage.

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"This year's event sees The Tour of Britain race into several new regional venues, and for the first time ever we will have two stages take place in the East of England region, bringing the race to new audiences in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex," says Mick Bennett, Technical Director of The Tour of Britain.

"We are delighted to be bringing the race back into Wales this year and look forward to a tough stage into Swansea this year. On the way from the Grand Depart to the final stage in London, riders will face tough routes and intense competition, while taking in some breathtaking views of our wonderful country.

The race this year will feature 16 top professional international teams, including Team Sky, over a route designed to deliver a worthy overall winner to join the ranks of previous yellow jerseys such as Edvald Boasson Hagen, Geoffroy Lequatre, Romain Feillu and Nick Nuyens.

Tour of Britain route

Sept 11, stage one: Rochdale-Blackpool 126km
Sept 12, stage two: Stoke-on-Trent-Stoke-on-Trent 160km
Sept 13, stage three: Newton-Swansea 150km
Sept 14, stage four: Minehead-Teignmouth 171km
Sept 15, stage five: Tavistock-Glastonbury 176km
Sept 16, stage six: King’s Lynn-Great Yarmouth 189km
Sept 17, stage seven: Bury St Edmunds-Colchester 151km
Sept 18, stage eight: The TfL London Stage 100km

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