tour of britain total distance

Tour of Britain 2023: Route details, startlist and jerseys guide

The Tour of Britain 2023 begins on Sunday September 3 - here's all you need to know

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After a truncated edition in 2022 due to police having to head off to administer the Queen's funeral, Britain's biggest race - the Tour of Britain - returns for (hopefully) a full run in 2023. 

It's a much more compact edition this year with the race taking place mostly in the middle of the country so if you're anywhere south of Manchester and north of Reading you have precious few excuses for not getting to the roadside to cheer on your favourite rider.

Among the riders set to light up the race are previous winner Wout van Aert and 2022 second place finisher Tom Pidcock , who'll hope to go one better in 2023.

Tour of Britain overview

Tour of britain 2023 route.

Stage 1,   Sunday 3 September

Route: Greater Manchester to Altrincham 

Today's route is near identical to the final stage of the 2019 tour, starting in Altrincham and travelling to Manchester in an anti-clockwise direction taking in the surrounding area’s undulating terrain, including the category two climb of Grains Bar (2.4km at 5.8%) and category one Ramsbottom Rake (1.3km at 8.8%). Those climbs might not sound like much, but together with a number of unclassified rises were enough to significantly reduce the peloton to just a few dozen riders after Ineos Grenadiers applied the pressure. 

The race did eventually culminate in a reduced bunch sprint won by Mathieu van der Poel, but not before we were entertained by a relentless flurry of attacks as teams struggled for control.

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Expect a similar type of rider to triumph today.

Stage 2, Monday 4 September

Route: Wrexham to Wrexham

At just 109.9km, this is a remarkably short stage by any standards, and as a result could witness some atypical racing. Shorter stages tend to produce more intense racing, with riders able to attack earlier on in the knowledge that they won't have to sustain their efforts for as long.

So although the route doesn’t offer many springboards to launch attacks, travelling westwards across the border and into Cheshire rather than eastwards towards the hills of the Clwydian Range to the west, expect riders to try their luck regardless.

Most important of all will be the Eyton Hill, the category three climb summited with just 18.5km left to ride. It’s close enough to the finish for attackers to fully commit themselves, but will the shallow gradients (averaging only around two and three percent) be enough to establish meaningful gaps?

Stage 3, Tuesday 5 September

Route: Goole to Beverley

Setting off from the small market town of Goole, the riders will head north-eastwards to Bridlington, from where they will travel southwards along the coast and then inland again for a finish in Beverley. For the residents of Beverley, this will be a chance to witness a stage finish after the minster town had previously hosted the beginning of Tour de Yorkshire stages in 2016 and 2018, the former won by Harry Tanfield from a successful break, the latter by Dylan Groenewegen in a sprint.

Much like the course of the town’s famous racecourse, the parcours today before arriving at Beverly is mostly flat, but there are a few potential obstacles to overcome if this is to be a sprint finish. The category three hills up Towthorpe Lane and Langtoft must both be climbed during the first of the stage, and after that comes a stretch of about 35km near the coastline which could, if the wind blows strong and in the right direction, cause echelons. But this should in theory be the most nailed-on stage for the sprinters so far.

Stage 4, Wednesday 6 September

Route: Sherwood Forest to Newark-on-Trent

After setting off from Edwinstone in Sherwood Forest, famous for its association with Robin Hood, the riders face the first to the day’s two category three climbs, Kilton Hill, just 15km into the stage. Then, after briefly crossing into Yorkshire and riding through Haworth, where a monument to Tom Simpsons can be found, they will travel southwards again to tackle the next climb, Red Hill Lane.

There’s a whole 85km between the top of Red Hill Lane and the finish, so plenty of time for the race to settle down for a bunch sprint.

Stage 5, Thursday 7 September

Route: Felixstowe to Felixstowe

Perhaps to make up for the lack of any difficult terrain, the organisers have rendered stage five less straightforward than it would otherwise have been by extending it to a total of 192.4km. That makes it by far the longest stage of the race, and could prevent this from being the predictable sprint stage it looks on paper.

Small undulations in the road that would otherwise have been passed over without a second though will sting the legs of the weaker riders, and being so close to the coast a crosswind could encourage a strong team to the front on any exposed roads.

Stage 6, Friday 8 September

Route: Southend-on-Sea to Harlow

Today’s stage is likely to be the last chance for the sprinters to compete for a stage win. And it should be about as nailed-on for them as any stage in the year’s race — there is only one official climb to be overcome, and it’s only a mild category three one tackled with 46km left between its summit and the finish for the peloton to bring back any optimistic attackers who try to use its shallow gradients to get away.

Stage 7, Saturday 9 September

Route: Tewkesbury to Gloucester

The organisers have made the most of the lumpy terrain of the Cotswolds to devise a route that should be selective, and one of the most important days in the GC race.

There is one climb up the category two Winchcombe Hill just 20km after the roll-out in Tewksbury, but the real action will be reserved for the final 30km. First the category two Crawley Hill, which features a nasty ramp at over 20%, then an uncategorized yet deceptively hard 3km rise to the village of Edge, which includes a similarly sharp ramp of 15%.

Stage 8, Sunday 10 September

Route: Margam Country Park to Caerphilly

The climbs to be taken on might not be especially different than those that have preceded them earlier in the week, but there is still a notable upgrade in terms of severity.

That’s clear when the race heads up to the outskirts of Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly Brecon Beacons) national park to take on the first two climbs of the day, Rhigos and Bryn Du, which have both been designated the maximum difficulty racing of category one.

And after a 35km south-easterly trek from the top of the latter comes a double-ascent of the day’s most important climb, and the one on which the entire fate of the Tour of Britain could be decided — Caerphilly Mountain.

In truth it’s more of a hill than a mountain, lasting just 1.3km, but that’s still enough road for its viscous average gradient of 10% to really sting and force a selection.

Tour of Britain startlist

Movistar Team 

DS Max Sciandri 

1 Gonzalo Serrano ESP

2 Will Barta USA

3 Imanol Erviti ESP

4 Max Kanter GER

5 Gregor Mühlberger AUT

6 Óscar Rodríguez ESP

INEOS Grenadiers 

DS Roger Hammond / Ian Stannard 

11 Tom Pidcock GBR

12 Carlos Rodriguez ESP

13 Luke Rowe GBR

14 Connor Swift GBR

15 Josh Tarling* GBR

16 Ben Turner GBR

Bingoal WB 

DS Alessandro Spezialetti 

21 Floris de Tier BEL

22 Johan Meens BEL

23 Davide Persico* ITA

24 Dimitri Peyskens BEL

25 Lennert Teugels BEL

26 Kenneth van Rooy BEL

Great Britain  

DS John Herety / Matt Brammeier 

31 Ethan Vernon GBR

32 Jack Brough* GBR

33 Josh Giddings* GBR

34 Noah Hobbs* GBR

35 Oliver Wood GBR

36 Stephen Williams GBR

BORA hansgrohe 

DS Jens Zemke / Heinrich Haussler 

41 Sam Bennett IRL

42 Patrick Gamper AUT

43 Nils Politt GER

44 Max Schachmann GER

45 Ide Schelling NED

46 Danny Van Poppel NED

Bolton Equities Black Spoke Cycling  

DS Franky Van Haesebroucke / Greg Henderson 

51 Jacob Scott GBR

52 Matt Bostock GBR

53 James Fouche NZL

54 James Oram NZL

55 Mark Stewart GBR

56 Rory Townsend IRL

Global 6 Cycling 

DS James Mitri / Luis Gerrado 

61 Nicolas Sessler BRA

62 Giacomo Ballabio ITA

63 Tomoya Koyama JPN

64 Ivan Moreno ESP

65 Callum Ormiston RSA

66 Tom Wirtgen LUX

Jumbo Visma 

DS Arthur van Dongen / Maarten Wynants 

71 Wout van Aert BEL

72 Edoardo Affini ITA

73 Steven Kruijswijk NED

74 Olav Kooij* NED

75 Jos van Emden NED

76 Nathan van Hooydonck BEL

Equipo Kern Pharma 

DS Pablo Urtasun 

81 Roger Adrià ESP

82 Igor Arrieta* ESP

83 Iñigo Elosegui ESP

84 José Félix Parra ESP

85 Ibon Ruiz ESP

86 Danny van der Tuuk NED

Saint Piran 

DS Steve Lampier / Julian Winn 

91 Alexander Richardson GBR

92 Harry Birchill* GBR

93 Finn Crockett GBR

94 Zeb Kyffin GBR

95 Jack Rootkin-Gray* GBR

96 Bradley Symonds GBR

Team dsm - firmenich 

DS Matt Winston 

101 Tobias Lund Arnesen DEN

102 Patrick Eddy* AUS

103 Enzo Leijnse* NED

104 Niklas Märkl GER

105 Tim Naberman NED

106 Casper van Uden* NED

Q36.5 Pro Cycling 

DS Aart Vierhouten / Rik Reinerink 

111 Mark Donovan GBR

112 Damian Howson AUS

113 Kamil Malecki POL

114 Nicolò Parisini ITA

115 Joey Rosskopf USA

116 Szymon Sajnok POL

TDT - Unibet 

DS Rob Harmeling / Julia Soek 

121 Harry Tanfield GBR

122 Joren Bloem NED

123 Davide Bomboi BEL

124 Jordy Bouts BEL

125 Abram Stockman BEL

126 Hartthijs de Vries NED

Team Flanders - Baloise 

DS Hans De Clerq / Andy Missotten 

131 Kamiel Bonneu BEL

132 Sander De Pestel BEL

133 Milan Fretin* BEL

134 Elias Maris BEL

135 Ward Vanhoof BEL

136 Aaron Verwilst BEL

Trinity Racing 

DS Peter Kennaugh / Jon Mould 

141 Luke Lamperti* USA

142 Robert Donaldson* GBR

143 Luksas Nerukar* GBR

144 Finlay Pickering* GBR

145 Ollie Reese* GBR

146 Max Walker* GBR

Uno-X Pro Cycling 

DS Gino van Oudenhove / Arne Gunnar Ensrud 

151 Alexander Kristoff NOR

152 Frederik Dversnes NOR

153 Tord Gudmestad* NOR

154 Tobias Halland Johannssen NOR

155 Ramus Tiller NOR

156 Martin Urianstad NOR

* Denotes eligibility for the young rider jersey as under-23 

TOUR of Britain PAST WINNERS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS

2012: Nathan Haas (Aus)

2013: Bradley Wiggins (GBr)

2014: Dylan van Baarle (Ned)

2015: Edvald Boasson Hgen (Nor)

2016: Steve cummings (GBr)

2017: Lars Boom (Ned)

2018: Julian Alaphilippe (Fra)

2019: Mathieu van der Poel (Ned)

2020: No race

2021: Wout van Aert (Bel)

2022: Gonzalo Serrano (Esp)

Tour of Britain jersey guide

Blue: GC leader jersey

The best overall rider in the race calculated by the cumulative time they take on each stage.

Green: cottages.com sprints jersey

The first 10 riders each day get points as follows: 25, 18, 12, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Intermediate sprint points are awarded to the first five riders on a 10, 7, 5, 3 ,1 basis.

Black: Pinarello KOM jersey

First-category climbs give the first 10 riders points in descending order from 10. Second-cat climbs work the same for the first six riders, the first getting six points, while third-cat climbs see the first rider get four points.

White: young rider's jersey

Awarded to the best placed GC rider who is also under-23.

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Stephen Puddicombe is a freelance journalist for Cycling Weekly , who regularly contributes to our World Tour racing coverage with race reports, news stories, interviews and features. Outside of cycling, he also enjoys writing about film and TV - but you won't find much of that content embedded into his CW articles. 

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• Men’s Tour of Britain Route Revealed (Stages 5 & 6)

The routes for the final pair of stages of this year’s Men’s Tour of Britain have been announced, to complete the stage details for September’s 20th edition of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race.

Men’s Tour of Britain Route Revealed (Stages 5 & 6)

Stages five and six of the race will see the men’s peloton visit West Northamptonshire for the first time, for a 147-kilometre (91-mile) stage starting out from the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus and finishing on Derngate in Northampton town centre, before concluding a day later on familiar roads in East Suffolk with a 158-kilometre (98.5-mile) leg from Lowestoft to Felixstowe.

Three intermediate sprints, each with time bonuses, on the final leg at Beccles, Aldeburgh, and Grundisburgh, will ensure riders are fighting for the bonus seconds right down to the finish line on Sea Road in Felixstowe.

Commenting on the route announcement, Men’s Tour of Britain Race Director Rod Ellingworth, said: “The penultimate stage of this year’s race is in area new to the Men’s Tour of Britain, which is always exciting as it means that the majority of the peloton will be unfamiliar with the roads that we will be using.”

“With the stage being on a Saturday and its central location, we are expecting a lot of fans to be at the roadside to cheer the riders on. With the start on the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus so close to the finish line in the town centre, it will make for a great location for fans of all ages to come down and see the start and finish of the stage and to make a day out of it.

Looking ahead to the final stage, Ellingworth added: “This year’s final stage of the Men’s Tour of Britain is deceptive, with plenty of challenges to overcome before our 2024 champion can be crowned on Sea Road in Felixstowe. Suffolk has always provided great racing in the Tour, and this year will be no different, with sections along the exposed coastline that will be a real challenge if the wind blows, while the three intermediate sprints will ensure competitive racing thanks to the time bonuses on offer, which could become very important if the overall lead is slender going into the last day.

“Our thanks go to our partners at East Suffolk Council, and in both Lowestoft and Felixstowe, for hosting the final stage of this year’s Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men.”

CLICK FOR A LARGER VERSION OF THE ABOVE MAP

The stage will get underway at 11:00 from the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus, where a full day of activities and entertainment is planned, including race coverage on big screens, just a short walk away from the town centre finish location.

During the stage riders will tackle the final pair of categorised King of the Mountains climbs of the 2024 race, at Newnham Hill and Bullshill, just south of Daventry, and an intermediate sprint at Holcot, at the eastern end of the Pitsford Water causeway.

Leaving the Waterside Campus the stage heads west from Northampton, through Daventry, and then onto a loop south of the town over the two King of the Mountains climbs and through Abthorpe, Wappenham, Helmdon, Culworth, Byfield and Hellidon, before looping around Northampton via Watford, West Haddon, Naseby, Kelmarsh and Brixworth for the approach to the finish via Sywell and Ecton.

The stage is expected to finish with a sprint in Northampton town centre between 14:23 and 15:05.

While it is the first time that the men’s Tour has come to Northampton, the town’s Derngate hosted the first ever stage finish of the women’s Tour, won by Swedish rider Emma Johansson, in May 2014, and Daventry in West Northamptonshire has twice also hosted the women’s race, with a start in 2017 and a stage finish in 2018, won by Coryn Labecki.

STAGE SIX East Suffolk will hold the final stage of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race on Sunday 8 September for the first time, with a 158-kilometre (98.5-mile) stage between Lowestoft and Felixstowe.

Stage six will get underway at 10:30 from Lowestoft’s Promenade, the first time that the town has hosted the Men’s Tour of Britain, with the stage heading inland via Beccles and Bungay, and then south through Halesworth, Framlingham, and Saxmundham, before racing along the Suffolk coast between Thorpeness and Aldeburgh.

The second half of the route takes in Snape, Wickham Market, Kesgrave, and Martlesham, before a run in and finish on Sea Road in Felixstowe familiar to riders from 12-months ago, when Wout van Aert took a stage win in Suffolk. The stage is expected to finish between 14:08 and 14:53.

The stage will feature three intermediate sprints – each with time bonuses – at Beccles, Aldeburgh, and Grundisburgh, that will help shape the outcome of who follows in the wheel tracks of Wout van Aert as Men’s Tour of Britain champion.

STAGES Stage 1: Tuesday 3 September — Kelso to Kelso Stage 2: Wednesday 4 September — Darlington to Redcar Stage 3: Thursday 5 September — Sheffield to Barnsley Stage 4: Friday 6 September — Derby to Newark-on-Trent Stage 5: Saturday 7 September — Northampton to Northampton Stage 6: Sunday 8 September — Lowestoft to Felixstowe

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2022 Tour of Britain route: full details and analysis

A stage-by-stage breakdown with insight from route director Andy Hawes

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

John Whitney

The bookends of the 2022 Tour of Britain are almost a reversal of last year, with a start in Aberdeen and a finish in southern England, this time via a first visit to the Isle of Wight.

It’s an unpredictable route, with few stages you could guarantee will be won by any one type of rider.

Route director Andy Hawes says the 2022 Tour of Britain teams will have to keep a close eye on the road book and use all the tools at their disposal to solve the questions each stage will pose.

Highlights include an opening-stage summit finish at the Glenshee Ski Centre, deep in the wonderful Cairngorms, and a roving route around the Isle of Wight that covers every corner of the island.

Tour of Britain – stage guide

• Stage 1: Aberdeen – Glenshee Ski Centre
• Stage 2: Hawick – Duns
• Stage 3: Durham – Sunderland
• Stage 4: Redcar – Helmsley
• Stage 5: West Bridgford – Mansfield
• Stage 6: Tewkesbury – Gloucester
• Stage 7: West Bay – Ferndown
• Stage 8: Ryde – The Needles

Aberdeen – Glenshee Ski Centre

• When: Sunday 4 September
• Distance: 180.8km
• Total elevation: 2,512m
• Skoda KOMs: Bennachie Forest (Cat 3); My Lord’s Throat (Cat 3); Suie Road (Cat 2); Glenshee Ski Centre (Cat 1)
• Eisberg Sprints: Inverurie; Alford; Ballater

The 2022 Tour of Britain opens in Aberdeen, in exactly the same spot as Wout van Aert clinched last year’s victory in a gripping finale with home favourite Ethan Hayter.

The riders will start in Union Street, though racing will be neutralised until they cross last year’s finish line.

It’s the modern Tour of Britain’s second visit to Aberdeenshire and, after the start, the roads will be different from last year. “It’s always nice to not tread the same path,” says route director Andy Hawes.

The route heads west, towards the Cairngorms National Park, via popular local climbs My Lord’s Throat and Suie Road. It’s up and down all day, but trending up as the peloton makes its way into the Cairngorms.

The stage finishes at the Glenshee ski station at 650m, a rare summit finish on the first day of a week-long stage race. It’s only the final 3km where it begins to bite and Hawes reckons it’s a “big ring climb”.

“In the past I’d have been worried that a summit finish on stage 1 would have a detrimental effect on the rest of the race, and the last thing we want is someone gaining four minutes and the GC be done.”

He can’t see it playing out like that, and even if there was a big gap on the line, there are many obstacles for the leader to jump before the Isle of Wight finish. “It’s a gorgeous climb,” adds Hawes.

“I’m in two minds about what I want the weather to be. I’ve seen it in glorious sunshine, and on darker days like you would expect, and they’re both amazing. It’s so atmospheric, whatever the weather.”

Hawick – Duns

• When: Monday 5 September
• Distance: 174.8km
• Total elevation: 2,547m
• Skoda KOMs: Wanside Rig (Cat 3); Mainslaughter Law (Cat 3); Hardens Hill (Cat 3)
• Eisberg Sprints: Morebattle; Coldstream; Reston

As with last year’s race, this is another hilly week, packed to the gills with climbing.

The previous day’s 2,500 metres of elevation are followed by the same again today and only stage five drops under 2,000m.

We’re again in Scottish Borders territory, but despite the frequency of visits here, Hawes says they’ve found roads, towns and villages they’ve not been to before.

Hawick also hosted the start of stage 7 in 2021, a lumpy stage to Edinburgh won by Yves Lampaert.

The race doesn’t get as far north on this stage, heading out to the east coast town of Eyemouth, before turning around for the Lammermuir Hills, a natural separation between the Borders and East Lothian.

While it will have been hilly up to this point, all three of this day's King of the Mountains sections fall within the final 20km, three 3rd category climbs – Wanside Rig, Mainslaughter Law and Hardens Hill – and taking the peloton close to 450m elevation.

Rather than another summit finish, the peloton must negotiate a fast and open descent, one that, for the best descenders, will tempt them into stern attacks as they head towards the final summit.

“The last 5km is off the side of a mountain down into the finish in Duns,” says Hawes.

“Anybody who gets away on that final KOM could easily come across the line on their own. I can’t see it finishing in a bunch sprint.”

Durham – Sunderland

• When: Tuesday 6 September
• Distance: 163.3km
• Total elevation: 2,518m
• Skoda KOMs: Chapel Fell (Cat 1); Billy Lane (Cat 2); High Moorsley (Cat 3)
• Eisberg Sprints: Stanhope; Bishop Auckland; Ferryhill

County Durham’s Chapel Fell makes an appearance on day three.

At 627m high, it would be the ceiling of many Tours of Britain, but for the earlier visit to the Cairngorms.

The climb begins in the village of St John’s Chapel, averaging 8.3 per cent over almost 4km.

“The riders who are hanging on in there are going to hate it, as you can see the top from a long way off, it’s very open,” says Hawes.

From there, the stage is up and down, with two more KOMs at 98 and 148km, though nothing on the scale of Chapel Fell.

Around the mid-point, the race speeds through Barnard Castle, which will serve as a step in restoring its image as a County Durham market town, rather than the scene for the scandal involving Dominic Cummings, the former advisor of the soon-to-be-former PM.

The day ends in Sunderland, hosting the race for the first time, with a finish in Keel Square. “The city has been very supportive,” says Hawes.

“They’ve hosted a couple of rounds of the Tour Series. Once places host that, everyone gets excited and wonders what comes next. Often, that’s the Tour of Britain, or the Women’s Tour, which they’re in negotiations to host.

Here, we have an opportunity for a bunch sprint, with the hard part earlier in the stage. The break could go and hoover up a lot of the points in the KOM and sprint competitions.”

Redcar – Duncombe Park, Helmsley

• When: Wednesday 7 September
• Distance: 149.5km
• Total elevation: 2,669m
• Skoda KOMs: Robin Hood’s Bay (Cat 1); Egton Bank (Cat 2); Carlton Bank (Cat 1)
• Eisberg Sprints: Whitby; Stokesley; Newgate Bank

Just 40 miles separate the previous night’s finish and the start in Redcar, for what is the toughest stage on paper – the shortest, but with the most climbing (2,669m).

The route heads south down the coast to Whitby, before turning inland to traverse the North York Moors National Park. It’s set to be a great-looking stage, too.

“I’ve driven the length and breadth of this country in this job over the years,” Hawes says, “and I don’t get too many ‘wow’ moments anymore, where you drive round a corner and the view opens up in a grand way. This year, I had it a couple of times on stage four. It’s stunning. If they’re not going up, they’re going down, the only flat part is the neutralised section.”

The toughest climb, says Hawes, is the final KOM, the Category 1 Carlton Bank, around 26km from the finish. The Newgate Bank climb gets a sprint classification, with another downhill finish into Helmsley, similar to the one into Duns on stage two.

Day four marks the long-awaited return to Yorkshire. Since the ASO-backed Tour de Yorkshire launched in 2015, the Tour of Britain has been locked out of the county, but when the race folded, its doors opened once more.

“Redcar was due to be a finish in the 2020 Tour de Yorkshire and they were gutted when it didn’t happen,” says Hawes.

“Then there was the race’s sad demise after that, and we approached them to see if they wanted to host a start and they said absolutely.”

West Bridgford – Mansfield

• When: Thursday 8 September
• Distance: 187km
• Total elevation: 1,691m
• Skoda KOMs: Keyworth (Cat 3); Sparken Hill (Cat 3)
• Eisberg Sprints: Edingley; Retford; Clumber Park

With four chunky stages through mountain ranges of northern Scotland and England, it seems fair to the riders that they get a stage offering something close to a respite.

It’s hardly flat, though – it almost never is in the Tour of Britain – but with 1,691 metres elevation over the longest stage, the peloton can take stock at the start of the second half of the race and plot to make their move – or stay one step ahead.

There was a stage between these two towns in the 2018 race, won in swaggering fashion by Team Sky’s Brit Ian Stannard, a moment of glory at the back end of a career largely in service of others.

The Essex rider retired in 2020, but will be back at the race as a directeur sportif with British development outfit Trinity Racing.

This time, as is his wont, Hawes has plotted an entirely new route. “It’s one of the easier stages, and they’re needed between the harder days.

"We go through village after village, and towns like Retford and Worksop later in the stage, before the super-fast finish in Mansfield.

“This one on paper has bunch sprint written all over it. Every time we come to Nottinghamshire, it’s tough to find genuine KOMs. We’ve got two, rather than three. One early on and one later.

“It’s a typical Nottinghamshire stage. Towns, villages, forests, open country. It’s good, it gives the peloton a chance to decompress a little after four really tough stages. Usually, I would normally like three hard stages then an easier one, but it’s a day later because of the way we’ve moved down the country. The finish is super-wide, if slightly uphill.”

Tewkesbury – Gloucester

• When: Friday 9 September
• Distance: 165.1km
• Total elevation: 2,158m
• Skoda KOMs: Round Hill (Cat 2); Withington Hill (Cat 3); Crowley Hill (Cat 2)
• Eisberg Sprints: Cirencester; Rangeworthy; Dursley

Gloucestershire is a frequent host of the Tour of Britain, but stage 6 marks the first time it has hosted a full stage entirely within its borders.

The start and finish are separated by a little over 10 miles, so fans can easily visit both should they want to.

There are KOM points up for grabs early in the stage, with Round Hill and Withington Hill falling within the first 50 kilometres.

“Depending on the battle for the KOM jersey, I don’t think the peloton will want a break going too early on in this one,” says Hawes.

The race heads south through the Cotswolds, skirting round Cheltenham clockwise, heading through Cirencester, Tetbury and getting as far south as Chipping Sodbury and Yate, just north of Bristol.

They then turn the ship around and head north towards Gloucester. There are climbs throughout this stage, but given we’re spending so much time in the Cotswolds on day six, the peloton gets a lucky break because it could be far hillier. Two sprints fall within the final 50km.

There remains a sting in the tail, though, with an uncategorised climb just 10km from the finish.

“This year more than any it’s important for teams to study the road book and Veloviewer [road mapping software that many teams use before and during stages in their team cars] and plan what they’re going to do,” says Hawes.

“I think that every stage has something in the dying kilometres that, if they’re not paying close attention, then it could catch them out. I don’t think any one stage this week is going to be written down as being for one type of stage or another, or for one type of rider or another.”

West Bay – Ferndown

• When: Saturday 10 September
• Distance: 175.9km
• Total elevation: 2,377m
• Skoda KOMs: Daggers Gate (Cat 3); Whiteways Hill (Cat 2); Okeford Hill (Cat 2)
• Eisberg Sprints: Dorchester; Wareham; Knowlton

Stage 7 should prove a treat for riders and spectators alike. Remarkably, it’s the first time that the modern Tour of Britain (since 2004) has visited Dorset, and Hawes has served up a barnstormer of a route that showcases the county’s wonderful scenery and stiff climbs.

From West Bay, known for its striking golden cliffs, the route runs parallel to the coast down to Weymouth, turning inland through Dorchester and to Hawes’ favourite part of the stage into West Lulworth, close to Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, and into the Isle of Purbeck peninsula and the majestic Corfe Castle.

It’s a tour of some of the coast’s highlights as much as it is a bike race and it’ll be worth tuning in for the helicopter shots of the scenery, as well as the racing.

The route heads inland towards Wareham, Milton Abbas and Wimborne Minster before looping round Ferndown’s town centre for the finish.

“If I was a betting man I’d predict a bunch sprint, the road lends itself to it,” says Hawes. Whatever happens on the road, this is Dorset at its most iconic.

Ryde – The Needles

• When: Sunday 11 September
• Distance: 148.7km
• Total elevation: 2,131m
• Skoda KOMs: Brading Down (Cat 1); Cowleaze Hill (Cat 2); Zig Zag Road/Ventnor (Cat 1); Tennyson Down (Cat 2)
• Eisberg Sprints: Sandown; Yarmouth; Cowes

For the first time, the Tour of Britain arrives on the Isle of Wight . Such are the logistics of getting to the island that the race could only ever start or finish there and, with sporting terrain and wonderful scenery, it’ll be a fitting finale for any bike race.

The island’s size necessitates a route that seems to cover just about every strip of tarmac on the island.

“Yes, we’re pretty much covering the Isle of Wight, that’s definitely ticked off,” says Hawes.

“It’s going to give riders and fans a full flavour of what the island is about.”

Because of how the route traverses the island, fans will be able to catch the race in multiple locations across the day.

“The route crosses over itself but you never get the feeling that you’re close to where you’ve been before. It’s different around every corner," adds Hawes.

“It’s up and down all day. The helicopter camera is going to be busy, there’ll be some classic shots to be had. It’s a fitting final stage. The military road [which runs down the island’s south west] is four metres from the edge of the cliff in places, and it might not be there for much longer with all the erosion.”

The race ends with a 2km climb up to Tennyson Down, the final 400m averaging 9.6 per cent – the toughest finish to a Tour of Britain, organisers reckon.

“I said before last year’s race, don’t be surprised if the jersey changes hands on the final stage, and there it was, with Ethan Hayter losing it on the line to Wout van Aert. Am I going to be as bold this year?

"I don’t know, but I think there will be many wearers of the jersey. Positioning on this final climb will be key if there’s all to play for.”

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Stage 1 - Tue 3 Sep | The Scottish Borders Stage

Start time: 10:30 Estimated finish time: 14:38 - 15:30 Distance: 181.9km Elevation: 2,381m

Stage one on Tuesday 3 September in the Scottish Borders, will be a 181.9-kilometre (113.1- mile) spectator friendly route, starting and finishing in Kelso, passing through Coldstream, Gordon, Melrose, Denholm, Jedburgh and St Boswells.

The route features two loops, enabling spectators in Kelso and Melrose, and on the categorised King of the Mountains climbs at Scott’s View and Dingleton, to see the race in action twice, with the final climb coming 23 kilometres from the finish of the stage.

Download stage spectator guide

Stage 2 - Wed 4 Sep | Darlington to Redcar

Start time: 11:00 Estimated finish time: 14:30 - 15:12 Distance: 152.1km Elevation: 2,594m

In Stage two, the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men heads to Darlington for the first time since 2009, for a 152-kilometre (94 miles) stage through the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire to Redcar.

The stage crosses the Cleveland Hills and heads through the North York Moors National Park to the coast at Robin Hood’s Bay via a series of short, sharp climbs.

Turning north via Whitby, the stage climbs Lythe Bank and the peloton will tackle the iconic Saltburn Bank twice, the latter ascent coming within the final ten kilometres of racing.

Stage 3 - Thu 5 Sep | Sheffield to Barnsley

Start time: 11:00 Estimated finish time: 14:48 - 15:35 Distance: 166.1km Elevation: 2,736m

From the start in Sheffield, the climbing will start almost immediately, as the race heads west, skirting the Peak District National Park with the first categorised King of the Mountains climb coming on Long Lane above Loxley within 20 kilometres of racing.

The one kilometre climb averages almost 9%, with only a short descent before the race tackles the second King of the Mountains at Oughtibridge Lane, or Jawbone Hill, a 1.7-kilometre climb averaging 9%, which was climbed by the Tour de France in 2014.

The stage then settles down passing through Chapeltown, Wath upon Dearne, Swinton, and Maltby to arrive at the sole intermediate sprint in the market town of Tickhill after 70 kilometres of racing.

The route skirts Doncaster via Conisbrough and Denaby to then loop around the north of Barnsley through Royston and Darton. From Penistone a series of short climbs culminates in Hound Hill, a 1.5-kilometre ascent to Worsbrough Common, averaging nearly 7% and topping out with exactly four kilometres to go.

While the Hound Hill climb is likely to prove crucial to the victory in South Yorkshire, a final challenge for riders is the last 800 metres of the stage, which drags up along Old Mill Lane and into County Way to the finish line at around a 7% incline.

Stage 4 - Fri 6 Sep | Derby to Newark

Start time: 11:00 Estimated finish time: 14:13 - 14:52 Distance: 138.5km Elevation: 1,229m

For the first time in the 20-year history of the modern race, the city of Derby will welcome the race, with the stage getting underway at 11:00 from outside of the Derby Arena.

Elvaston, Borrowash, West Hallam and Heanor all feature as the Tour heads through the roads of Derbyshire for the first time since 2015, crossing into Nottinghamshire at Eastwood and continuing through Hucknall, Ravenshead, Blidworth, Southwell and Tuxford, before crossing the River Trent to race south to the finish alongside Sconce and Devon Park in Newark-on-Trent.

The East Midlands stage route includes an intermediate sprint, with time bonuses and points towards the sprints jersey available, in the closing kilometres of the race at Collingham.

Stage 5 - Sat 7 Sep | The West Northamptonshire Stage

Start time: 11:00 Estimated finish time: 14:23 - 15:05 Distance: 146.9km Elevation: 1,276m

The stage will get underway at 11:00 from the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus, where a full day of activities and entertainment is planned, including race coverage on big screens, just a short walk away from the town centre finish location.

During the stage riders will tackle the final pair of categorised King of the Mountains climbs of the 2024 race, at Newnham Hill and Bullshill, just south of Daventry, and an intermediate sprint at Holcot, at the eastern end of the Pitsford Water causeway.

Leaving the Waterside Campus the stage heads west from Northampton, through Daventry, and then onto a loop south of the town over the two King of the Mountains climbs and through Abthorpe, Wappenham, Helmdon, Culworth, Byfield and Hellidon, before looping around Northampton via Watford, West Haddon, Naseby, Kelmarsh and Brixworth for the approach to the finish via Sywell and Ecton.

Stage 6 - Sun 8 Sep | Lowestoft to Felixstowe

Start time: 11:00 Estimated finish time: 14:43 - 15:28 Distance: 158.4km Elevation: 817m

East Suffolk will hold the final stage of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race on Sunday 8 September for the first time, with a 158-kilometre (98.5-mile) stage between Lowestoft and Felixstowe.

Stage six will get underway at 10:30 from Lowestoft’s Promenade, the first time that the town has hosted the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men, with the stage heading inland via Beccles and Bungay, and then south through Halesworth, Framlingham, and Saxmundham, before racing along the Suffolk coast between Thorpeness and Aldeburgh.

The second half of the route takes in Snape, Wickham Market, Kesgrave, and Martlesham, before a run in and finish on Sea Road in Felixstowe familiar to riders from 12-months ago, when Wout van Aert took a stage win in Suffolk.

Information about stage start and finish locations can be found here .

  2024ToBM_SpectatorInfo_Stage4_compressed.pdf

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Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men 2024 route revealed

Mathew Mitchell

• Published on July 10, 2024
• in Men's Cycling

The Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men 2024 has announced its host venues, promising six thrilling stages from Kelso in the Scottish Borders to Felixstowe on the Suffolk coast. This 20th edition of Britain’s premier national tour will traverse regions including the Scottish Borders, Tees Valley, South Yorkshire, West Northamptonshire, and East Suffolk.

2024 Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men Route

Stage 1: Scottish Borders

The race kicks off on Tuesday 3rd September in the scenic Scottish Borders, with an opening stage starting and finishing in Kelso’s cobbled market square. This stage will feature a finishing circuit, providing spectators a chance to witness the action unfold. Councillor Scott Hamilton expressed pride in hosting the event, recognising its impact on the community and local economy.

Stage 2: Tees Valley

On Wednesday 4th September, the race moves to Tees Valley, starting in Darlington. This area has become familiar to cycling fans, having hosted various races, including the Lloyds Bank National Circuit Race Championships. The route includes a challenging climb of Saltburn Bank, ending on the Redcar seafront. Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen commented, “It is fantastic news that our area will be hosting a stage of the Tour of Britain and we look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best riders.”

Stage 3: South Yorkshire

Thursday 5th September sees the race return to South Yorkshire for the first time since 2007. The stage starts in Sheffield and finishes in Barnsley, a town well-versed in professional cycling events. South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard noted the region’s enthusiasm for cycling, saying, “South Yorkshire is a place that loves a bike race, and even more, loves to welcome the world.”

Stage 4: West Northamptonshire

Details for stage four, set for Friday 6th September, will be announced soon. However, West Northamptonshire Council’s Cllr Daniel Lister is already excited, stating, “Events like this play an important role in bringing communities together and inspiring people to take up sport and live a more active and healthier lifestyle.”

Stage 5: Northampton

The penultimate stage on Saturday 7th September takes place in Northampton, marking the men’s Tour’s first visit. The town has previously hosted stages of the women’s race, drawing record spectator numbers. The excitement is palpable as the council looks forward to another successful event, with Cllr Lister highlighting the positive impact on local communities and economies.

Stage 6: East Suffolk

The final stage on Sunday 8th September starts and finishes in East Suffolk, beginning from Lowestoft’s promenade and ending on Sea Road in Felixstowe. East Suffolk Council’s Cllr Sarah Whitelock shared her enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to see the return of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men this year, which is especially exciting as the entire final stage will be held within East Suffolk.”

British Cycling Events Managing Director, Jonathan Day, expressed gratitude towards local partners and communities supporting the race. He said, “We’re delighted to be bringing top-level racing and the joy of cycling to communities across the country in September.”

More details, including route maps and detailed timings for all six stages, will be announced in the coming weeks.

All photo credits: SWPix.com

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Tour of Britain

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Race information

• Date: 12 September 2021
• Start time: 11:45 (12:45 CET)
• Avg. speed winner: 41.866 km/h
• Classification: 2.Pro
• Race category: ME - Men Elite
• Distance: 173 km
• Points scale: 2.PRO.Stage
• UCI scale: UCI.WR.HC.Stage - TM2022
• Parcours type:
• ProfileScore: 40
• Vertical meters: 1920
• Departure: Stonehaven
• Arrival: Aberdeen
• Race ranking: 42
• Startlist quality score: 435
• Won how: Sprint of large group
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Tour of Britain 2022: Stages & Training Guide

September 02, 2022 5 min read

Wattbike HQ At The Centre Of The Tour Of Britain

The Tour of Britain is the UK's most prestigious cycle race, a multi-stage event held annually in September. It brings together the best cyclists and teams in the world to battle it out on the roads of Great Britain, all the way from Scotland through to the Isle of Wight. Now, the countdown is on for one of the most spectacular and prestigious cycle races in the UK which will commence on Sunday 4 September 2022.

Tour of Britain: Background

The Tour of Britain first developed just after the Second World War through a dispute between cyclists and the British administrative body, the National Cyclists' Union (NCU). The NCU was wary of a mass-participation cycle race being held on open roads, but cyclists wanted a British version of the Tour de France and to bring mass cycle racing to British roads.

Event Evolution

Several iterations of the race followed in the subsequent decades. These included The Milk Race, sponsored by a sales monopoly for dairy farmers; the Kellogg’s Tour of Britain, which ran from the late 80s to the early 90s; and the PruTour which ran for two seasons in the late 90s. The Tour suffered bad publicity after multiple safety incidents, and took a five-year hiatus as a result before being reborn in the form we know it today in 2004.

Previous Winners

The Tour of Britain is now an internationally renowned and respected race, attracting teams from all over the world to race the roads of the UK. British riders have won twice since the new format launched in 2004: Bradley Wiggins for Team Sky in 2013 and Steve Cummings for Team Dimension Data in 2016.

Tour of Britain: 2022 Route

The Tour of Britain 2022 route is set to be history-making, with the most northerly Grand Depart to date and the first-ever opening day summit finish in modern race history. Many of the stages are being held in counties never to host a stage for the modern race before - including Gloucestershire and Dorset.

The 2022 race will begin in Scotland, before moving through the Scottish borders, northern England, southern England, and finishing in sensational style on the Isle of Wight. The total route length of the Tour of Britain 2022 will see riders cover 1,204km over eight stages.

Tour of Britain: 2022 Stages

Stage 1 - grand depart from aberdeen.

The Grand Depart for the Tour of Britain 2022 will commence in the heart of Aberdeen city centre. The first stage is 181.3km (112.7m) and will be the most northerly start in the Tour of Britain’s history.

Got a Wattbike Atom? You can take on the first summit finish 'The Old Military Road' on the Wattbike Hub (in the Summer Sessions category) which has a distance of 9.16km and an average gradient of 2.9%.

Stage 2 - Elevation through the Scottish Borders

Stage 2 will see the teams cycle from Hawick to Duns in the Scottish borders. This stage will be 175.2km in length and see the riders battling it out over a total elevation gain of 2,457m throughout the stage.

Stage 3 - Durham makes Tour of Britain Debut

The third stage of the 2022 route begins in Durham. Although this city has never hosted a modern Tour of Britain stage before, it was the setting of multiple editions of The Milk Race. The total distance for Stage 3 will be 163.6km.

Stage 4 - Ups & Downs in Yorkshire

Stage 4 is when the race will really begin to heat up, as the brutal final 30km of this 149.5km stage features the climbs of Carlton Bank (2km long, 9.8% average gradient) and Newgate Bank (2km long, 6% average gradient). The riders will at least be able to enjoy a downhill finish as they descend into Duncombe Park, one of Yorkshire’s finest historic houses and estates.

Why not test your Wattbiker stamina and conquer Carlton Bank climb on the Wattbike Hub app in the Summer Sessions x ToB category.

Stage 5 - Iconic Landmarks & Iconic Climbs

Stage 5 is the only stage in the Tour of Britain 2022 with less than 2,000m of climbing. The route will take in iconic landmarks in this part of Britain, such as Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest, as well as passing by Wattbike HQ in Nottingham!

Stage 6 - The Fan Favourite

Gloucestershire will be host to stage 6 of the Tour of Britain 2022, the first time this county has hosted a stage for the prestigious race. This stage is set to be a fan-favourite, with the start and finish only 10 miles apart and the route winding its way through the iconic Cotswolds area of outstanding natural beauty.

Stage 7 - The beauty of Dorset

The penultimate stage of the race showcases the beauty of Dorset and West Bay's golden cliffs, running parallel with the West Dorset Heritage coast to Ferndown. Riders will complete 175.9km featuring two Category 2 climbs and one Category 3 climb.

Stage 8 - Isle of Wight Showdown

The final stage of the Tour of Britain will be an epic showdown on the Isle of Wight, and is set to be the largest ever sporting event to take place on the island. The spectacular 148.9km route will take the cyclists from Ryde to the iconic Needles and is sure to captivate the entire island. Not only that, the final 400 metres of the race average a gradient of 9.6%, making it the toughest ending to any Tour of Britain in modern history.

Feeling brave? You can finish the final climb of the Tour with the pros on the Wattbike Hub. Head to the Summer Sessions category and select 'Needles Battery' climb!

How to Train for the Tour of Britain

To train for the Tour of Britain, riders will need to work on both endurance and power. Distance training is a must, as are tough climbs.

The Wattbike Atom smart bike, perfect for climbs

The electromagnetic resistance system allows the Wattbike Atom to instantly react to elevation changes when climbing, and with a choice of preset gearing options, riders can personalise their setup to mimic the feeling of riding outdoors.

Training plans are essential to your progress

Wattbike has essential training plans expertly designed for cyclists looking to emulate Grand Tour riding. One of the best is the Haute Road Training Plan , a training plan designed to prepare you for a multi-day event with lots of climbing. There are also 50-mile and 100-mile sportive training plans , which will help prepare you for the distance covered during the Tour’s route and major stages.

Wattbike Hub: Home to 100+ Workouts

Finally, the Wattbike Hub App has over 100 workouts from HIIT and sprints to climbs and event simulations, providing everything you need to train for the Tour of Britain, ride like a pro, and improve your endurance and power.

Head to the Summer Sessions x Tour of Britain category to conquer three climbs in this year's race.

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Tour of Britain 2024 Preview

Tour of Britain is a multi-day race on the roads of Great Britain, and has a category UCI 2.1. The race was organized in 1945, since then its status has been constantly changing. In 2004 the race received its current category and since then it has been held regularly.

In 2024, the event will take place between September 1 to 8. Within these eight days, the racers will pass through a number of towns and cities with numerous chances for the fans to spectate and pitch up. The 16th edition of the tour is expected to be much more difficult. The competitors will start in Glasgow and finish in London as before. This year, the riders will have to pass as many as 1308.5 km. Although there are more hill stages, some of the participants predict that the route will not be much easier than last year. Only at the finishing two stages of the race, the riders will enjoy flat runs on the contrast to other hilly stages.

Cycling events in Europe have largely been more popular in France, Spain, and Italy thanks to the presence of races like the Tour de France. They form part of the Grand Tour which requires riders to go through some extremely tough stages before getting the ultimate glory. Professional cycling events in Britain have not attained the same popularity, but several changes to the Tour of Britain are starting to have its effect. After all the Tour of Britain is the most popular professional cycling race in the United Kingdom.

The most recent edition of the Tour of Britain took place in 2015. This was the 12th edition of the event, which underwent major changes in 2004 to make it competitive on the international front. The first edition of the race took place in 1945 – much later than the Tour de France. There was a brief hiatus after the 1999 edition. Following several restructures, the event resumed in 2004. Even though it started out as a five-stage event, recent editions of the cycling Tour of Britain have been held as an eight-stage event. Now, this number will be increased to nine for the Tour of Britain 2024.

Since coming into the UCI Europe Tour, the Tour of Britain route has become much more complex with large predominance for early stages. Twenty teams took part in the 2015 edition that started on September 6. The entire event comprised of only three hilly stages and one medium mountain stage with the rest being flat stages. The event was dominated by three teams – Team Sky, Movistar Team, and Etixx–Quick-Step. Even though they managed to grab individual stages, Cannondale–Garmin managed to win the overall team classification by finishing 5′ 35″ ahead of Team Sky.

Elia Viviani of Italy came out on top when stage victories were taken into account. He managed to grab three stage wins out of eight. Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway, though, was crowned as the champion as per the general classifications. He ended up walking away with the yellow jersey followed by Wout Poels and Owain Doull. As a British event, the race received a boost with three Brits managing to win the points, general, and sprints classification.

The Tour of Britain 2024 is expected to be much more difficult. The race starts in Glasgow and will end in London as ever. This time around, the stages cover a whopping 1308.5 km. Even though there are more hill stages, several riders are of the opinion that the 2024 route will not be much easier than in the previous edition. Only the final two stages of the event are flat runs with all the rest being hilly stages.

The Tour of Britain dates for the upcoming edition were announced as early as in February. The Tour is also seen as a great opportunity for riders to prepare for the upcoming World Championships in Doha, Qatar, which starts only three weeks after the Tour of Britain ends.

Tour of Britain 2024 Route stage 4: Derby - Newark-on Trent

Friday 6 September - The riders travels from Derby to Newark-on Trent in the 4th stage of the Tour of Britain.

The riders clip into their pedals outside the Derby Arena. Usually home to the world’s top track cyclists, this marks the first time that a road race pro-peloton lines up in town. The route will take the riders through Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to a finish in Newark-on-Trent.

Following the staging in 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023, it will be the fifth time in eight editions that the Tour of Britain moves through Nottinghamshire.

A bunch sprint is the most likely outcome on Victoria Street in Newark-on-Trent, close to the banks of the River Trent and the town’s castle with its enchanting gardens. Last year, Olav Kooij powered to victory on the finishing straight, thus succeeding Fernando Gaviria, who took the spoils in 2018.

• As it happened: Primož Roglič's onslaught on stage 8 of the Vuelta a España

Tour of Britain 2024

Latest news from the race.

Remco Evenepoel returns as double Olympic champion at Tour of Britain

'We'd love to see Tom Pidcock against Remco Evenepoel at the Tour of Britain' - Organisers hope to entice Paris Olympians

Remco Evenepoel set to ride Tour of Flanders, Milan-San Remo, Liège and Tour de France in 2025

• Stage 1 | Kelso - Kelso 2024-09-03 181.9km
• Stage 2 | Darlington - Redcar 2024-09-04 152km
• Stage 3 | Sheffield - Barnsley 2024-09-05 166.1km
• Stage 4 | Derby - Newark 2024-09-06 138.5km
• Stage 5 | Northampton - Northampton 2024-09-07 146.9km
• Stage 6 | Lowestoft - Felixstowe 2024-09-08 158.4km

Latest Content on the Race

By Laura Weislo published 16 August 24

News Julian Alaphilippe confirmed for Soudal-QuickStep team

By Stephen Farrand published 3 August 24

News Race director Rod Ellingworth working to secure big-name riders for British national tour

By Alasdair Fotheringham published 30 July 24

News Soudal-QuickStep manager Patrick Lefevere reveals Classics-heavy 2025 spring for Belgian star

Wales to host opening stages for rebranded Tour of Britain Women in June

By Jackie Tyson published 15 April 24

News 'It’s been a monumental effort by the whole team' says Tour of Britain race director Ellingworth about restoration of events

Rod Ellingworth appointed Tour of Britain race director in first post-Ineos role

By Barry Ryan published 12 March 24

News 51-year-old appointed to new position as British Cycling steps in to organise women's and men's races in 2024

Wout van Aert still owed Tour of Britain prize money five months after victory

By James Moultrie published 6 February 24

News Collapse of former organiser SweetSpot sees riders go unpaid from €113,080 prize pot

Ineos Grenadiers committed to ensure 'home race' Tour of Britain returns

By James Moultrie published 27 January 24

News 'A gap on the calendar like that is not good for the sport' says CEO as British team works with governing body to save home race

Future of Women's Tour, Tour of Britain in doubt as organiser enters liquidation

By James Moultrie published 19 January 24

News SweetSpot appoint recovery experts to deal with legal claims totalling close to £1 million after losing Tour of Britain licence

Future of Tour of Britain in doubt after British Cycling ends deal with race organiser

By Daniel Ostanek published 7 November 23

News Race promoters Sweetspot allegedly owes £700,000 in rights fees

Jumbo-Visma rip up the Tour of Britain script with Van Aert's 'surprise' late attack

By Daniel Ostanek published 7 September 23

News Dutch team win fifth stage in a row as Van Aert takes GC lead with plan which 'came up as a joke/idea'

Top News on the Race

Wout van Aert - 'Olav Kooij has potential to be the best sprinter in the world'

Wout van Aert, Sam Bennett confirmed to start Tour of Britain

Tour of Britain cancelled following the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Related features.

Ned Boulting's Tour of Britain 2022 favourites

Tour of Britain 2021 - start list

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Best of Britain (14 Days)

• In-depth Cultural
• Fully Guided
• Coach / Bus
• Sightseeing

USA • Traveled in July 2022

Places You’ll See

• Rock out in the Beatles' home turf of Liverpool
• Enjoy a scenic drive through the Devon countryside
• Explore Scotland's pristine Isle of Skye
• Take in London's icons like Buckingham Palace
• Introduction
• Day 1 Welcome to London
• Day 2 Explore Historic London
• Day 3 Journey to Stonehenge, Bath and Exeter
• Day 4 Plymouth and More in the Southwest Dive Into Culture
• Day 5 Onwards to Glastonbury and Cardiff Connect with Locals
• Day 6 Explore Tudor History and on to Liverpool
• Day 7 Venture to the Romantic Lake District and on to Glasgow
• Day 8 On to Fort William and the Scottish Highlands
• Day 9 Discover the Isle of Skye
• Day 10 Journey to Enchanting Edinburgh
• Day 11 Uncover Edinburgh’s Treasures
• Day 12 Continue to York
• Day 13 Onwards to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon and London
• Day 14 Cheerio London

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What's Included

• Accommodation
• Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

Park Plaza Riverbank, Park Plaza County Hall

Park Plaza County Hall, Park Plaza Riverbank

Mercure Southgate

Leonardo Cardiff

Leonardo Hotel Liverpool, Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central, Leonardo Hotel Manchester Piccadilly

Crowne Plaza, Courtyard by Marriott SEC.

Laggan, Craiglynne

Delta by Marriott

Novotel Center

Park Plaza Riverbank

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5 to 99 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

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• Overall Rating Excellent 4.2
• Itinerary Excellent 4.4
• Guide Excellent 4.5
• Transport Excellent 4.5
• Accommodation Excellent 4.3
• Food Excellent 4.3
• Tour Operator Trafalgar 4.5
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• L Leanne · 26th May 2023 We would have happily enjoyed the Real Britain tour but Trafalgar cancelled my booking this week after I asked about availability on another tour. I booked this tour in Jan 2023 for Sept 2023 travel and they just cancelled the booking and now the tour... Show more Trip date: May 2023

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• Upcoming departures
• September 2024
• October 2024
• August 2025
• September 2025
• October 2025

Space on this tour is not guaranteed. Book this tour to request your place and the operator will confirm availability.

• Saturday 7 Sep, 2024 Tuesday 17 Sep, 2024 English Sold Out €3,412 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• Wednesday 11 Sep, 2024 Saturday 21 Sep, 2024 English €3,622 11 Days Version View this tour
• Saturday 21 Sep, 2024 Tuesday 1 Oct, 2024 English Sold Out €3,333 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• Saturday 5 Oct, 2024 Tuesday 15 Oct, 2024 English Sold Out €3,249 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• Saturday 12 Oct, 2024 Tuesday 22 Oct, 2024 English Sold Out €3,249 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• 1 Other Unavailable Departure
• -10% Saturday 12 Apr, 2025 Tuesday 22 Apr, 2025 English Filling Fast €3,564 €3,208 11 Days Version View this tour
• -10% Saturday 19 Apr, 2025 Tuesday 29 Apr, 2025 English Filling Fast €3,564 €3,208 11 Days Version View this tour

What our customers ask about this tour

If the requested booking place is available, you will be booked and confirmed on the adventure. A complete refund is issued if it's not available.

Yes, it is mandatory to sign up on the Trafalgar portal to access and fill out required registration details for obtaining tour documents.

The chargeable transfer costs $65 per person for each way between London Heathrow Airport and the designated hotel.

The tour has several departure dates, some of which are marked as definite while others may be 'On Request' and subject to confirmation.

The pricing for the Best of Britain tour is $4,350.00 per person for 2 adults in a twin room for the specified tour on June 13, 2024.

Additional services like travel insurance are created as separate line items and are explicitly added to the booking, accruing additional costs.

Yes, you can cancel your 'On Request' booking without any penalty and you will receive a full refund of any pre-authorized funds.

Chargeable transfers to and from London Airports can be added to your booking upon your confirmation and approval of the rates specified.

Independent hotel nights do not include transfer service, which is only available when you book pre or post hotel nights with the operator.

Once registration on the Trafalgar portal is complete, electronic documents are sent to your email approximately 21 days before your trip.

Good to Know

• Currency £ Pound Sterling England, Scotland and Wales

As a traveller from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type G.

• Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
• Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
• For any tour departing before 30th October 2024 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after 30th October 2024, a minimum payment of €100 is required to confirm your booking with Trafalgar. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
• Some departure dates and prices may vary and Trafalgar will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
• The following cards are accepted for "Trafalgar" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
• Your money is safe with TourRadar, as we only pay the tour operator after your tour has departed.
• TourRadar is an authorised Agent of Trafalgar. Please familiarise yourself with the Trafalgar payment, cancellation and refund conditions .
• Insurance Unless otherwise mentioned, TourRadar does not provide travel insurance. We do however recommend purchasing it through our tried and trusted partner, World Travel Nomads .
• Accessibility Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveller, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team , who are ready and waiting to help you.
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