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Massive crowds expected for Tour of Britain's London start
David Williams, Motoring Editor05.09.08
The Tour of Britain starts in London on Sunday with a spectacular day of cycle racing past the city's landmarks.
Thousands of spectators are expected in the centre of the capital for the showdown which begins at 1.30pm on Victoria Embankment.
Ninety-six of the world's best cyclists - including three British Olympians - will head for Parliament Square and Whitehall before doubling back to the Embankment and racing down to Tower Hill on a 5.34 mile circuit which takes them past Cleopatra's Needle, Somerset House and the Tower of London.
The race then takes the riders - including Team GB double gold medallist Bradley Wiggins, gold-winning Geraint Thomas and bronze medallist Chris Newton - back along Lower Thames Street for nine further laps at a total distance of 53 miles.
The winner is expected to cross the finishing line at around 3.15pm after touching speeds of up to 40mph and averaging 23mph.
The Tour of Britain visits 15 venues in eight days including Milton Keynes, Newbury, Worcester and Gateshead, culminating in Liverpool on 14 September.
But the the highlight is expected to be the London leg, as competitors battle it out to don the Yellow Jersey first.
The first cycling action will get under way at 10.30am with the support race - the London Grand Prix which is part of British Cycling's Elite Men's Circuit Race Series.
It is staged over a smaller circuit focused on Victoria Embankment, Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue. The Grand Prix will last for a little more than an hour.
Meanwhile, Transport for London will also stage BikeJam - a mini cycling festival centred on Tower Hill.
From 10.30am to 3.30pm visitors will be able to watch riders perform breathtaking stunts and seek advice from experts on cycling in London. Mechanics will also be on hand to help with bicycle maintenance problems.
The organisers say that over the course of the Tour, which features 16 teams of six riders, competitors will face "every kind of challenge that the UK's roads have to offer", from windswept coastal roads to steep, narrow climbs and descents.
A spokeswoman for Transport for London, said: "The London stage of the Tour of Britain will be a fantastic day out for all Londoners.
"As well as the excitement of watching some of the world's greatest cyclists in action, Transport for London will also host BikeJam, which is a familyfriendly, vibrant celebration of all things cycling at Tower Hill."
Boris Johnson added: "The Summer of Cycling just gets better and better.
"It is a terrifically exciting time for cycle sports at the moment and we're incredibly lucky that we will be able to watch the British cycling team and other sporting heroes who have taken part in the Olympic Games, racing on the streets of our great city.
"Londoners can expect to have a fantastic day of cycling-related fun and will still be able to look forward to having a go themselves at the Sky Sports London Freewheel two weeks later."
