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Tour of Britain 2011 Launch

A demanding nine-stage 2011 Tour of Britain route was unveiled today (Tuesday) at The London Transport Museum, Convent Garden.

Above: The jerseys for which top teams will be competing in September - from left to right; the Prostate Cancer Charity points jersey, the IG Markets gold leader's jersey and the Yodel green Sprinters Jersey.

Key members of the organizing group including Sweetspot Group CEO Hugh Roberts and Race Director Mick Bennett officially announced the 2011 route which this year has a sting in its tail on the final day. Also with the presentation party were Owen Sharp, CEO Prostrate Cancer Charity, who again is a main partner for the tour and will be presenting the Prostrate Cancer Charity points jersey and Tim Hoskins, Chief Executive of IG Markets who will presenting the overall leaders IG gold jersey. A new name on this year's tour is Yodel, now the second largest distribution logistics company in the UK, who will be presenting the Yodel green Sprinters Jersey.

The 2011 tour can be truly described as the 'tour' of Britain,with the first stage starting in the Scottish town of Peebles and heading 170 kms south to Dumfries, a venue well accustomed to hosting major cycle races. Stage two sees the riders depart from the Lake District town of Kendal and follow its nose to Blackpool, the first of two seaside town visits this year and promises to be stage for the sprinters to make their mark. A transfer down the M6 takes the tour to the Staffordshire city of Stoke for stage three, departing from the famous Trentham gardens on a 150km trek around some of Staffordshire's beautiful hilly countryside to loop back round to finish in the city centre.

The fourth day of racing sees the tour head into Wales for the second successive year but this year the riders start further north with Welshpool hosting the stage depart. A tough day's racing sees the peloton head through the Brecons and over the Caerphilly mountains to the stage finish. Another hard day on the road sees stage five head down to Devon and the start city of Exeter where the riders will look forward to a 180km stage heading across Dartmoor and climbing Haytor before dropping down to Exmouth the second seaside finish of 2011 tour. The climb through Chedder Gorge greets the race on stage six when the county of Somerset hosts the 150km stage from Taunton to Wells where a looped finish gives the crowds the chance to see more of the final kilometres of the day.

A long transfer across country takes the race into East Anglia and the longest day of the tour. 200kms takes the race from Bury St Edmonds north to Sandringham and after 2010 success in the East of the country the stage should prove a real test of endurance and should suit the European riders.

The jewel in the crown of the 2011 race however, is likely to be stage 8a - The London Time trial, using the same route as the circuit race (stage 8b) in the afternoon. Before the final stage there will be a chance for the amateur cyclist to ride the London stage in the Prostrate Charity Cancer tour ride. IG will also be sponsoring a corporate three person time trial, in which each team consisting of a man, a women and a celebrity and will race against the clock on the London circuit.

2011 stage dates and locations

Sunday 11th September Stage One Peebles to Dumfries
Monday 12th September Stage Two Kendal to Blackpool
Tuesday 13th September Stage Three Stoke-on-Trent
Wednesday 14th September Stage Four Welshpool to Caerphilly
Thursday 15th September Stage Five Exeter to Exmouth
Friday 16th September Stage Six Taunton to Wells
Saturday 17th September Stage Seven Bury St Edmunds to Sandringham
Sunday 18th September Stage Eight a London 10km Individual Time Trial/Stage Eight b London Circuit Race

Further Information: http://www.tourofbritain.com