The Kent stage of the Tour of Britain starts at Rochester Cathedral

The county is hosting the fifth stage of the race - a 98-mile route from Rochester to Canterbury - on Saturday.

Officers warned drivers to allow extra time for journeys, but said the race would not affect major routes into the county, or the Channel ports.

A spokesman said closures would be kept to a minimum, but would allow cyclists enough time to pass safely.

The cyclists will be escorted by 30 police motorcyclists from Kent, Sussex, and London.

TOUR OF BRITAIN: FIFTH STAGE Race starts in Medway Cyclists head east to Paddock Wood, Goudhurst and Tenterden They follow a cross-country route to the coast, passing through Hythe, Folkestone and Dover The last stage takes the cyclists over the North Downs to Canterbury

The spokesman said that with the "96 elite cyclists travelling at an average speed of 40mph", most closures should last no longer than 15 minutes.

Longer road closures are expected at Rochester High Street between 0600 BST and lunchtime for the start of the penultimate stage of the national race.

Closures are also planned in Canterbury for the finish, from about 1300 BST to 1700 BST.

Event organisers have said they expect the people of Kent to turn out "in their hundreds of thousands for this free show".