News and Features

The Tour of Britain is the premiere cycling race in the Country. Its come to Somerset for the first time this year with the County Council as sponsors and hosts.

The race organisers are expecting this to be one of the decisive stages of the event with three sprints and three King of the Mountain sections.

Some roads in Taunton town centre will be closed for the entire day of the race. There will be temporary closures along the rest of the route as the race passes.

The Route

The route takes in some of the most breathtaking scenery that the South West has to offer. Starting at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton at 10.30AM, the flat route that the riders will follow for their warm-up passes through stunning countryside and breathtaking scenery via Somerton, Othery and Taunton.

Exmoor scenery

From Taunton the riders race up the A358 to Williton before entering the A39 for Porlock and Lynmouth. They then ride through Exmoor traversing Simonsbath, Exford and Wheddon Cross, and descend past Elworthy towards Bishops Lydeard.

This is the moment when the race is definitely on, as they head to North Street in Taunton for the expected finish from 14.22.

Trying it out

BBC Somerset's Drew Savage went to try out parts of the route with Stuart Dodd from cycling team Tor 2000. They started off at the first sprint section at Othery.

Click here to find out what goes on in the sprint.

Their next stop was Minehead, 44 miles into the race, where the riders get their first food stop, except they don't stop.

Click here to find out what they eat while on the move.

Having refueled on everything from pork pies to cheese sandwiches, the riders move on to the first serious climb. Five hundred metres over a couple of miles to the top of Porlock Hill.

Stuart Dodd and Drew Savage

Click here to find out if Drew Savage makes it to the top.

After Porlock, Drew Savage and his guide Stuart Dodd moved onto the final sprint at Goosemoore Cross.

Click here to hear how the riders cope with sprinting after doing three big climbs on Exmoor.

Finally Drew and Stuart came into Taunton to see where the race comes to its end.

More than a race

All along the race route towns and villages will be holding events to mark the occassion. The BBC Somerset Bus will be at the Gassons Lane playing fields in Somerton where there will be market stalls, cycling challenges for youngsters and music from the Monteclefe Junior School Samba Band.

There will also be activities taking place in Taunton, Dunster, Minehead, Porlock, Simonsbath, Exford and Wheddon Cross.

Click here for more details.

Road Closures

Roads in the centre of Taunton will be closed for the whole race day. Elsewhere along the route there will be temporary closures of around fifteen minutes as the race comes by. Find out more about the road closures by clicking here.

Starting the race

Talented young cyclists from Somerset will lead off the race from the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Among them is 18-year-old Doug Dewey from Somerton. Last year he was the British Schools Time Trials and Track Champion.