 The final stage's 80km route will go past some major London landmarks |
This summer's Tour of Britain is to climax with a 50-mile stage across London, culminating with a 20-lap circuit in front of Buckingham Palace. Tour organisers unveiled on Monday the route of the final stage of the race, which begins on 29 August.
Sixteen cycling teams will battle it out over six days of riding in Britain. The race finale, on Sunday 3 September, will trial parts of both the 2007 Tour de France Grand Depart route and a proposed Olympic cycling route.
 |  London is a spectacular finish for this year's Tour of Britain |
Hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets as riders take part in the longest stage of a cycling race to ever hit London. The stage travels from Greenwich Park, over Tower Bridge and into the City, following part of the Tour de France route and passing some of London's most historic landmarks.
It will also follow a proposed 2012 Olympic cycling route up and over Hampstead Heath then down to Regent's Park, through Hyde Park on to the Tour de France prologue route and finally into St James's Park for 20 laps before racing to the finish.
Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins, who is looking forward to riding again at the event, said: "London is a spectacular finish for this year's Tour of Britain.
"The sight of the world's finest cyclists surging through the streets of London will be an inspiration to Londoners, young and old, to get on their bikes."
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