LIVERPOOL city centre will host a spectacular finish to the week-long Tour of Britain cycle race as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations.
Race organisers unveiled the eighth and final stage of the annual race yesterday, with the overall finish taking place in Liverpool on Sunday, September 14.
Prior to their arrival in the city, the 68-mile north-west stage of the race will see competitors travel south from Blackpool and through West Lancashire to Southport, where the first Hot Spot Sprint of the day takes place on the seafront.
The stage then continues via Formby to enter Liverpool through Crosby and Bootle.
The event culminates with six laps of a city centre circuit, passing familiar landmarks such as the Three Graces, the Town Hall and the Walker Art Gallery.
At the end of the race on The Strand, the overall winner of the 2008 Tour of Britain will be crowned.
This will be the third consecutive year in which Liverpool has hosted stages of the cycle race. In 2006, Great Britain’s Roger Hammond took the win outside the Town Hall, while in 2007 it hosted a stage start, with the riders setting off from Sefton Park.
This year, the tour will contain three “King of the Mountains” climbs for cyclists on Churchill Way.
Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council and deputy chair of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: “Liverpool is honoured to beŠhosting the finale to the Tour of Britain. This is a major coupŠfor the city andŠa blue-riband event in our European Capital of Culture celebrations.
“It’s also a great example of our commitment and ability to attract world-class events that theŠpublic can enjoy for free.
“The race finale is a unique sporting spectacleŠandŠI’m sure it will draw huge crowds and make for a great sporting occasion in the city. The fans can expect live sport at its best and the riders can expect a glorious welcome.”
Tour of Britain route director Graham Jones said: “The final leg of the Tour of Britain is always an exciting stage and this year will be no different.
“We’ve got a great finishing circuit in the centre of Liverpool, which will allow fans to see the race several times.”
This stage of the race is supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), which played a major part in helping to secure the region’s position on the Tour of Britain map since its successful re-launch in 2004.
Peter Mearns, executive director of marketing at the NWDA, said: “The Tour of Britain has been a welcome addition to the region’s calendar of major events for a number of years, and with the race finish in Liverpool, this year promises to be the best yet.
“The region provides a fantastic backdrop for these elite athletes and for the increasing number of spectators that come to enjoy the race. I am looking forward to another world-class event this September.”
ITV4 will broadcast a highlights programme on each night of the race, which starts in London on September 7.
