Tour of Britain starts in Vuelta's shadow
The UK's most prestigious road cycling race, the Tour of Britain, gets underway this Saturday.
The Tour's eight stages will see riders travel 1,223km before finishing on 18 September in Newham, London, home to the 2012 Olympic site.
This year's route travels through Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex for the first time in the history of the race, while Wales is visited for the first time since the Tour resumed in 2004.
"On the way from the Grand Depart to the final stage in London, riders will face tough routes and intense competition, while taking in some breathtaking views of our wonderful country," Michael Bennett, technical director of the Tour, told the press upon announcing the route.
Several challenges in store
Highlights along the scenic route will include a 300m cobbled section in the final kilometre of Stage 3. Constitution Hill on the outskirts of Swansea will pose similar problems to those experienced by Lance Armstrong in the third stage of this year's Tour de France, where the American ended his hopes of challenging for the general classification.
The cobbles will likely cause riders to gear up with especially sturdy and protective equipment, so as to avoid falls and damage to their bikes.
The Tour's fourth stage contains many unclassified climbs and three category-1 ascents between Minehead and Teignmouth. Overall contenders must persevere up these climbs, with the lumpy roads of the 171km stretch likely to make things even harder.
If the lineup finds itself in windy conditions for the seventh stage, the ride through Suffolk and Essex could pose some real problems as well. The meandering roads will leave riders particularly exposed to the wind before the final day's ride around East London.
World-class teams, only less star-studded
Although many of the UCI ProTour's top riders are preoccupied with the Vuelta a Espana at this time of the season, the key British event still boasts an impressive lineup of some of the best teams on the circuit.
US outfit HTC-Columbia will return to defend its title from last year, when Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen impressively claimed the general classification. Mark Cavendish is racing in this year's Vuelta, but that does not mean the team will be short of world-class sprinters.
Germany's Andre Greipel has won three points classifications and one Giro d'Italia stage this season. The 28-year-old could well claim a few stages here, while Mark Renshaw, normally Cavendish's supporting rider, will also be one to look out for in the sprint finishes.
British Team Sky is starting its first ever Tour, and leader Bradley Wiggins will be supported by a strong bunch of British riders, including Steve Cummings, Geraint Thomas and Russell Downing.
Danish team Saxo Bank, whose star rider Andy Schleck won the Kind of the Mountains title of the Tour in 2006, is likely to field a predominantly Danish lineup. Frank Hoj, Jonas Aaen Jorgensen and Alex Rasmussen are all expected to start for Bjarne Riis' team, while time-trialist Jaroslaw Marycz will also feature.
Garmin-Transitions is also likely to threaten, with Ireland's recent Tour of Poland winner Daniel Martin looking to claim his second general classification of the season.
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