This September, the Tour of Britain returns to Aberdeen for the most northerly Grand Départ in its modern history. Read on to find out what to expect when the UK's biggest cycle race comes to town.
What exactly is The Tour of Britain?
During eight days of high-octane racing, twenty teams of the world's top riders will battle for the right to wear the coveted red jersey over eight days of racing. When the race concludes in the shadow of The Needles, the winner will be the rider who has completed the total race distance in the shortest possible time. At the end of each stage, the overall race leader will be presented with the ultimate goal, the red leader's jersey.
The Jerseys
While the GC contenders fight for the right to wear the red leader's jersey, others will set their sights on securing the three additional jerseys. These are awarded to signify the rider leading the standings in the King of the Mountains, Points, and Sprint competitions.
AJ Bell Leader's Jersey
The jersey that everyone in the peloton seeks to pull on. Even if only for a day! It's designed to be easily identifiable within the peloton. Illustrating to spectators and tv viewers alike which rider is currently leading the tour. The jersey is awarded to the rider who has completed each stage in the shortest possible time.
Dodl by AJ Bell Points Jersey
Awarded to the most consistent finisher in the Tour of Britain. The first 15 riders across each day's finish line are awarded points on a fifteen-to-one basis. The rider who has amassed the most points gets to don this jersey for the proceeding stage.
Škoda King of the Mountains Jersey
This jersey is awarded to the best climber in the Tour of Britain. Each stage will feature a set number of King of the Mountain climbs. The points are awarded to the first riders to summit each climb.
Each climb is ranked in severity; the more difficult the climb, the more points are on offer. For instance, a first-category climb is much tougher than a fourth-category. Points are awarded on the following basis:
- First category - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
- Second category - 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
- Third category - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
- Fourth category - 3, 2, 1
Sportsbreak.com Sprints Jersey
The sprints competition follows the same format as the KOM jersey. Except, instead of KOM climbs, a set number of intermediate sprints are dotted throughout each stage. The riders battle it out to be the first across the sprint line.
In addition to the sprint points, bonus seconds are also awarded. These are dedcuetd from the rider's overall race time. So, if the battle for the lead is close, expect the tussle for these bonus seconds to be intense.
Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling at the Tour of Britain
As one of the UK's top domestic teams, Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling will make its second appearance in the biggest stage race on the UK calendar.
Ribble Weldtite Pro Team Bike
Towards the latter part of 2021, Ribble announced the launch of a ground-breaking aero bike - the Ultra SL R. This innovative aero weapon wasn't designed to be fastest when tested in isolation but the fastest in the real world. During testing, the Ultra SL R delivered watt-saving gains in real-world riding conditions and at speeds achievable by the average club rider and seasoned pros.
Ribble Weldtite Pro Team Bike
Ultra SL R Commonwealth Games Special Edition
To celebrate their selection for the Commonwealth Games road race, Finn and Red were presented with a special one-off CustomColour Ultra SL R in Chrome Silver with Blue Candy Chrome decals. They will again race this bike during the Tour of Britain, while the rest of the team will race upon the Ultra SL R Team Edition.
Ribble Weldtite's Tour Of Britain Team
Ribble Weldtite's team lineup may look fairly youthful on paper, all but Harry and Ross are 25 years old or under. However, there's a great mix of youth and experience, not to mention plenty of race victories within their ranks.
Finn Crockett
To some, it may seem like Finn has been around the racing scene for years, but he is still only 23 years of age! Currently, in the form of his life, Finn has already added the Melton CiCLE Classic and a Commonwealth Games Bronze medal to his burgeoning Palmares.
Red Walters
As the Grenadian road race and time trial champion, Red recently made history as the first cyclist to represent the Caribbean nation at the Commonwealth Games.
Harry Tanfield
With a Vuelta a España already under his belt, Harry is no stranger to racing at the highest level. His experience and road craft will prove invaluable in a team with several riders making their Tour of Britain debuts.
Charlie Tanfield
Like many successful cyclists, Charlie started racing on the track. Huge success followed. Specialising in the team and individual pursuit, Charlie has won practically everything there is to win, from Commonwealth Gold to World and National Titles.
Zeb Kyffin
Since joining Ribble Pro Cycling in 2018, Zeb has amassed several victories each season. This trend has continued into 2022, where he has tasted success at the RCR Fatcreations Road Race plus stages at The Peaks 2-Day and Manx Telecom International.
Ross Lamb
Another new signing for 2022, Ross has been finding his feet with his new team. His best result so far has been his recent 10th-place finish at the Ronde van de Achterhoek.
Stage 1 - Aberdeen > Glenshee Ski Centre (180km)
Aberdeen will host the Tour of Britain Grand Départ for the first time ever on Sunday the 4th of September. Anybody familiar with the 2021 edition of the TOB will undoubtedly recall that the same venue also hosted the grand finale. However, this time, the organisers have mapped an entirely different route to last year's.
And any riders hoping to ease themselves into the race might want to rethink their strategy. Because it kicks off in dramatic fashion. The opening stage features a real lung-buster of a route, culminating in the first-ever opening day summit finish of the race's modern era. The final first category climb of the Old Military Road from Auchallater to Glenshee Ski Centre should provide early evidence of who has the best climbing legs.
Stage 2 - Hawick >Duns (170km)
To those unfamiliar with the Scottish border town famed for its knitwear, it is pronounced 'hoyk' rather than 'ha-wick'. From Hawick, the race heads northeast towards the coast, then east and south to the finishing town of Duns.
For anyone with aspirations of securing the sportsbreak.com sprints jersey, the three intermediate sprints offer ample opportunity to amass valuable points. These come at 42.4km, 76.2km and 117.8km. Similarly, the three third category climbs late in the stage will see riders rewarded with Skoda King of the Mountain points.
The stage winner will be crowned in the shadow of a museum dedicated to the memory of the two-time Formula One world champion Jim Clark who lived nearby.
Stage 3 - Durham > Sunderland (163.6km)
Stage three sees the race head across the border where Durham makes its debut as a host city. From Durham, the route heads west through the North Pennines before heading back through County Durham to Sunderland.
The three intermediate sprints will be contested at 29.8km, 106.1km and 115.8km. With a first, second and third category climb scattered across the stage, plenty of Skoda KOM points are on offer to keep the climbers interested.
Stage 4 - Redcar > Duncombe Park (149.5km)
Stage four promises to be a must-watch day of racing. Riders are faced with a tortuous day of climbing, thanks to the short, sharp climbs in this part of the world. Departing from the seaside town of Redcar, the route meanders along the coastline before heading across the North Yorkshire Moors to Helmsley.
Along the way, it passes through the historic town of Whitby and the village of Robin Hoods Bay. The latter was the birthplace of renowned explorer Captain Cook. The intermediate sprints arrive at 47.9km, 116.3km and 141.1km, and there is plenty for the climbers to get their teeth into.
Once the peloton dispenses with the leg-sapping first category climb out of Robin Hoods Bay, they are faced with the second category climb of Egton Bank and the day's big test of Carlton Bank.
Stage 5 - West Bridgford > Mansfield (186.8km)
Stage five sees the race start and finish in the same places as in 2018. Albeit following a different route through Robin Hood country to that of four years ago. The three intermediate sprints arrive late in the stage at 86.5km, 138.1km and 159km.
After the travails of the previous day, stage five is an almost leisurely affair. The third category climbs of Keyworth and Sparken Hill are a mere bump in the road to riders of this calibre.
Stage 6 - Tewkesbury > Gloucester (170.9km)
Stage six of the UK's most prestigious cycle race takes place solely within the boundaries of Gloucestershire. With the start and finish lines separated by only 10 miles, fans can easily attend both to soak up the atmosphere of full gas racing.
The route takes the peloton through the picture postcard scenery of the Cotswolds before heading through South Gloucestershire to the historic Gloucester Docks. Once again, the intermediate sprints feature in the latter half of the race at 64.4km, 118.7km and 139.9km. KOM points are up for grabs with the second category climbs, Round Hill and Crawley Hill, plus the third category climb, Withington Hill.
Stage 7 - West Bay > Ferndown (175.9km)
Following a succession of historic firsts for the 2022 TOB, the race visits Dorset for the first time in modern history. Stage seven takes in much of Dorset's rich heritage, including the golden cliffs of West Bay, the Jurassic Coast and Corfe Castle.
The three intermediate sprints will be contested at 39.8km, 92.3km, and 156.4km. KOM points will be awarded for Whiteways and Okeford Hills' second category climbs and the third category Daggers Gate.
Stage 8 - Ryde > The Needles (148.9km)
The Tour of Britain's grand finale is an unmissable event for all cycling fans. The 149.8km route loops around the Isle of Wight, offering spectators multiple opportunities to catch the action.
The race passes through many popular tourist destinations before taking the stunning military towards The Needles tourist hotspot. This road offers breathtaking panoramic views across the English Channel. Culminating in a 2km climb up to Tennyson Down, averaging 9.6% for the last 400m. Making it the toughest finish to any TOB in the modern era.
Intermediate sprints at 14.7km, 62.7km and 80.4km offer a final opportunity to snag those all-important sprint points. There are plenty of KOM points available with the first category climbs of Brading Down and Ziz Zag Road and the second cat Cowleaze Hill and The Needles.
Ex-cyclocross champion Helen Wyman describes her trip across the Alps whilst towing a child trailer behind her Ribble CGR AL e. Read about it here.
We met up with Ribble Weldtite's Finn Crockett to discuss everything cycling-related; read the interview here.