Helpers wanted for 2006 Tour of Britain, and Tour de France 2007

British Cycling has announced it will again be working with the Tour of Britain this year to help recruit two thousand volunteer marshals for the 2006 race. As not all of the route has been decided at this point, the exact locations required for marshalling will be revealed once all the stages have had their regional launches. Once registered, volunteers will be contacted with the locations available on the stage in which they have expressed an interest.

The provisional 2006 Tour of Britain route is:

Stage 1 - August 29: Scotland, Glasgow to Castle Douglas
Stage 2 - August 30: Northwest, Blackpool to Liverpool
Stage 3 - August 31: Yorkshire, (final route to be confirmed)
Stage 4 - September 1: West Midlands, (final route to be confirmed)
Stage 5 - September 2: Southeast, Rochester to Canterbury
Stage 6 - September 3: London, Greenwich to The Mall

British Cycling has also announced that applications for helping in the Tour de France start next year are also open and required. Volunteers who are interested in helping in the 2007 'Grand Départ' of the greatest of the Grand Tours can assure their places by assisting at the South East and London stages of this year's Tour of Britain. Experience of marshalling anywhere on the Tour of Britain will also be considered when selecting people for the Tour de France.

The Tour of Britain can't pay travelling expenses to marshalling points but each volunteer will receive a goodie bag, appropriate training and the safety equipment necessary to fulfil their role.

To register for any of the stages of this year's Tour of Britain, go to: www.tourofbritain.co.uk/volunteer.asp