Tour of Britain stages revealed

The Tour of Britain has revealed the 2005 stages in Glasgow's City Chambers today, Tuesday, April 12. After a successful revival of the UK’s only major professional road cycle race in 2004, an extra stage has been added to this year’s race taking it up to six stages beginning in the heart of Glasgow, Scotland on Tuesday, August 30, finishing in Westminster, London on Sunday, September 4, 2005.

Sixteen teams will battle it out over five days of rugged riding to achieve overall pole position on the podium in London on Sunday, September 4, including the ProTeams Discovery Channel, T-Mobile, Quick.Step, Phonak and Cofidis.

The stages outline as follows:

Stage 1 - August 30: Glasgow - Castle Douglas
Stage 2 - August 31: Carlisle - Blackpool
Stage 3 - September 1: Leeds - Sheffield
Stage 4 - September 2: Buxton - Nottingham
Stage 5 - September 3: Birmingham
Stage 6 - September 4: Westminster, London

The event is supported by Transport for London, The London Development Agency, Visit London and The Mayor’s of London’s office as Londoners are showing an increasing enthusiasm for cycling, with a 23 percent London-wide increase in cycling last year. Transport for London has increased cycling investment from £12 Million in 2004 to £19.2 Million in 2005/06.