Savage Tour of Britain stage in store: full route revealed

Fans can finally begin to pick their vantage points for Stage Two of the Aviva Tour of Britain as a punishing route for riders was revealed in full.
The full Pendle and the Ribble Valley route for Stage Two of the Aviva Tour of Britain. (S)The full Pendle and the Ribble Valley route for Stage Two of the Aviva Tour of Britain. (S)
The full Pendle and the Ribble Valley route for Stage Two of the Aviva Tour of Britain. (S)

Organisers Sweetspot said at the June launch that the testing 159.3km (98.9 mile) stage in the Ribble Valley and Pendle would be the equivalent of an Ardennes classic race, one-day events which are held in Belgium and Holland in the spring, which are regarded as some of the toughest races in professional cycling.

Stage Two of the Tour of Britain on Monday, September 7th, features a total of 2,800m (9,168ft.) of ascent with the highest point of 348m (1,141ft.) just outside Barley and the lowest point of 30m (98ft.) at Ribchester.

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However, despite all the ascent in the route, it does not include Longridge Fell or Waddington Fell.

From a roll out in Clitheroe about 11am, an expected peloton of 20 teams and 120 riders will visit Barrow along Whalley Road first before a sharp turn towards Wiswell up Wiswell Lane and on to Pendleton.

The riders will then face the first Skoda King of the Mountain section up the arduous Nick o’Pendle climb at 2.6km long and with an average gradient of 7%.

Dropping down into Sabden, the route then heads for Whalley, scaling the steady Painter Wood ascent next on to the tops above Langho before a steep descent into Wilpshire.

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After Salesbury, the first Yodel sprint point will be outside the Bonny Inn in Clayton-le-Dale as the route drops further down to Ribchester Bridge.

Through Ribchester, the race leads up to Longridge, turning right for a series of little lanes towards Chipping and then up the Bashall Eaves rise beyond Browsholme Hall and into beautiful Bowland.

Continuing on, the bunch will undulate through the stunning surroundings of Whitewell, the centre of the kingdom Dunsop Bridge, Newton in Bowland and Slaidburn.

Climbing out of Slaidburn on a 13% gradient, the race will swing through Holden, Bolton by Bowland and Gisburn and its first sojourn into Pendle via West Marton on the A59.

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Arriving into Barnoldswick, passing the picturesque Greenberfield Locks, riders will then contest the second Yodel sprint in Skipton Road by Rolls-Royce Social Club before heading out of Barlick up Manchester Road, turning left down Salterforth Drag and through the village itself into Earby.

Leaving Earby, the cyclists will tackle the second Skoda King of the Mountains section up the demanding Stoneybank Road and Bleara Road.

The peloton then turn right onto Skipton Old Road to progress around Colne on Castle Road and Red Lane and into Higherford, Barrowford and through the Pendleside villages of Roughlee and Barley.

Riders, with three quarters of the race done, will attack the third and final Skoda King of the Mountains segment, a grind out of Barley in Barley Lane ahead of a descent into Downham.

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Now back in the Ribble Valley, Chatburn and Clitheroe are the next stops as riders quicken the pace for the last Yodel sprint outside Clitheroe Royal Grammar School in Chatburn Road.

The route then wends its way through Whalley, up Accrington Road past the golf club, ahead of a nasty 20% short kick on Old Roman Road near Read, before riders skirt Simonstone and the Huntroyde Estate along Whins Lane.

Passing Higham and Fence on Barrowford Road, the peloton will take a right turn down Cuckstool Lane down into Brierfield, flicking left to Nelson.

With all focus on the finish, anybody with the legs left will be geared up and getting in position as riders stream along Leeds Road and on into Colne before one final gruelling drag up Albert Road in a dash for glory in Market Street.