Scottish stage of the Tour of Britain revealed
By BikeRadar
2007 Tour of Britain Champion Romain Feillu passes in front of Drumlanrig Castle (Tour of Britain)
The organisers of The Tour of Britain have unveiled the
route for stage seven of the race, which will take the riders along 95
miles of hilly terrain south of Glasgow, host
city of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, to Drumlanrig Castle.
The seventh stage includes the 2008 tour's highest point,
the 467m high Mennock
Pass, and presents
several opportunities for bonus points.
Starting from Glasgow Green, the course moves through the Avon Valley
and the Ayreshire hills before turning left for the first Hot Spot Sprint at
Glespin. From there riders must face an E.ON King of the Mountains climb up Crawfordjohn
and a quick descent for a second sprint through Sanquhar.
The stage then traverses Mennock Pass
in the Lowther Hills, reaching the tour’s highest point, and passes through
Elvanfoot and Watermeetings before dropping down into Nithsdale for a Hot Spot
Sprint at Thornhill.
Finally, the course turns back on itself and into the
120,000 acre Queensberry Estate where it reaches the race’s conclusion at Drumlanrig Castle.
Britain route director Graham Jones said of the route, “I’m
sure we’ll see a small group escaping, and the size and location of the climb
at Mennock Pass
will help them stay clear to contest the finish in front of Drumlanrig Castle.”
Taking the start in London will be defending champion Romain Feillu, who
sealed his overall Tour of Britain win in 2007 by picking up crucial bonus
seconds at Drumlanrig Castle on the road to Glasgow.
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