EXCITEMENT is mounting for the Cumbria stage of the Tour of Britain, which will see some of the world’s top riders racing around the county.

Full details have now been revealed of where and when to catch the race action in Cumbria, enabling spectators to plan ahead and choose their vantage points along the challenging 117-mile long route from Carlisle to Kendal.

Stage 2 is being held entirely within Cumbria, the first time the county has hosted a full stage since the 2013 event.

On Monday September 5, the riders and teams’ support staff will assemble on English Street, Carlisle, up to 11am. They will then head down Botchergate and London Road to the official starting position on Cumwhinton Road, where the race stage will get under way at 11.10am.

Riders will cycle through Armathwaite, Kirkoswald and Lazonby before arriving in Penrith town centre at approx 11.50am. They will follow the A6 to Eamont Bridge at approx. 11.55am and then take the B5320 to arrive at the temporary bridge at Pooley Bridge at approx. 12.05pm.

After riding alongside the western shore of Ullswater, they will then head north through Greystoke at approx. 12.38pm, followed by the first of three Sprints at Hesket Newmarket just before 1pm.

Riders then continue west along the B5291, skirting the top of Bassenthwaite Lake before arriving for the second Sprint through the centre of Cockermouth at about 1.35pm.

The first King of the Mountain stage is at Whinlatter Pass at approx. 1.54pm, swiftly followed by the second King of the Mountains challenge at Chestnut Hill in Keswick.

The route then takes the riders down the western side of Thirlmere reservoir, joining the A591 in time to take in the newly-rebuilt section at Dunmail Raise, which reopened in May following a major repairs after the December floods.

Riders continue along the A591 to Grasmere, where the third and final sprint takes place through the village at approx. 2.33pm.

After rejoining the A591 and heading through Ambleside at approx. 2.41pm, the riders then face one of the most challenging sections of the race, the third and final King of the Mountains climb up The Struggle (starting 2.43pm approx.).

They then head down the Kirkstone Pass on the A592 to Windermere, along the B5284 via Crook and then on to Kendal via Windermere Road.

The race will finish in Kendal, with the 200m, 11 per cent average climb of Beast Banks awaiting the riders, who are expected from approx. 3.20pm.

Please note all timings for the riders’ arrival along the route are estimated and subject to change. Exact times will depend on the speed of the riders on the day, and could be faster or slower depending on weather conditions.

Organisers, SweetSpot, have now confirmed 17 of the 20 WorldTour teams who will be competing in this year’s Tour of Britain. They include Team Dimension Data, featuring 2015 Tour of Britain winner Edvald Boasson and British Olympian Mark Cavendish; and Team WIGGINS, with British cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins having already publicly stated that he intends to ride the Tour of Britain following his bid for Gold at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next month.

Half of the teams selected have been in action in the Tour de France, highlighting the world class calibre of the competition for the Tour of Britain. The remaining three berths for the Tour of Britain are set to be announced on August 1.