WINNERS of the Cumbrian stages in this year's Tour of Britain will receive a prized piece of local craftsmanship for their efforts.

Cumbria Crystal, the last producer of completely hand-blown and hand-cut English crystal, will gift the winners of stages five and six with bespoke, hand-crafted centre bowls from their Grasmere and Helvellyn collections.

The eight-stage extravagansa will welcome cyclists to the county on September 6 for a team time trial from Cockermouth to Whinlatter, before setting off from Barrow on September 7 to head to Whinlatter Pass.

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Chris Blade, chief executive of Cumbria Crystal, said: "We are delighted to provide stage awards for the two stages of the Tour of Britain set in the stunning Cumbrian Lake District.

"It is fitting that the stage awards will be crafted in Ulverston, one of the towns through which the race passes, by our artisans especially for the event.

"We wish all participants success and safety throughout this incredible sporting event.

"Our factory is open to the public and we are delighted to invite participants and spectators to visit and watch crystal being blown, or even arrange short glass blowing workshops."

In 2016, the company presented Tour of Britain winner Steve Cummings with a specially designed crystal trophy following the final stage.

The company boasts 22 highly skilled artisans who use traditional techniques and processes to create crystal of the highest quality.

Hugh Roberts, chairman of SweetSpot group, the organisers of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, said: "We are pleased to again be working with Cumbria Crystal and are delighted that the winners of the two stages will receive such fine prizes from a prestigious Cumbrian business. The fact that this year stage six passes through Ulverston makes the involvement of Cumbria Crystal even more fitting."

The honour is the latest in a long line of successes for the company, who have previously provided world-class crystalware for the Royal Family, as well as featuring in Downton Abbey and Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond.

The tour begins in Newport on September 2 and ends in London on September 9.