THE TOUR of Britain's arrival in the North West will bring the country's premier race within easy reach of Lake District cycling enthusiasts.

Two years ago Kendal was lauded for the way in which it hosted the event's first real summit finish as the international field tackled the the brutally steep 1-in-7 Beast Banks climb in the town centre.

Although the country's premier cycle race does not repeat its memorable visit to the Lake District town, the race route passes within a few miles of the Cumbrian border.

Stage four of this year's event, which starts and finishes in Blackpool, to Bentham town centre and over Tatham Fell in North Yorkshire, just a few miles off the A65.

Other likely viewing points are at Caton and Claughton, where there is a sprint, and Farleton, Wray and Wennington before heading on to a climb award for the King of the Mountains category over the fell section.

From there the international-class field power back through the Trough of Bowland to the coast for a promenade finish.

The Tour gets under way in Sunthorpe in North Lincolnshire on Saturday, September 12 and finishes in central London on Saturday, September 19.

Star of the show, whatever happens, in many people's eyes will be Mark Cavendish of Columbia - one of the nine teams entered in the event.

Ace sprint finisher Cavendish, now a legend with his ten Tour de France stage wins behind him, is sure to receive terrific support from the home crowds.

Led by Allan Peiper, Cavendish's Columbia could bring a whole host of star names, including Michael Rogers, Thomas Lövkvist and Tony Martin who wore the white jersey for Best Young Rider during the Tour de France.

Double Tour of Britain champions Agritubel return for their final Tour under the Agritubel name, after the French manufacturer of farming equipment announced that their sponsorship would finish at the end of the year.

The team will want to go out on a high by claiming a hat-trick of wins and it is likely to do so with an all-French line-up, as Belgian youngster Kevyn Ista is the only non-Frenchman in their Tour of Britain pre-selection.

Familiar names like Berges, Bichot, Romain Feillu, Lequatre and Vogondy all are likely to return, with the biggest change over recent years being their new blue kit.

TOUR FACTFILE: A DISPUTE between cyclists during the Second World War led toa properly organised Tour starting up and it has been known as the Milk Race, the Kellogg’s Tour and the Pru Tour before beomcing the Tour of Britain in 2004.

THE Tour is the UK’s biggest free to attend sporting event, attracting over a million spectators per year. The 2009 event begins in Scunthorpe on Saturday 12, September and finishes eight days later in London on Saturday, 19 September.

TOP riders have made their mark in Tour on the way to international recognition. They include Nick Nuyens (winner in 2005), Andy Schleck (winner of the ing of the Mountains in 2006) and Matt Goss (Yellow jersey wearer 2006, Stage winner 2007).

HALFORDS, the 2009 Tour Series champions, make their Tour of Britain debut. Former British Road Race Champion and multiple Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games medallist Rob Hayles leads the team, and is joined by 2008 Olympic Games Gold Medallist Ed Clancy.

ONE TO WATCH: Columbia's Edvald Boasson Hagen's three wins in the 2008 Tour of Britain marked him out as a star of the future.

DO YOU REMEMBER: When the Tour came to Kendal, Russian Alexander Serov won the stage with Mark Cavenish in second place, but as the new leader of the Hot Spot Sprints competition which he went on to win.