As elite global cyclists prepare to tackle the Tour of Britain this autumn, one of its sponsors is highlighting the challenges of the race's final stage on the Isle of Wight.
Experienced local cyclists have produced a short film for Wightlink to reveal the spectacular scenery and challenging gradients that await up to 120 riders on Sunday September 11.
The Tour of Britain final stage will start in Ryde and finish at The Needles Landmark Attraction after criss-crossing the Island for 150 kilometres.
The eight-day race begins in Aberdeen exactly one week earlier.
Julie Cooper from the Wightlink-Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team said:
“We are absolutely thrilled that the eyes of the world will be focused on the Isle of Wight as the Tour of Britain reaches its climax.
"Due to significant improvements on the Island over the past few years, we are fortunate to be able to cycle on some of the best road surfaces in the country, as the professional riders will find out in September.”
The film begins in Ryde and continues through many Island towns and villages including Newport, Sandown, Ventnor and Yarmouth.
The elite cyclists will fight it out during the final 20km along the Military Road, which offers stunning panoramic views across the English
Channel.
It will finish with a short climb up to Tennyson Down, at an average gradient of 9.6% — making it the toughest ending to any Tour of Britain in modern history.
Keen amateur cyclists can experience the Island’s top cycling conditions for themselves, as the Wightlink-Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team will be holding its own IW Open Time Trial Championship event on Sunday 4 September.