Tour of Britain to Return to South West
Somerset County Council has announced it will again host the South West Stage of the Tour of Britain when it ventures into the region for the second time on Tuesday 9 September.
Race organisers have confirmed that the race is set to take off from the south of Somerset in Chard, the birth place of powered flight1, and will finish at Burnham-on-Sea in the north of the county.
Full details are being kept under wraps until 28 April when the South West route will be unveiled in full. However, Somerset County Council has confirmed that this year the race will also be supported by Devon County Council, Exmoor National Park Authority and South Somerset District Council.
The Tour of Britain's Technical Director, Mick Bennett, said that "Somerset set a new standard for the event" in 2007, when over 70,000 spectators flocked to watch the race at key points around Yeovil, Taunton and Exmoor.
Praising the way that Somerset County Council and partners in Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Emergency Services worked together to make the day a success, Mick described the stage as "the best day ever seen in British cycle racing, on a par with the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia" events.
Cllr Jill Shortland, Leader of Somerset County Council, said: "The success of the first ever South West stage of the Tour of Britain exceeded our expectations and we are confident that the 2008 stage will be even better. We took a bold step in securing a stage of the race for Somerset and that decision has created immense benefits for the county. The impact it has had on the local economy, the profile it has created for our county and the promotion of cycling is indeed profound."
Councillor Brian Greenslade, Leader of Devon County Council, said: "Devon County Council is proud and pleased to be supporting Somerset County Council in bringing the Tour of Britain to the region for the second year running, and this year Devon has secured a longer section of the stage. This is the perfect way to promote cycling in the south west and Devon's landscape is ideal for this sort of high profile race, offering some of the toughest but also some of the most scenic routes of the Tour. The world class riders can be sure of a rousing reception in Devon for such a prestigious event and it is a great opportunity to showcase to visitors what Devon has to offer."
Dan James, Exmoor National Park Authoritys Sustainable Economy Officer, said: "We're delighted that in 2008 the route will once again pass through the Exmoor National Park, allowing spectators and participants alike to experience the special qualities of the area and we're pleased to support this year's event with a grant from the Exmoor Sustainable Development Fund. Last year's race was a real boost for Exmoor, attracting widespread support from local schools and communities across the area and having a positive impact on the rural economy."
The route and more details will be posted as released.
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