Ride out and watch the Tour of Britain

The Tour of Britain has established itself as a significant date in the calendar, rising to UCI 2.1 status for 2014 and attracting a cast which includes eight WorldTour teams and, most significantly, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish.

And there is no better way to experience the race than to ride out and watch it from the roadside, taking in the atmosphere as the peloton whizzes by in a blur of noise and colour.

More than a million fans are expected to line the route as Wiggo sets about defending the title he won last year and Cavendish continues his return to form from the injury which forced the Manx Missile out of the Tour de France.

Of course, an eight-stage race can’t take in the whole of Great Britain, and this year’s race is confined to the north west of England, Wales and the south – you can see our stage-by-stage analysis of the route here –  but it’s set to be a spectacular race, with a summit finish on The Tumble in Monmouthshire, a mammoth 226km stage from Camberely to Brighton over Ditchling Beacon, and a time trial/circuit race double-header in London among the highlights.

So if there’s a stage near you, round-up a group of friends and make a day of it.