Tour of Britain organisers SweetSpot have launched their biggest ever sportive, The Tour Ride 100, which will take place on Sunday October 5 in Staffordshire.

The sportive, which will offer the choice of 100-mile and 50-mile circular routes, comes on the back of the launch of the 2014 Tour of Britain route.

The sportive routes will take in the Staffordshire Moorlands and Peak District, including Gun Hill, with 2014 marking the sixth year Stoke-on-Trent has hosted a Tour Ride sportive.

SweetSpot chief executive Hugh Roberts said: “Over the past five years The Tour Rides have proved to be very popular with cyclists.

“But this year, following The Tour of Britain’s upgrade to HC status, we felt the time was right to focus on one key event per year and to make it the best it can possibly be for participants.”

SweetSpot have also announced charity partnerships with Action Medical Research and Sue Ryder, whom they hope will benefit from sportive fundraising.

Roberts added: “The Tour Ride 100 will annually showcase some fantastic routes with Tour of Britain heritage, allow thousands of amateur cyclists to come together to ride in a professionally organised event and most importantly of all provide a great fundraising and awareness platform for our charity partners.

“We look forward to working with Action Medical Research and Sue Ryder to make this possible.”

Councillor Adrian Knapper, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at the city council, said: “We’re very excited to be hosting an event which is going to bring people together in a fun environment and raise thousands of pounds for charity at the same time.

“Previous Tour Rides have always been very well supported by the public but this one promises to be bigger and better than ever before, with the two charity’s committing to having at least 1,000 cyclists each.

“The day is obviously all about raising money for charity but it is also a chance to encourage people to get out and about and exercise, and that is something we as a council are committed to encouraging.”

Further details on the exact routes for each ride and activities surrounding The Tour Ride 100 will be announced in due course. For more information, and for how to take part, visit www.tourride.co.uk