Published: September 9, 2008
It's race day! Tour of Britain cyclists come to Burnham-On-Sea

Big crowds are expected to flock into Burnham-On-Sea today (Tuesday September 9th) when many of the world’s best cyclists, including British Olympic medal winners, race into the town to complete the South West Stage of the Tour of Britain cycle race.

Among those taking part will be double gold Olympic medal winner Bradley Wiggins, who will represent Team Columbia in the Tour of Britain.

His team-mates in the six-rider team will be Mark Cavendish, who became the first British cyclist to win four stages of the Tour de France earlier this year.

Gold medallist Geraint Thomas, who competed with Wiggins in the Olympics team pursuit races, will represent the Barloworld team. And Chris Newton, pictured above, who won bronze in the men’s individual pursuit, will cycle for the Tour of Britain Rapha Condor team.

From 10am, there will be a Farmers' Market in the High Street along with presentation stalls & displays. The Quay West FM Roadshow will be in place with physical challenges and entertainment in Pier Street. A Historic Cycle Display will also be in place along Pier Street. The Burnham hovercraft station on the seafront will be open to the public for a special open day.

From 11am, the Somerset Sapphires Majorettes will be action in Pier Street, along with the Project Romania Dancers and Monarch Gymnastics group.

At 12.30pm, Burnham & Highbridge Town Band will be playing on the South Esplanade.

At 1pm, British Cycling's Go Ride display will be in Pier Street to help people learn cycling skills.

At 1.45pm there will be a arrival of a Massed Bike Ride in Marine Drive.

The main event will be at 2.30-2.45pm with the arrival of the Tour of Britain cyclists, which will last until around 3.30pm. This will be followed by presentations to the winner on the podium in Pier Street.

At 4pm, the Burnham Excellent Entertainment Society will be in action in Pier Street. Separately, the winners of a poster colouring competition, being organised by the Tourist Information Centre, will be announced.

At 5pm, this will be followed by the announcement of the Bike Hunt Competition winners in Pier Street.

A free Park and Ride scheme will be in operation throughout the day from Sanders Garden World, running from 10am to 5.30pm.

Burnham-On-Sea.com will have regular news and photo updates throughout the event.

Visitors are strongly encouraged to use a free 'park and ride' service, which will be in operation on the race day from 10am-5.30pm.

It will operate from Sanders Garden World at Brent Knoll to Pier Street in Burnham. Buses will run approximately every 20 minutes. Click here for a map showing how to find Sanders Garden World.

In Burnham itself, the Lynton Road car park will be closed from 5am-7pm while Marine Drive is closed. Pier Street East car park (behind the Somerfield supermarket) will be allocated to Tour vehicles and therefore will be closed to the public. Apex car park will be allocated for use by VIPs. There will be 'no waiting' in Burnham Road and no parking allowed in Church Street all day. A second park and ride service will be in operation from various Brean holiday parks into Burnham.

The 113 mile South West stage of Tour of Britain will take in some of the most picturesque countryside the region has to offer, passing through the Blackdown Hills, Exmoor National Park, the Quantocks before reaching Burnham's coastline.

The race starts at Chard on the Crowshute Link and finishes in Burnham-On-Sea's Marine Drive.

The ' King of the Mountains' climbs include Staple Hill (in the Blackdown Hills), Mile Hill (near North Molton) and Cothelstone Hill (in the Quantocks). There will be sprints at Tiverton, South Molton and Bridgwater.

Marine Drive will be closed from 5am to 7pm. Residents will have 'access only' to the junction to Burnham Holiday Village (from the Burnham Road direction).

Abingdon Street will be one-way, running from the direction of Pier Street to Oxford Street.

Burnham Road and Church Street will also close as the race approaches. This closure will take effect from approximately 2pm - 3.15pm.

There will be a one-way system in place for all buses and coaches. They will be routed along The Esplanade, with a drop-off and pick-up area at Pier Street, and exit to Oxford Street via Abingdon Street. Burnham High Street will also be closed from Adam Street to Abingdon Street.

Digital TV viewers will be able to enjoy highlights of The Tour of Britain's South West stage, including the Burnham-On-Sea finish, on ITV4.

The programme will be aired from 8pm-9pm. Ned Boulting will present the show, while Hugh Porter MBE and Anthony McCrossan will provide commentary, with special guests joining them in the commentary box.

Click here for ITV4's website and more details about its coverage.

The Tour of Britain 2008 cycle race takes place over eight days from Sunday 7th September to Sunday 14th September. The race started in London and will finish in Liverpool.

It is a team event, with each team identified by their jersey, often that of their sponsor. Teams try to control the speed of the peloton to allow their number one rider to break at the right time and win the stage. Riders average 40km/h (27mph).

The race is won over eight stages, each starting and finishing at different locations in eight different regions. Riders accrue points from time taken over the route, hill climbs and sprints. The best riders are awarded jerseys for each of these specialised areas.

Riders are competing for an individual standing denoted by different colour jerseys. After every stage, the times of the first three riders to finish from each team are aggregated and the team with the lowest overall time wins. Teams comprise of six riders and there are usually sixteen teams.

A brand new bike worth £450 awaits the winner of the 'Bike Hunt' competition, which runs from 6th-9th September, and is being organised by Burnham-On-Sea Chamber of Trade.

Local shops are taking part and entrants have to identify all those with bike parts and cycling equipment in their shop windows.

The winner will be drawn at 5pm on race day from the main stage and will be awarded a Giant Defy 4 bike (similar to the one pictured here) supplied by The Bicycle Chain. Entry forms can be obtained here and from Burnham Tourist Information Centre.

Highbridge-based Skidmarx Cycles Limited will be located in the car park just opposite Burnham RNLI station off Marine Drive. It will be displaying various cycling equipment and also displaying Marco Pantani's bike, which he used to win the Giro and the Tour de France on during 1998, kindly loaned by Bianchi. A bike will also be raffled in aid of Burnham-On-Sea RNLI.

Taken some great photos of the Tour of Britain in Burnham? Get in contact here.

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