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For those of you that enjoyed the Tour de France and the cycling during the Olympics, the Tour of Britain Cycle Race is coming through the Peak District on Monday 10th September.  The timings below are approximate.  It is a chance to see Olympic Time Trial champion Bradley Wiggins and his Sky team-mate Mark Cavendish who are both competing in the event.

The first Category One SKODA King of the Mountains climb of 2012 takes the race into the Derbyshire Dales, with a steep opening through the village of Turnditch before levelling off considerably towards the top at Cross o ‘th Hands.

After descending into Ashbourne, a short, steep unclassified climb leads towards the Peak District National Park, followed up by a long, main road drag after Fenny Bentley that runs parallel to the Tissington Trail, a former railway line now popular with cyclists and walkers.

A left fork takes Stage Two down to the River Dove via a fast descent, with the route crossing the river before climbing instantly on the SKODA King of the Mountains climb of Alstonefield that takes the race into Staffordshire.

Tree-lined at the bottom the climb begins gently but steepens as it turns away from the Dove into a constant gradient. The summit comes in the attractive Peak District village of Alstonefield with the views opening of the countryside opening up as the race levels off heading towards Hulme End and the Manifold Valley.

Thank you to Roberto Buntingo for bringing this to our attention.