After previously revealing rough plans for the routes, organisers of the Tour of Britain 2022 have confirmed the full route for the eight-day cycle race.
Comparable to Tour de France, Tour of Britain which takes place every year is the biggest road cycling event in the UK.
This year is set to be the 18th edition of the race, kicking off on Sunday, September 4 from the hill-tops of Aberdeenshire.
Eight days later, the race finishes off on another hill-top, with the 2022 champion being crowned at the top of a two kilometre climb on the Isle of Wight.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's race including the full route.
What is the Tour’s 2022 route?
Tour of Britain begins with a 185km stretch from Aberdeen to the Glenshee Ski Centre in the Cairngorms National Park. The cyclists will be taking on a 9.1km climb of the Old Military Road.
The tour will pass through the Scottish borders, Sunderland, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Gloucestershire, and Dorset, in between Scotland and the south coast.
Stage two of the race will cover 178km between Hawick and Duns in the Borders, finishing off in the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum.
The race will then continue from Durham to Sunderland across 168 km, passing through the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
After this the tour will head into Yorkshire for the first time in over a decade, with a 152km stage from Redcar to Duncombe Park outside Helmsley, with cyclists passing through Saltburn-by-the-Sea and Whitby ending with a finale of climbs on Carlton Bank and Newgate Bank.
The race will make its way to Nottinghamshire for the first time since 2018, starting at West Bridgford and finishing at Mansfield, going through the 191km route between Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest.
Cotswold is the setting for stage six between Tewkesbury and Gloucester, before heading off into Dorset’s Jurassic Coast for the 180km stage seven from West Bay to Ferndown, till the finale on the Isle of Wight.
Race director Mick Bennett said: "This year’s race features a number of surprises, none more so than hill-top finishes to start and end the eight days of world-class competition."
Speaking of the route, he added: "Creating a route that encourages aggressive racing and brave tactics from day one will enhance the reputation of the race, leave the one million plus spectators watching on in person for free with long-lasting memories, showcase the stunning beauty of our host venues, and repeatedly entertain a worldwide audience."
Who’s riding in the Tour of Britain 2022?
Several recognisable names such as Mark Cavendish, Geraint Thomas, Primoz Roglic, Julian Alaphilippe, Wout Van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, Tom Dumoulin, Caleb Ewan, and Tom Boonen have previously enjoyed success at the Tour of Britain.
As of now, there are no confirmed names for the 2022 Tour of Britain rider's list, however organisers have teased that there will be "exciting announcements" coming in August - a month before the race - with a full rider list to be confirmed on Saturday, September 3.
Where can you watch Tour of Britain 2022?
The TV coverage for Tour of Britain 2022 has yet to be confirmed. Last year, ITV broadcasted the live coverage of each stage of the race, alongside their usual evening highlights package.
Given that viewership figures have gone up over the 2019 edition of the race, it's highly likely that ITV will be broadcasting this year as well.
