Tour of Britain is a very well-known cycling event that takes part on the roads of the UK over several stages and a mind-blowing total of 1321km. Tour of Britain 2017 will take place between the 3rd and 10th of September and the cyclist that gets to the finish with the best overall time wins the title.

Tour of Britain Route Map and History

The current version of the race dates back only to 2004 because until then there were so many different versions and names for the event.

The route map for this year’s competition was recently published and OddsDigger can confirm that it starts in Edinburgh, and ends as a premiere in the Welsh capital, Cardiff. There are 8 stages in between these two capitals there total over 1300km hosted by different cities in the Great Britain.

Tour of Britain 2017 Stages and Schedule

1. Edinburgh to Kelso – 3rd of September, 10:30 AM

   

   The first stage has a total of 188km and will be a nice test for riders as there is some elevation right from the start. This opening stage is relatively flat with an altitude difference of only 600 feet so it is a good opportunity for sprinters to get a nice head-start.

2. Kielder Water & Forest Park to Blyth – 4th of September, 10:15 AM

   

   Tour of Britain route continues with the second stage starting at Kielder Water and Forest Park all the way to Blyth. With a total length at over 211km, this is the longest stage of The Tour. Being the longest stage of the race, sprinters and rouleurs are favourites here again, like Fernando Gaviria who also managed to win a very similar stage back in 2015. The flat finish of the second stage will make it very likely for a squadron gallop.

3. Normanby Hall Country Park to Scunthorpe – 5th of September, 11:00 AM

   

   Day 3 comes with an 182-kilometre test in North Lincolnshire, making this the first time when this area hosts an entire stage. The third stage also brings the biggest transfer as the route shifts sides from the North-East of the UK down to Normanby. Again, this seems like another good day for the sprinters considering there are no summit finishes in which the climbers can show their skills.

4. Mansfield to Newark-on-Trent, 6th of September, 10:45 AM

   

   Another premiere in the Tour of Britain 2017 route map is the stage 4 that is being hosted exclusively by Nottinghamshire for a total 175km. Finally, a day for the climbers to benefit from. With its overall fluctuating altitudes and a bit of a rise towards the finish, it’s the first time the non-sprinters can take advantage.

5. Tendring Individual time Trial – 7th of September, 12:01 PM

   

   The time trial has the start and finish line in Clacton-on-Sea for a total of 16km on an open course by the sea. Being a flat race it should be another great opportunity for sprinters but there are also a few very technical sections that may cause problems. All things considered, it looks like the specialists will take full advantage of this time trial.

6. Newmarket to Aldeburgh– 8th of September, 10:30 AM

   

   The sixth of Tour of Britain 2017 stages will take place in Suffolk for the first time. And the whole course will have a total of 183km until the finish in Aldeburgh. Yet another that is generally flat with only over 1 km of uphill action that favours the sprinters.

7. Hemel Hempstead to Cheltenham – 9th of September, 10:30 AM

   

   The penultimate stage of the race has a total 186km and it also brings us a 10-kilometres mountain climb right before the finish. This is definitely the toughest stage of the week with almost 2.5km of climbing and constant up and down throughout all the 186km. This makes it a real chance for the rouleurs to put some distance between them and the peloton.

8. Worcester to Cardiff – 10th of September

   

   Tour of Britain 2017 will finish in Wales for the first time in history and that’s not all that is special about this final stage. It seems that the final of the tour brings a little joy for climbers again, with 2km of ascent towards the middle of the whole course. Even though there’s some joy for climbers, the finish is flat which could indicate a sprint finish.

Previous Winners of the Tour of Britain Race

Even if it is called Tour of Britain and takes place on the territory of the UK since its revival in 2004 British cyclists only managed to win it twice.

Winners of the Tour of Britain Race in the Past

• 2004 Mauricio Ardila (COL)
• 2005 Nick Nuyens (BEL)
• 2006 Martin Pedersen (DEN)
• 2007 Romain Feillu (FRA)
• 2008 Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA)
• 2009 Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR)
• 2010 Michael Albasini (SUI)
• 2011 Lars Boom (NED)
• 2012 Nathan Haas (AUS)
• 2013 Bradley Wiggins (GBR)
• 2014 Dylan van Baarle (NED)
• 2015 Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR)
• 2016 Steve Cummings (GBR)

Best Stage Times and Records

Since the overall length of the race changes from year to year, it is very difficult to establish a ranking of results. Clearly stating that a certain time is a record is just as difficult. Be that as it may, what Dylan van Baarle did in 2014 with a total time of 29h 35’ 22” on a total of 1375km is really outstanding

All You Need to Know Regarding the Tour of Britain Betting

Like any sporting event, Tour of Britain 2017 is a very good opportunity for players around the world to bet and take advantage of the odds sportsbooks make available. In case you’ve never done this, OddsDigger is here to help.

Since the Tour of Britain route was just announced, it is a bit early to talk about exact odds. Providing accurate data when it comes to each rider is very important. It is known that Tour of Britain is a very hard race and the favourites can easily lose that position.

Cycling Betting for Beginners – Tips and Tricks

Of course, betting on the winner is only a small part of the options made available by big sportsbooks like William Hill, Paddy Power or Ladbrokes. You can choose the winner of each stage or the winner of the climbing sections or even the top speed a certain rider will reach.

Tour of Britain 2017 Predictions of Possible Winners

After seeing the Tour of Britain route for 2017 it is clear that with the absence of summit finishes and overall flat surfaces, the sprinters and rouleurs have first chance. And this couldn’t be more of great news for cyclists like Steve Cummings from Team Dimension Data. Or Rohan Dennis from BMC Racing Team that would be favourites even without taking 1st and 2nd place last year.

Even though we don’t have a final list of participants, it’s safe to say that Tour of Britain 2017 will keep fans on the edge of their seats for sure. The route is outstanding, the organisers proved edition after edition that everything will go perfect and the crowd is just fantastic.