TENSION is building across Uttoxeter as Britain’s biggest cycle race travels through the area tomorrow featuring one of the country’s Olympic heroes.
Tour de France winner and five-time Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins will ride through Uttoxeter along with fellow Team Sky team mate Mark Cavendish as the Tour of Britain makes its way through the town.
The fifth stage of the annual event begins and ends in Stoke on Trent but during its 147km distance the riders will travel over Blithfield Reservoir for the first time for what is sure to be a spectacular sight.
The race will then travel down the A518 Stafford Road where a Yodel Sprint will take place outside The Plough pub in Uttoxeter at around noon.
Contrary to previous reports the riders will then travel up Hockley Road over the railway crossing, before turning left into Oldfields Road past the leisure centre before turning right on to Smithfield Road.
The race will then, as it did 12 months ago, travel down past the bus station in Bradley Street, before turning down Dove Bank past Thomas Alleyne’s High School, then left across the Dove Way flyover before turning right towards Rocester.
The next Yodel Sprint will take place at 12.11pm outside the world-famous JCB headquarters before the riders head left to go through Denstone and then up Alton Road to go through Alton village for the first time before the race heads into the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands before finishing back in Stoke.
Staffordshire County Council communities’ leader Councillor Pat Corfield said the council was proud to welcome the riders to the county but also reminded spectators to be careful when watching the race.
She said: “People across the county turned out to see the Olympic torch relay and supported the Paralympic celebrations in the region, so I am sure residents will turn out to see the cyclists.
“It is a great chance get a glimpse of Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish in action right on our doorstep.
“But I would remind everyone that the roads will be open to normal traffic so spectators need to pick a safe place to watch the race as there may be passing traffic in front and behind the cyclists.” There will be no complete road closures during the event, but effectively there will be a ‘rolling closure’ as the group is escorted through the area by police motorcyclists.
Uttoxeter and the surrounding villages may also receive some national television exposure through the event with live coverage and highlights of the stage being broadcast on ITV4 and streamed online through the ITV website.
