Tour of Britain 2008 - London Grand Prix

The London Grand Prix will once again support the opening stage of this year’s Tour of Britain, based on a grandstand circuit at the heart of central London, on Sunday 7th September.

Westminster Circuit

As a round of the Elite Men’s Circuit Race Series, the London Grand Prix will provide an action packed curtain raiser to the main event, Stage One of The Tour of Britain.

The event returns to the streets of central London, after being held last year at Crystal Palace, ahead of the Prologue of The 2007 Tour of Britain.

The flag will drop at 10.30, with an hours racing taking place over the shorter ‘criterium circuit’, before the winner is decided in front of spectators at the start finish line on Victoria Embankment.

The Elite Men’s Circuit Race Series focuses on fast, technical criteriums based across the country in towns like Stone, Rochdale and Blackpool. The London Grand Prix forms the penultimate round of a series, which usually goes down to the wire at its finale in Warwick a week later.

So far in 2008 Rapha – Condor – Recycling.co.uk’s Dean Downing has been the man to beat, but like 2007 winner Malcolm Elliott he’s due to contest The Tour of Britain, opening the way for Rapha youngsters Simon Holt (whose older brother Ian won the 2004 event) and Graham Briggs who currently lie second and third in the standings, and Ian Wilkinson, winner of the last round of the series, the Colne GP in July.

Website - www.tourofbritain.co.uk

TV
ITV4 will broadcast a nightly highlights programme between 19.00 and 20.00, each night of The Tour of Britain

Stages
7 September Stage 1 London Circuit
8 September Stage 2 Milton Keynes to Newbury
9 September Stage 3 Chard to Burnham-on-Sea
10 September Stage 4 Worcester to Stoke-on-Trent
11 September Stage 5 Hull to Dalby Forest
12 September Stage 6 Darlington to NewcastleGateshead
13 September Stage 7 Glasgow Green to Dumfries & Galloway
14 September Stage 8 Blackpool to Liverpool

The Teams
Agritubel
An Post – M.Donnelly – Grant Thornton – Sean Kelly Cycling Team
Barloworld
Great Britain
MTN Energade
Palmeiras Resort - Tavira
Pinarello RT – Candi TV
Plowman Craven Cycling Team
Rapha – Condor – Recycling.co.uk
Rock Racing
SouthAustralia.com - AIS
Team CSC – Saxo Bank
Team Columbia
Team Garmin – Chipotle presented by H30
Topsport Vlaanderen
TBA