Route

Once again The Tour of Britain will culminate in an fast-paced action pack stage in the capital, with this year’s final stage being hosted by the Olympic and Para Olympic Borough of Newham.

Starting and finishing on Royal Albert Way outside the London Borough of Newham’s offices on Newham Dockside, also the location for a free cycling festival, the stage will then take in eight clockwise laps of the circuit before the final sprint of the 2010 Tour of Britain.

For those who aren’t too keen on cycling there’ll be plenty to do on the day including a foodie’s dream day out at the Newham London Waterfront Festival. From 11am-9pm Royal Victoria Dock will host a food festival with stallholders from across London among local producers.

The day’s activity will conclude with a fantastic firework display at 8.45pm. So come along and make a day of it; enjoy good food, drink and the special atmosphere generated by the final stage of The Tour.

Swinging left onto Connaught Bridge the peloton will race past the end of the runway at London City Airport and across the end of Royal Victoria Dock, the largest of the three docks in the Royal Docks and now a home to a number of watersports activities.

The circuit continues along North Woolwich Road passing Thames Barrier Park, from where the Thames Barrier, the world’s second largest movable flood barrier, stretches out across the River Thames. Officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in May 1984, the barrier spans a 520 metre wide section of the Thames with the purpose of protecting London from being flooded by storms or exceptional high tides.

Running alongside the famous Docklands Light Railway the route heads up to and over the Lower Lea Crossing to the western most tip of the circuit, just across the River Thames from the 02 Arena. After making the turn Stage Eight’s route heads back across the River Lea and alongside the Royal Victoria Dock and towards ExCeL London, the international exhibition and conference centre.

After running through Royal Victoria Square, location for the Newham London Waterfront Festival, and around ExCeL, The Tour heads back onto Royal Albert Way, back past the start/finish line and around the Gallions Reach roundabout.

Just after the turn will pass the Docklands Campus of The University of East London, with its stunning waterfront setting – London’s first new university campus to be built in over half a century when it was opened by the Mayor of London on his first day in office in 2000.

From the university there are just several hundred metres to the line to complete a lap of the circuit. The finish line will be the place to watch on the final lap, as The Tour of Britain comes to a head with one final sprint to the line, but over the first few laps why not explore the historic London Docklands and find out just what Newham has to offer.

(All timings approximate)