Tour of Britain Finale
Useful Downloads: Tour Map, Route and Road Closures
Liverpool will be the finishing line for the UK's most exciting cycle race this season.
The tour, which pedals through 15 venues countrywide, begins in London on September 7 and winds its way over hill and down dale to Liverpool eight days later.
There will be 16 teams of six riders invited to take part. The 2008 route is a tough one, with windswept costal lanes, steep narrow climbs and much more.
The first stage takes place in London, moving on from Milton Keynes to picturesque Newbury on the second day. The dramatic terrain of Devon and Somerset will provide a challenge for stage three, as the riders tackle a route from Chard through to Burnham on Sea for the first ever costal stage finish.
The riders will begin stage 4 in Worcester then head to Stoke-on-Trent for the first time. Yorkshire has been a fixture on the tour since the first race in 2004, and stages 5 will see riders take a narrow, twisty route with steep climbs and descent from Hull to Dalby Forest.
The tour will also visit the North East for the first time this year, from Darlington to Tyneside.
Glasgow will host the penultimate stage, ending in Dumfries & Galloway.
After racing south from Blackpool, the final stage will end with an hour racing around the city centre circuit in Liverpool.
The riders will depart from Blackpool's Southern Promenade close to the Sandcastle for the final 110km (68 mile) stage of the race, hugging the coast of the Irish Sea through Lytham St Annes before heading inland up the Ribble Valley to Preston, where the race will cross the River Ribble.
From Preston the stage heads across the West Lancashire Coastal Plain to Southport for the first Hot Spot Sprint of the day on the seafront. The stage then continues via Formby to enter Liverpool through Crosby and Bootle.
Once in the European Capital of Culture, The Tour will complete six laps of a city centre based circuit, giving fans several opportunities to see the closing stages of the 2008 Tour of Britain.
The field will contest two Hot Spot Sprints at the finish line on The Strand, while the final three E.ON King of the Mountains climbs are located on Churchill Way at the top of the circuit.
With a circuit passing familiar landmarks like the Three Graces, the Town Hall and the Walker Art Gallery, it's sure to be a spectacular finish to the race, with plenty of opportunities for spectators to get a great view point.
ITV4 will broadcast a nightly highlights programme between 19.00 and 20.00, each night of The Tour of Britain.
Download the Tour of Britain map and Tour of Britain Route and Road Closures Guide
Visit www.tourofbritain.co.uk for more information.
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
