Updayted: September 17, 2009
In photos: Tour of Britain cyclists speed through Burnham area
Residents gathered along roads in Wedmore, Mark and East Huntspill today (Thursday, September 17th) when dozens of cyclists taking part in the Tour of Britain sped through the Burnham-On-Sea area.
The 96 riders travelled through Wedmore, Mark and East Huntspill on their way to Bridgwater.
Hundreds of students at Mark Village School and Hugh Sexey Middle School in Wedmore cheered on the cyclists as they passed the schools at 11am.
Highlights of this stage of the race will appear on digital channel ITV4 this evening.
The riders then made their way over the Quantocks, before passing Taunton at Cotford St Luke and heading west through Wiveliscombe and crossing the border into Devon, where they finished on Bideford Town Quay. The race finished in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea last year.
The eight-stage race began in Scunthorpe last Saturday, September 12th, and finishes in London on 19th September.
Belgium’s Thomas De Gendt, racing with Topsport Vlaanderen, won maximum points in both the King of the Mountain and Sprints.
Councillor David Huxtable, Cabinet Member for Resources at Somerset County Council, said: “Somerset County Council have sponsored the Tour of Britain from 2007 to 2011 in an effort to boost the local economy and to promote cycling as a fun and healthy activity. Today’s race went really well and I am looking forward to watching the riders cross the line at the finish in Yeovil tomorrow.”
Pictured above are the cyclists, watched by excited pupils at Mark School (Photos: Burnham-On-Sea.com, Mike Taylor and Jendy Weekes)
