Updayted: September 17, 2009
Olympic gold medalist to cycle through Burnham area in Tour of Britain
Britain’s triple Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins will be cycling through the Burnham-On-Sea area today (Thursday, September 17th) when he competes in the 2009 Tour of Britain.
The first day of the South West Stage of the race will see the 96 riders travel through Wedmore, Mark and East Huntspill on their way to Bridgwater (as shown on the map above).
All 800 students at Hugh Sexey Middle School in Wedmore will be cheering on the race as it passes their school at approximately 11am.
And the racers will speed through Mark and East Huntspill a few minutes later.
Bradley Wiggins, pictured, who equalled the best ever result by a Briton by finishing fourth in this year’s Tour de France, will lead the Garmin Slipstream team.
The riders will make 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 will finish on Bideford Town Quay – a total of 187km in all. The race finished in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea last year.
Garmin Slipstream are among thirteen teams to announce that they will be taking part in the eight-stage race began in Scunthorpe last Saturday, September 12th, and finishes in London on 19th September.
Cllr David Huxtable, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “It is a privilege for Somerset and Devon to host two days of this world famous event.”
“We are confident that this year’s South West stages are going to provide some excellent entertainment for residents and tourists alike, especially with top professional cyclists such as Bradley Wiggins taking part.”
