Newmarket — Aldeburgh

Another flatlands journey today, as the Tour of Britain heads from the horse-racing town of Newmarket out to the Suffolk coast. Otherwordly performances are nothing new in cycling, but we pass through Rendlesham Forest, home of a worldfamous spate of UFO sightings in 1980, so watch out for any today. Andy Hawes: “Only one KOM again today, but it’s near the end and any breakaway might well have been reeled in beforehand so there could be a fight for the points at the top.

“The finish in Aldeburgh is different from what we’ve seen in recent years at the Women’s Tour, due to the amount of infrastructure that the Tour of Britain needs, so we’ve got the line right in the town centre. The finish drops down, then turns right, and is then a drag up the high street, so it should see a good battle.

“There’s also a decent chance of crosswinds, so that will be something to keep an eye on as they could certainly disrupt even the best-laid plans.”

PLACES TO WATCH

The town centre finish should be spectacular today, but if you want to see the riders out on the course why not see them at Framlingham? The pretty market town is sure to be en fête for the occasion, and the nearby Framlingham Castle, run by English Heritage, could be combined with the race for a fun day out.

DID YOU KNOW?

Today’s finish town of Aldeburgh was the home of the composer Benjamin Britten, and still plays host to the Aldeburgh Arts Festival that he founded.