Cockermouth – Whinlatter Pass

This is the stage that caught the eye when it was first announced. It’s both the first team time trial the race has ever hosted and a very unusual parcours for a top-level bike race. Last year, World Championship organisers in Bergen were criticised for plotting a time trial route that finished with a big climb. Riders had the choice of ditching their time trial bikes before the climb and jumping onto a road bike, and it turned what is often a dull spectacle into something more enjoyable.

The stage is split into two, with a flat 7km into Whinlatter, followed by the climb to the summit of the pass. The climb is nothing as severe as the one in Bergen, however – the final 5km at 4 per cent should see teams – effective ones, at any rate – able to keep their shape.

DIRECTOR’S COMMENTARY

Andy Hawes: “We were looking to do something a bit different. We have a great relationship with Cumbria, who was receptive to the idea. I’m no climber at almost 90kg and was surprised how easy I found this side of Whinlatter. The pros will smash their way up it. Some of the smaller teams might go for standard road bikes but the teams targeting the general classification will be on full time trial rigs. For the first 7km it’s flat on wide roads, so you’re going to benefit from an aero tuck. Even on parts of Whinlatter there are dips in the road where aerodynamics are important. Normally team time trials have to be in the first third of a race, to ensure, as much as possible, that teams haven’t lost lots of riders, but we’ve had UCI permission to have it on stage five.”