The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Rides

02.07.2009

Join in the fun and excitement of the international Tour of Britain cycle race this September with the first ever Tour Ride mass participation events.  Two complete stages of the 2009 route have been selected to give cyclists of all abilities the chance to preview the race and its scenery whilst sharing the sense of achievement experienced by professional riders on this year’s Tour of Britain.

The Tour Ride, a partnership between The Tour of Britain and The Prostate Cancer Charity, provides a unique opportunity for riders of all ages to experience the exact start, finish and route of the race, test themselves against professional standards and raise money and awareness for a hugely important cause.

A selection of professionally organised rides have been designed to create a memorable day out for the whole family, whether you are seasoned rider looking for a goal to set your sights on, or just prefer a leisurely spin with the family.

A week later you can catch the action alongside the road or on ITV4 as the professionals compete to win The Tour of Britain. The Tour Ride offers everyone the opportunity to not just watch it, but ride it!

The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Rides - 6 September 2009
Entry has now opened for The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride; the first event of its kind to be organised in the UK, offering members of the public the chance to get on their bikes and ride the official Stoke-on-Trent stage of the Tour of Britain race. The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride in Stoke-on-Trent is a unique opportunity for amateur riders to challenge themselves, their friends and families, by testing themselves against top professional cycling standards.

There are three different rides, offering something for everyone, regardless of their cycling ability or fitness. Riders in the Pro Tour Ride, Challenge Tour Ride and the Family Ride will all begin their rides from under The Tour of Britain gantry at the Britannia Stadium, the iconic home of Stoke City FC, just like the professionals will during stage 5 of the prestigious Tour of Britain race. Every element of the event mirrors The Tour route, from start and finish venues to the feed stations, neutral service and road signage.
 
The Pro Tour Ride
This ride takes in all 145km of the Stoke-on-Trent stage of this year’s Tour of Britain, providing an exclusive opportunity for amateur riders to test themselves along the challenging, undulating course on which the world’s top professionals will do battle, during The Tour of Britain stage 5, the following week.
 
We took ex Paris Roubaix winner, Magnus Backstedt out on the route earlier this year to get his opinion on it and he said, "I think that the ‘not-a-metre-flat’ character of the course will take its toll on the pro riders by the end of Stage Five."  Backstedt was of course talking about the pro riders who will line up to ride The Tour of Britain 2009, so you can just imagine how much of a challenge The Pro Tour Ride will be for the amateur cyclist.  Sign up to ride in the Pro Tour Ride and see for yourself how hard the professionals have it!
 
The Challenge Tour Ride
At 70km, the Challenge Tour Ride will be a great way to take on friends and family over a route that still encompasses much of The Tour of Britain stage. The ride follows exactly the same route as the Pro Tour Ride until approximately the 45km mark, just after Millwich.
 
The Family Tour Ride
The Family Tour Ride is a fun 18km ride for all the family, allowing groups of all abilities to enjoy the scenic Staffordshire countryside together, whilst helping to fight prostate cancer.
 

The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride - 19 September 2009
There is also The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride which takes place on the morning of the final stage of The Tour of Britain 2009, on Saturday 19 September. There are limited places available for cyclists of all ablities to ride two laps of the iconic Tour of Britain London circuit (which will be closed to all traffic) as the atmosphere builds, just before the professionals race to decide the overall winner of The Tour of Britain 2009.   

There will be a carnival spirit involving celebrities, politicians and weird and wonderful bikes. All participants are encouraged to dress up in fancy dress, customise their bikes and have fun while raising money and awareness for The Prostate Cancer Charity.
 
With many other exciting plans for the day, The Prostate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride will be an amazing spectacle, and a fititng way to welcome the final stage of The Tour of Britain into London.

To register for one of The Tour Rides, or for your chance to be one of the lucky applicants to take part in the London Tour Ride, please visit www.unitebycycling.org.uk for more details.