Whilst the Tour of Britain event has been spectacular from the start, the finish promises to be phenomenal with the Tour of Britain London stage of the cycle race making up the final stretch of the race which has been divided into eight stages.

Tour of Britain vital statistics
Widely regarded as the UK's greatest professional cycle race, the Tour of Britain consists of eight stages that ends with the Tour of Britain London event on Saturday 19th September 2009. A true test of stamina and endurance, the Tour of Britain event starts in Yorkshire and Humber and travels through Scotland, the West Midlands, Somerset and Devon before ending in Liverpool on 19th September, so expect eager and determined faces from all the cyclists who want to make it to the finishing line.

Elite cyclists compete
Whilst you may marvel at the sheer speed at which the competitors race past after eight days on the road, you can take some comfort from the fact that the Tour of Britain competitors are all professionals. Some of the world's elite cycle teams will be pedalling furiously to the finishing line past some of the most impressive monuments in the capital. Stage eight sees the Tour of Britain London race route include impressive sights along the way. London landmarks the cyclists will be pedalling past include Tower Bridge, St Pauls Cathedral and Big Ben.

Stage 8 of Tour of Britain 2009
Stage 8 is the final stage and as such the Tour of Britain London race promises to be a memorable occasion, not least because it takes place amidst growing anticipation and preparation for the 2012 London Olympics. Make sure you plan your viewing spot in advance to ensure that you don't miss any of the fast paced pedalling.

Grand finale
The ten lap, 92km London leg of the race starts in Whitehall at 2pm, with the route taking cyclists east from Whitehall Place, past Downing Street, along the Victoria Embankment and past Cleopatra's Needle and Somerset House. After climing Tower Hill, the cyclists will turn around at the Tower of London and return to the Whitehall start point. Three hot sprints will take place on laps 3, 5 and 7 at 2.37pm, 3.03pm, and 3.28pm, with the race expected to finish around 4pm.

Cycling Tour events
During the day several events will be taking place in the capital in addition to the professionals' race including a Prostrate Cancer Charity London Tour Ride. The charity bike ride is open to non professionals, who have the chance to race on the Tour of Britain track before the main event of the day. Expect to see crazy costumes, outlandish bikes, and a pedalling celebrity or two at the fundraiser; click on the link below for more information on how to enter the race.

Tour of Britain Official Site

The Tour of Britain London race takes place on Saturday 19th September 2009. The cycle race starts from Whitehall at approximately 2pm, and finishes back there at approximately 4pm. The event is free to attend.