Outside Manchester   

Starting from the Manchester velodrome, home of British Cycling. The race heads east before crossing the Pennines twice to finish in Oldham, one of the great mill towns of the industrial revolution.

Immediately upon the starting the race the peloton goes past the home ground and training complex of Manchester City Football Club before setting out towards Ashton-under-Lyne. Out of Ashton the cyclists will follow signs ...

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Starting from the Manchester velodrome, home of British Cycling. The race heads east before crossing the Pennines twice to finish in Oldham, one of the great mill towns of the industrial revolution.

Immediately upon the starting the race the peloton goes past the home ground and training complex of Manchester City Football Club before setting out towards Ashton-under-Lyne. Out of Ashton the cyclists will follow signs towards Mossley taking them up a sharp hill that gives the riders a view of Hartshead Pike a small tower built as a beacon back in the 16th century.

After a steep descent into Mossley the race heads out towards the picturesque villages of Saddleworth. After going the length of Uppermill High Street (a popular viewing point) the route follows the Huddersfield Narrow Canal to Diggle. Just a few km up this canal is the Standedge Tunnel that at 5km long it is the longest canal tunnel in the U.K.

Out of Diggle the route follows the A670 up a hill that will give the riders their first taste of the Pennines, it's only 3.5km long and only 6% but it allows the favourites to stretch their legs for the first time. At the top of this (where there is a burnt down pub) they turn left and immediately lose all the height they've just gained as the riders go down to Delph. It was here that the brass band competition from the film Brassed Off was both set and filmed.

From Delph the route takes us up the Denshaw and then onto Huddersfield Road and across the Pennines. This ascent is set in rolling landscape and on a good day is truly the most amazing part of the race, it is this ascent that draws in the cycling aficionados.

Once this climb has been dealt with the riders descend to go over the M62 to get to Ripponden, it is here that the race properly begins as the Yorkshire Town lies at the bottom of the final hill. The riders turn into the A672 to tackle the longest uphill so far, the peloton will be fracturing as the pace is increased on the hill as the favourites try to chase down the inevitable breakaway.

At the top of this climb the riders return under the M62 to find themselves at the top, marked by an imposing signal mast. The descent from here is not challenging in itself but with Manchester's rainy weather and regular sheep sightings on the road there is no chance for the riders to relax. We get brought back into Denshaw and immediately embark on a short climb to Grains Bar this is the final chance to drop the sprinters and so is raced at the max. After this burst of effort the race has a gentle descent into Oldham if the race hasn't fractured the lead out trains come to the fore and try to dictate the race.

At Oldham the race goes onto Yorkshire Street, this straight piece of tarmac with a 4% gradient is the scene of the final sprint because after just 500m the race finishes at the newly constructed Parliament Square. This is the site of the Old Town Hall where Winston Churchill was first elected to parliament.