Colchester-Saffron Walden   

Essex tour begins in Colchester, with the fresh-faced riders heading past Bury St Edmonds, skirting the edge of Cambridge before heading back down to the relative academic safety of Essex and the finish in Saffron-Walden.

The route has few long climbs but what it lacks in length it makes up for in gradient and number. The early hills will test the legs and supply a springboard for an early break away to form, but the ...

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Essex tour begins in Colchester, with the fresh-faced riders heading past Bury St Edmonds, skirting the edge of Cambridge before heading back down to the relative academic safety of Essex and the finish in Saffron-Walden.

The route has few long climbs but what it lacks in length it makes up for in gradient and number. The early hills will test the legs and supply a springboard for an early break away to form, but the peloton will stay together at first. As the day goes on, the hills will seem steeper and lactic acid builds up fragmenting the field. It will take determination and plenty of ability both in the hills and in flat sections for riders to stay at the head of the field.

The finish in Saffron-Walden is not steep but pure sprinters are likely to have been left behind long ago and the prestigious finish will be fought out between the strongest riders on the day or even a lucky breakaway rider. Crucial time gaps here will set the scene for the rest of the tour.