Stage 2: Monday, Carlisle to Kendal, 225km (140 miles)
This medium mountain-stage is the longest in the tour's history. Commencing in Carlisle city centre, the riders will have an easy time as they pass the famous Hadrian's wall heading west, but in the Lake District they face a category one climb through the Honister Pass that should see the Colombian Nairo Quintana – the Tour de France's polka dot and white jersey winner – take centre stage. A long valley run-in could still see the peloton bunch before the stage finish in Kendal
Stage 3: Tuesday, Knowsley time trial, 16km (9.95 miles)
The individual time trial around the outskirts of Liverpool finishes in Knowsley Safari Park. The route should favour Olympic time trial champion Bradley Wiggins and the Giro time trial winner Alex Dowsett with fast, flowing roads outside of the safari park and flat bends within the park
Stage 4: Wednesday, Stoke-on-Trent to Llanberis, 191km (119 miles)
The Welsh hills come into play on this stage. The peloton will begin, for a fifth consecutive year, at Stoke-on-Trent before travelling west through the mountains of North Wales. It is here where some riders may start to find things tough with the category two climbs of Groes and Llansannan before a category three climb Pen-Y-Pass in the shadow of Snowdon, 10 kilometres from the finish and then the descent into Llanberis
Stage 5: Thursday, Machynlleth to Caerphilly, 177km (110 miles)
Arguably the most gruelling stage of the tour stays entirely within the Welsh borders as it crosses the Brecon Beacons with riders tackling four category one climbs. For a third successive year, Caerphilly Mountain will be the showpiece of the stage with a double ascent of the category one climb 15km before the finish at Caerphilly Castle
Stage 6: Friday, Sidmouth to Haytor, 137km (85miles)
Devon plays host to the sixth stage of the tour that begins on the coast. Again, it is the finish that will be pivotal with a mountain-top climax at Haytor on Dartmoor – the first summit finish in the Tour of Britain – offering a great chance for Quintana to take another stage win
Stage 7: Saturday, Epsom Racecourse to Guildford, 150km (93 miles)
This might be expected to be a flat stage but while there is little altitude, the route is packed with categorised climbs with the last of them being the narrow and hideously steep Barhatch Lane, which, while not particularly long at 2.5km, features gradients of 21%. Barhatch Lane does, however, feature 100km before the finish so riders may be able to recoup time lost in the flatter and quicker second part of the stage, although the cobbles at the finish in Guildford could prove difficult if wet
Stage 8: Sunday, Whitehall (start and finish), 88km (55 miles)
London returns to the Tour of Britain after missing out last year. The capital plays host to the final stage, a 10-lap race on an 8.8km circuit that takes in the Palace of Westminster and the Tower of London with Cavendish expected to feature heavily in the sprint finish. A one-hour women's race will be contested in the morning before the men's race after lunch.
heading for the cat.1 climb of Honister Pass
