The Tour of Britain is the UK's biggest bike race and it's coming back for its 18th edition this month, visiting Dorset along the way.

The races will be visiting the region this Saturday, September 10 for the first time in the penultimate stage of their 2022 cycle race.

Dorset will be stage seven of the tour and will run parallel with the West Dorset Heritage coast before passing through Dorchester, West Lulworth and Corfe Castle. 

And fans of the cycling world are invited to visit the route to watch the racers as they cycle past.

Dorset Echo: Tour of Britain: When does it come through Dorset? (Canva)Tour of Britain: When does it come through Dorset? (Canva) (Image: UGC)

If you are a fan of cycling, you're in luck as we have all the information on how you can catch the elite cyclists flying by.

What is the Tour of Britain?

The Tour of Britain is an eight-stage men's professional road cycling stage race, which will be the 81st since it began, and the 18th version in the modern format.

It first took place after World War Two and was part of the UCI Europe Tour before becoming part of the UCI ProSeries in 2020.

Now this year, it returns to Yorkshire for the first time since 2009 and will pass through Dorset for the first time this year too.

When is the Tour of Britain coming to Dorset?

You can catch the Tour of Britain coming through Dorset on Saturday, September 10 where the race begins at 11am in West Bay and will finish around 3pm in Ferndown.

What is the Tour of Britain route for Dorset?

Starting in West Bay, the tour will follow the cost going through Weymouth before going more inland for a checkpoint at Dorchester.

It then moves towards Daggers Gate towards Whiteways Hill before going past Corfe Castle and heading for Wareham.

Moving inland for the next point, the group head for Okeford Hill before aiming for Knowlton and finally hitting the finish line in Ferndown near Poole.

Where are the best places to watch the Tour of Britain in Dorset? 

You can catch the cyclists along the route with a number of spots created for viewers to safely watch the race. 

Those areas are: 

  • Common Lane, Burton Bradstock (peloton expected around 11:15am)
  • High West/East Street, Dorchester (12:05pm)
  • Daggers Gate, West Lulworth (12:32pm)
  • Whiteways Hill, Tyneham (12:43pm)
  • South/West Street, Wareham (1:02pm)
  • Okeford Hill, Blandford Forum (1:39pm)
  • Knowlton, Wimborne (2:36pm).

However, not all spots have pavements so you should head down early to get a good spot whilst staying away from the roads.

Find out more information on the Tour of Britain website.