ANYONE watching the Tour De France on TV recently may have been left wishing they could get a taste of this thrilling, colourful, action-packed sport in the flesh.

Well now is their chance as the cycling Tour of Britain speeds through the borough on Wednesday, September 1 - complete with its very own 'king of the mountains' challenge!

Sixteen of the world's leading cycling teams are taking part in the event which returns after a five year absence and has been granted Elite status by the sport's governing body, U.C.I.

The format of the Tour will mirror its illustrious French counterpart and many of the riders will have competed in "Le Tour".

The five day event starts with Stage 1, a 120 mile round trip from Manchester, the home of British cycle sport, to Blackpool and back again. The competitors depart Manchester Sport City at 10:30am.

Local residents will have the opportunity to view the competitors as they cycle through Prestwich (approximately 10:40am) and Whitefield up the A56 Bury New Road/Manchester Road to Bury (10:50am) and then up Brandlesholme Road, Longsight Road and Bolton Road West to Ramsbottom (11:05am).

The riders will then have the gruelling climb out of the borough up The Rake and Helmshore Road as they challenge for the King of the Mountains title.

On the return leg, the cyclists enter Bury via the B6213 through Tottington, reaching Bury at 3pm and race back down the A56 to the Salford boundary. The stage ends at Urbis on Corporation Street, Manchester at 3.15pm.

With further stages in Yorkshire, the East Midlands, and South Wales, the Tour reaches its climax in Westminster, London on Sunday, September 5 .

Councillor Mike Connolly, Bury Council's Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: "We are delighted to welcome the Tour to Bury and hope that residents will come out to show their support along the route, they maybe be inspired to become the next Lance Armstrong or at least to start cycling to the shops!"