THE Travelwise Tour of Lancashire which is second only to the newly-established Pru Tour in stature, is due to start in Morecambe this evening at 6pm when the massive field of 120 riders contest individually over a three-mile course on the promenade.

This will sort out the first wearer of the leader's jersey before the first bunched stage on Friday which starts in Rochdale and finishes 78 miles later at Bolton Wanderers' Reebok Stadium.

There will be an excellent opportunity for East Lancs enthusiasts to spectate as the big field tackles the climb of Haslingden Grane around 11.40am after 29 miles of the stage.

On Saturday the survivors start at Bolton Town Hall for an 85-mile loop that will take them around Manchester before returning to Lancashire to finish in Astley Park, Chorley at around 1.45pm. On Sunday morning the riders again start individually to cover a 15-mile circuit based on Cockerham and the Fylde with the first rider starting at 9am and the rest at one minute intervals.

In the afternoon of the same day it is over to Accrington where one hour of excitement is promised on the short circuit based on the Town Hall beginning at 3.30pm. The final stage on Monday starts at the Camelot theme park at Charnock Richard for 89 miles again taking in Haslingden Grane at 11.20am after 42 miles before the final finish at the Manchester Velodrome after a race total of exactly 300 miles.

With almost all of Britain's top road men taking part, it would be difficult to pick a winner, but local favourite must be popular Gethin Butler of the new Men's Health team who has wins in the Tour of Guadeloupe - two small islands in the Pacific - west of Mexico - and the East Riding of Yorkshire Classic last weekend already to his name since he joined the team.

The Preston-based rider will be wearing number 25 throughout the race.

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