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102 riders from 17 teams took part in the 2007 race, with sixteen nationalities represented, including three British teams. Spectators in Somerset particularly enjoyed seeing two of Britain’s best riders race across the county. There were big cheers for experienced veteran Roger Hammond and newcomer and Yellow Jersey holder Mark Cavendish. After a gentle introduction to the South West stage on the Somerset Levels and through Taunton, the racers had an epic time on Exmoor. As the lure and challenge of Porlock Toll Road had been too tempting for the organisers to resist, the cyclists endured its 6 mile climb before riding to Lynmouth with beautiful moor land to the left and a 400m drop to the sea on their right. This also turned out to be the perfect backdrop for the film crews following in the helicopter above, and it was captured perfectly for the global television audience.
The second challenging climb of the day followed at Watersmeet and a third at Wheddon Cross. It is testament to the fine terrain of Exmoor that five of the six hotspots (two Sprints and three e-on King of the Mountains climbs) were located along the 50 mile stretch. The professionals were exhausted as they crossed the finish line, and if you want to find out why, check out www.activeexmoor.com to download the route and ride it for yourself! The race returns to Exmoor in 2008 and will pass through some familiar terrain, as well as pose some new challenges for the racers to endure. For visitors, a wide range of supporting events will again be on offer to enjoy. The full race information for 2008 with routes, spectator locations, travel advice and community events can be found on the Bike Somerset website at www.bikesomerset.co.uk during the weeks and months leading up to the race. Somerset County Council has committed to this exciting event for the next five years. We would like to thank you all for your magnificent support in 2007 and look forward to seeing you somewhere along the route in September 2008.
To find out more visit www.activeexmoor.com
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