Tweed Wheelers

Stage Four sees The Tour of Britain return to Wales, for a testing route that looks likely to be one of the toughest tests of the 2011 route.

Beginning in the heart of Mid-Wales at the National Trust’s Powis Castle, on the outskirts of Welshpool, the neutralised start to the day will take riders away from the spectacular backdrop of the castle and through the centre of Welshpool, before heading out to Leighton and the official start.

The route then climbs gently to Forden, the first of many uncategorised climbs during the 182 kilometre test, and on to Montgomery, tucked just inside the Welsh border with England.

Stage Four then descends back to the Severn Valley and onto Newtown, the host venue for last year’s Welsh stage, which this year’s welcomes the first Yodel Sprint of the day, close to the golf club on the A483.

Here the roads will become familiar to riders who contested 2010’s Stage Three from Newtown to Swansea, as the road climbs up the long climb of Gwynant, featuring a switchback near the top that provides a spectacular viewing point for spectators.

The stage descends with the River Ithon and continues to roll as it twists and turns its way along the narrow river valley, through Crossgates and onto Llandrindod Wells. Home to the National Cycle Collection (http://www.cyclemuseum.org.uk/), Llandrindod Wells once again sees an intermediate bonus sprint take place, with the Yodel Sprint coming in the town centre close to the museum and the Metropole Hotel.

Stage Four continues on through Powys to the ancient market town of Builth Wells, passing the Royal Welsh Showground and crossing the famous six arched bridge built in 1775. Here the race crosses from one old county to another, heading from Radnorshire into Breconshire, signalling that the Brecon Beacons National Park is on the doorstep.

Following the Hay Road, the route hugs the Rivery Wye tightly in a narrow, wooded valley, which gradually opens as it reaches Llyswen. Here the stage turns right and onto the day’s first categorised, Skoda King of the Mountains climb of Llyswen Hill, taking The Tour of Britain onto the A438 and towards Brecon.

Having already crossed famous rivers such as the Severn and Wye, in Brecon The Tour crosses the Usk, passing through the centre of Powys’ third largest town, a popular centre for tourists exploring the nearby Brecon Beacons National Park.

From the centre of Brecon the route looks up to the highest point of the 2011 Tour of Britain, atop the Skoda King of the Mountains climb of the Brecon Beacons at 439 metres. A long seven kilometre climb takes the race up the Glyn Tarell valley, hugging the right hand side after the junction with the A4215 with the summit by the Storey Arms clearly visible for some time.

This open valley will not only give riders a tantalising glimpse of the top, but also allow spectators at the summit an ‘Alpine style’ experience, with the race clearly visible below for some time as it makes its way up the valley towards the summit. The long climb should prove ideal for teams and riders looking to make an initial selection before the finale on Caerphilly Mountain.

Once over the summit the route descends, initially on the A470 and then on the A4059 in a fast descent down to Hirwaun in the Rhondda Cynon Taff region. Valley roads take the stage onwards, through Aberdare and Mountain Ash, host to the day’s final Yodel Sprint.

After Abercynon the road rises again via Nelson, before another fast descent through Ystrad Mynach, past the Parc Penalta and Sultan the pit pony, the UK’s largest figurative earth sculpture at more than 200 metres long.

Back roads lead the race through Llanbradach towards Caerphilly in its closing kilometres. Reaching Caerphilly itself the stage passes to the east of the world famous castle, heading up through the town centre towards the menacing presence of Caerphilly Mountain.

At just under three kilometres, the ‘Col de Caerphilly’, as it is known locally will prove a turning point in the 2011 Tour of Britain, with the 12% slopes of the Skoda King of the Mountains climb set to help shape the destination of the stage win and the IG Markets Gold Jersey after Stage Four.

The road drags up through Caerphilly, before kicking up beyond the railway station. Respite is only brief before a right hand bend turns and two further stretches of leg sapping skywards asphalt are unleashed. A final left hand semi-hairpin will make for a great spectating spot, just yards from the café at the summit high above the finish in Caerphilly.

From the top there are just 4.9 kilometres to the finish line on Crescent Road, the majority downhill. These final kilometres are likely to shape the stage, with the climbers hoping to maintain any advantage gained on the ascent all the way to the line, while those riders dropped on Mountain Road will be using the descent to minimise any time losses and to regain ground.

Whoever comes out on top outside the castle will have won a hard fought stage, and is likely to be amongst the contenders for overall Tour of Britain victory and the IG Markets Gold Jersey.

The Tour of Britain 2011 – The Race – Stage 4 Route.