Uttlesford Tour de France route revealed

The route stage 3 of the 2014 Tour de France will take through Uttlesford. (Image: Archant)

Organisers of the world’s greatest cycle race have announced that the third stage, departing from Cambridge on July 7, will take in Saffron Walden, Radwinter, The Sampfords and Felsted on its way towards London.

The peloton will arrive in the town via Windmill Hill, before continuing down High Street, turning left on to George Street, travelling up Hill Street and then out towards Radwinter via East Street and the B1053. It will also pass through Finchingfield.

It coincides with Saffron Walden Carnival, an eight-day spectacular which will run from July 4-12.

As in the Olympic road race, the stage is to finish on The Mall, in front of Buckingham Palace.

The 101st tour will begin in Leeds with the Grand Depart on Saturday, July 5. Riders will head north west into the Yorkshire countryside, taking in the Yorkshire Dales before finishing the opening stage in Harrogate.

York hosts the start of stage two, which is to pass through Keighley and Huddersfield on the way to Sheffield, before the race moves to Cambridge for the final leg in Britain.

Beginning in Gonville Place, by Parker’s Piece, the peloton will ride through Cambridge via Regent Street and Sidney Street before turning left at the Round Church.

Riders will then travel past the colleges of St John’s, Trinity and King’s as they cycle along King’s Parade and Trumpington Street before leaving the city via Trumpington Road.

The peloton is set to race through the rest of Cambridgeshire via the A1301 taking in the villages of Trumpington, Great Shelford and Hinxton.

The 23-day Tour then heads to France ahead of its usual climax on the Champs Elysees in Pari.

Essex county councillor Ann Naylor said: “More information on road closures and alternative routes will be made available over the coming months.”