DETAILS have emerged of how Carlisle will kick off stage two of the Tour of Britain - the country's biggest free sporting event.

The 188.2 kilometre - or 117 mile - route through Cumbria on Monday, September 5 will start in Carlisle at 11am outside of the city's Old Town Hall.

The peloton will be ceremonially led off by children from Border City Wheelers, Watchtree Wheelers and Carlisle Tri Junior Club.

The route will take in some of the streets and villages that were worst hit by the winter's storms and the stage will showcase the flood recovery efforts.

Details of the city's route emerged at a launch at the Old Town Hall this morning, attended by around 50 people.

Riders will set off from the city centre in Carlisle along English Street, The Crescent, Lowther Street, West Tower Street and Castle Way before rolling towards Caldewgate and turning around the McVities roundabout to head back, passing Carlisle Castle and heading up Georgian Way.

The peloton will also ride along Warwick Road, one of the roads submerged by several feed of water back in December, before heading up Eastern Way, London Road and Cumwhinton Road and reaching the A6 bound for Armathwaite.

Carlisle will also host a special Cycle Sunday celebration on Sunday, September 4 as part of its build up to the tour.

There will be free cycling activities, family fun and street entertainment in the city centre through the day before a celebrity cycling event is held at the Crown and Mitre in the evening.

The Tour of Britain extravaganza is likely to attract some of the best known names in the sport.

Organisers, SweetSpot, have confirmed 17 of the 20 WorldTour teams who will be competing in this year’s Tour of Britain.

They include Team Dimension Data, featuring 2015 Tour of Britain winner Edvald Boasson and British Olympian Mark Cavendish; and Team WIGGINS.

British cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins has already publicly stated that he intends to ride the Tour of Britain following his bid for gold at the Rio Olympics next month.

Half of the teams selected have been in action in the Tour de France, highlighting the world class calibre of the competition for the Tour of Britain.

The remaining three berths for the Tour of Britain are set to be announced on Monday.

The Cumbria stage of the Tour of Britain is sponsored by United Utilities, Carlisle City Council, Allerdale Borough Council, Eden District Council, South Lakeland District Council, University of Cumbria, Lake District National Park Authority and Cumbria County Council.

WHERE TO CATCH THE ACTION

* 11am - Ceremonial start in Carlisle city centre: will take in English Street, The Crescent, Lowther Street, Drovers Lane, West Tower Street, Castle Way, Caldewgate, Castle Way, Georgian Way, Victoria Place, Warwick Road, Eastern Way, London Road, Cumwhinton Road.

* 11.10am - official starting position on Cumwhinton Road before heading to the A6 and through Armathwaite, Kirkoswald and Lazonby.

* approx 11.50am - arrival in Penrith town centre before taking A6 to Eamont Bridge at around 11.55am and then the B5320 to arrive at the temporary bridge in Pooley Bridge at around 12.05pm before riding along the western shore of Ullswater

* approx 12.38pm heading north through Greystoke and then on to the first of three sprints at Hesket Newmarket just before 1pm.

* Riders will then head west along the B5291, skirting the top of Bassenthwaite Lake before arriving for the second sprint through the centre of Cockermouth at about 1.35pm.

* 1.45pm - the first king of the mountain stage at Whinlatter Pass, swifly followed by the second king of the mountains challenge at Chestnut Hill, Keswick.

The route then takes the riders down the western side of Thirlmere reservoir, joining the A591 in time to take in the newly-rebuilt section at Dunmail Raise, which reopened in May following a major repairs after the December floods.

* Riders continue along the A591 to Grasmere, where the third and final sprint takes place through the village at approx 2.33pm before rejoining the A591.

* 2.41pm approx - through Ambleside before riders face The Struggle - one of the most challenging sections of the race and the third and final king of the mountains climb of stage two through Cumbria.

They then head down the Kirkstone Pass on the A592 to Windermere, along the B5284 via Crook and then on to Kendal via Windermere Road.

* Approx 3.20pm - the race will finish in Kendal, with the 200m, 11 per cent average climb of Beast Banks awaiting the riders.

(All timings for the riders’ arrival along the route are estimated and subject to change. Exact times will depend on the speed of the riders on the day, and could be faster or slower depending on weather conditions.)

* See Thursday's News & Star for more