Preview

Local hero Alex Dowsett and Spanish road champion Ion Izagirre feature in Blues' lineup for eight-day, nine-stage event

GUIDE | 2014 Tour of Britain route & TV times

After a pleasant experience in 2013, the Movistar Team will be back in their O2-sponsored kits at the 11th edition of the Friends Life Tour of Britain, coming a week in advance in 2014 to share dates with the final stages of the Vuelta a España (September 7-14). ITT Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alex Dowsett will lead a six-man squad also including Giovanni Visconti, Pablo Lastras, Enrique Sanz, Sylwester Szmyd and Spanish road race champion Ion Izagirre.

Nine stages -a double sector with a morning time trial (8.8km) will close the action in London (Sunday 14)- make for an exciting race, starting in Liverpool and racing on English and Welsh roads. A mountain-top finish -The Tumble (Cat-1; Tuesday 9), over slopes exceeding 10% (4km)- and several lumpy stages, including day seven (Saturday 13) over 226km and the ascents of Ditchling Beacon (Cat-1) and Bear Road (Cat-1) prominently feature.