Tour of Britain 2019: Race starts in Glasgow and ends in Manchester

Julian Alaphilippe (centre) won the Tour of Britain in 2018 and the King of the Mountains jersey at the Tour de France

The 2019 Tour of Britain will start in Glasgow on Saturday, 7 September, finishing in Manchester city centre seven days later.

The first two days of Britain's biggest professional cycling race will take place in Scotland for the first time.

The opening stage, a 201.5km race to Kirkcudbright, is the longest in the race that also goes to Newcastle.

Manchester will host the event for the first time in 15 years when it finishes on Deansgate on 14 September.

French cyclist Julian Alaphillippe won the event in 2018.

"This year's race is a quintessentially British affair, combining the short and sharp climbs we're famed for with finishes for the world's best sprinters and hopefully a few surprises along the way," said race director Mick Bennett.

"This year's route has been designed with spectators in mind, visiting three iconic cities and including uphill finishes that are guaranteed to create drama."

Beginning in George Square in Glasgow, this year's eight-stage race follows a 1,250km route.

Stage two takes place within the Scottish Borders, starting and finishing on the cobbles in Kelso, before the 182.2km third stage from Berwick to Newcastle.

Stage four embarks from Gateshead, travelling across the Pennines and through the Yorkshire Dales in a 171km stage containing almost 3,000m of climbing before ending on Beast Banks in Kendal.

Stage five moves over to Merseyside and a spectator-friendly circuit that starts and finishes in Birkenhead Park.

Worcestershire hosts stage six before the race moves to its penultimate 186.5km stage starting in Warwick and ending with three ascents of the Burton Dassett climb.

The final day of racing begins in Altrincham with the 165km route passing through all 10 Greater Manchester's boroughs before reaching the centre of Manchester.