Short and promising, that’s the 3rd stage of the Tour of Britain in a nutshell. The race basically starts on descent and following a flat section the route climbs Cuck Hill and Cheddar Gorge in quick succession. The route continues as a false flat to the highest point of the day before the route takes a more gentle, slightly undulating character. Yet, the finale is not gentle at all.
Ashton Hill is the last KOM of the day. The 1,4 kilometre climb goes uphill at an average slope of 6.4%, while the hill is crested with only 7.4 kilometres remaining. The route drops to the base of the steep ramps towards the Clifton Down. The route climbs for 800 metres at 8.8% before the last 2.1 kilometres are a false flat.
Positioning is crucial at the bottom of the short, stiff climb to the Downs. You have to be in the first row when you hit the contorted 180 degrees left-hander underneath the Clifton suspension bridge, where the haul up begins. In 2014, Michal Kwiatkowski won the sprint of a shattered first group on this arrival, Rohan Dennis soloed to victory after a late attack in 2016.
The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprints (at kilometre 17, at kilometre 69, and at kilometre 104) come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Read also: results/race report 3rd stage 2018 Tour of Britain.
Tour of Britain 2018 stage 3: Route map, height profiles, and more
Click on the images to zoom
Related articles Favourites - Tour of Britain 20 Overview - Tour of Britain 20 Stage 8: Ewan takes London sprint, Alaphilippe wins GC - Tour of Britain 20 Stage 7: Ian Stannard solos to victory, Julian Alaphilippe still leader - Tour of Britain 20 Stage 6: Stage win Poels, Alaphilippe new leader - Tour of Britain 20 Stage 5: LottoNL-Jumbo wins TTT, Primoz Roglic new leader - Tour of Britain 20 Stage 4: Sprint win Greipel, Bevin cements lead - Tour of Britain 20 Stage 2: Cameron Meyer brings early break home, Alessandro Tonelli new leader - Tour of Britain 20 Stage 1: André Greipel sprints to first leader's jersey - Tour of Britain 20 Route stage 1: Pembrey Country Park - Newport - Tour of Britain 20 Route stage 2: Cranbrook - Barnstaple - Tour of Britain 20 Route stage 4: Nuneaton - Leamington Spa - Tour of Britain 20 Route stage 5: Cockermouth - Whinlatter Pass - Tour of Britain 20 Route stage 6: Barrow-in-Furness - Whinlatter Pass - Tour of Britain 20 Route stage 7: West Bridgford - Mansfield - Tour of Britain 20 Route stage 8: Criterium in London - Tour of Britain 20 More articles Giro 2020: The Route
Giro 2020: Riders
Giro 2020: GC Favourites
Giro 2020 Route stage 1: Monreale - Palermo
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 1: First fight for pink
Giro 2020 Route stage 2: Alcamo - Agrigento
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 2: For punchers and power sprinters
Giro 2020 Route stage 3: Enna - Etna
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 3: Climb fest on Mount Etna
Giro 2020 Route stage 4: Catania – Villafranca Tirrena
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 4: Fast men, despite long climb
Giro 2020 Route stage 5: Mileto - Camigliatello Silano
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 5: Attackers on long last climb
Giro 2020 Route stage 6: Castrovillari - Matera
Giro 2020 Route stage 7: Matera- Brindisi
Giro 2020 Route stage 8: Giovanazzo - Vieste
Giro 2020 Route stage 9: San Salvo - Roccaraso
Giro 2020 Route stage 10: Lanciano - Tortoreto Lido
Giro 2020 Route stage 11: Porto Sant'Elpidio - Rimini
Giro 2020 Route stage 12: Cesenatico - Cesenatico
Giro 2020 Route stage 13: Cervia - Monselice
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 13: Back to the fast men, or...?
Giro 2020 Route stage 14: Conegliano - Valdobbiadene
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 14: Young gun versus old hand
Giro 2020 Route stage 15: Rivolto – Piancavallo
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 15: Battle for pink intensifies
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 17: Monster Mountains for HC climbers
Giro 2020 Route stage 18: Pinzolo – Laghi di Cancano
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 19: Last chance for fast finishers
Vuelta 2020: The Route
Vuelta 2020: Riders
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 1: Irún - Santuario de Arrate
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 2: Pamplona - Lekunberri
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 3: Lodosa - Laguna Negra
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 4: Soria - Ejea de los Caballeros
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 5: Huesca - Sabiñánigo
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 6: Biescas - Tourmalet
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2020: The Route
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2020: Riders
Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes 2020: The Route
Tour of Flanders 2020: The Route
Cycling Calendar 2020
Paris - Roubaix 2020: The Route
BinckBank Tour 2020: Riders
La Flèche Wallonne 2020: The Route
La Flèche Wallonne 2020: Riders
La Flèche Wallonne 2020: Favourites
La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2020: The Route
this is very interesting to us as we were in the Surrey Hills to see the Olympic cyclists and our son is a cyclist also. We live in Midsomer Norton, and it is due to be graced by the presence of the cyclists on 4th September, do you know when it will be in our little town? thanks. Andrea Maddocks