Alderley Edge is awash with orange ready to welcome the third stage of the Tour of Britain which will race through the village at lunchtime today.
Britain's biggest cycling event is estimated to arrive in Great Warford at 1.20pm, travel up Brook Lane at 1.23pm and be in the centre of the village for the third sprint of the day at approximately 1.26pm - which will finish in the village centre by the newsagents.
Riders will then proceed up Macclesfield Road for the start of the King of the Mountains race, passing through Over Alderley, Prestbury, Bollington and Rainow before heading up to the Cat & Fiddle.
Amongst the competitors will be Sir Bradley Wiggins, who claimed his fifth Olympic gold medal at Rio and his eighth cycling medal overall. He will race alongside fellow Olympic gold medallist Owain Doull and Jonathan Dibben under the Team Wiggins' banner.
Britain's record Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish will also be taking part in the Tour of Britain alongside fellow top sprinter André Greipel and former UCI World Hour Record holder Rohan Dennis.
Cavendish, who has 30 stage victories in the Tour de France and won his first Olympic medal in Rio, taking Silver in the Omnium track event in Rio is part of the Team Dimension Data provisional roster alongside Steve Cummings, who won Stage Seven of the Tour de France this Summer, and is twice a runner-up in the Tour of Britain (2008 and 2011).
Additionally professional road and track racing cyclist Adam Blythe, who won the National Road Race Championship earlier this year will be cycling through his home village.
Councillor Craig Browne said "I'm delighted that the Tour of Britain will be coming through Alderley Edge. The Parish Council have been working closely with local organisations, including the Alderley Edge Traders Action Group, to try and make sure the village is looking at its best. We would like to extend a warm welcome to Alderley Edge and hope that everyone enjoys this wonderful experience. Finally, we would also like to wish local cyclist Adam Blythe the best of luck as he returns to his home village."
Spectators are being urged to arrive in plenty of time to watch today's Tour of Britain – with rolling road closures in place across Cheshire East throughout the day. All roads on the route will be closed using a rolling roadblock for around 40 minutes, both 20 minutes before and after the cyclists are expected to pass through each town.
In Alderley Edge, Knutsford Road will be closed to the junction with Brook Lane and the following roads will be closed for their full extent: Brook Lane, Wilmslow Road, London Road and Macclesfield Road.
Macclesfield Road in Nether Alderley will be closed to the junction with Prestbury Road, and Chelford Road will be closed for its full extent.
In Over Alderley, Prestbury Road, School Lane, Prestbury Road and Chelford Road will be closed for their full extent, as will Knutsford Road and Chelford Road in Chelford, Chelford Road in Marthall and Chelford Road in Ollerton.
If you take any good photos of today's race which you would like included in our gallery please email high resolution copies to [email protected].
