The Tour of Britain is the UK’s biggest professional cycle race and the country’s largest free-to-spectate sporting event.

Here are 11 things you might not know about it:

1/ Number of teams: 20

2/ Number of riders: 120 (at the start of the race) 

3/ Number of stages: Eight

4/ Length of route: 1,377km

5/ Length of Wiltshire route: 67.5km n

6/ Last year’s average speed: 39.94km/hr n

7/ Total calories burnt by all riders: 3,500,000

8/ Road closures: Roads on the route will close around 15 minutes before the peloton passes and will reopen once they have come through.

9/ Coverage: ITV4. Broadcast in over 120 countries.

10/ Staff members: 300

11/ Volunteers: 1,500

Follow the tour online at www.gazetteandherald.co.uk and www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk tomorrow in our live blog sponsored by Wiltshire Council

Tweet using #tourwilts and send your pictures and videos to gazartist.co.uk