Britain's premier cycling event - the Tour of Britain - will hit the highways of Cheshire East in September, with a challenging leg which takes in the Cat and Fiddle A537 road, a climb of over ten kilometres.
Cheshire East residents will be able to watch from close distance, some of the world's most famous riders as they whizz through villages and towns, including Congleton in the south - where the event will start - and Knutsford in the north, completing the 182-kilometre stage in picturesque Tatton Park.
Top riders such as Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish have competed in the past, but the complete line-up for 2016 will not be known until nearer the event, which starts on September 4.
Cheshire East will host Stage Three of the Tour on Tuesday 6 September, which will have begun in Glasgow with a route eventually concluding in London.
The Leader of Cheshire East Council, Cllr Rachel Bailey, said: "We feel truly privileged to be hosting this wonderful spectacle in the Borough and delighted that the Tour have selected Cheshire East to host this third stage of what is a captivating sporting event.
"As a Council we believe passionately in promoting healthy sports such as cycling. In Cheshire East we have well over 200 miles of cycleways, including the 167 miles of National Cycle Network, plus off road routes including the Middlewood Way, Wheelock Rail Trail and Biddulph Valley linear trails.
"All this is testament to our commitment to promoting this activity for all our families and to the enthusiasm shown by our residents and cycling clubs. We hope that this event will inspire many others to take up cycling, whether for sport or leisure."
The stage will include a 10.5 kilometre climb into the Peak District, finishing at the Cat and Fiddle Inn at 515 metres above sea level, the second highest public house in England. Spectators at the finish line in Tatton Park will also be able to see Stage Three twice, as the race completes a mid-stage passage through the finish line.
Race director Mick Bennett, said: "Stage Three will present spectators with the chance to see the Tour of Britain on multiple occasions, not least of which at the finish in Tatton Park where we will have a passage of the line mid-afternoon, making it one of the best spectating locations on this year's route. The stage combines the gently rolling roads of the Cheshire Plain with some key climbs such as the Cat and Fiddle in Cheshire's Peak District, while we are working with our partner's at Cheshire East Council to bring the Tour of Britain to as many of the communities in the areas as possible."