ESSEX is preparing to welcome what is predicted to be an action-packed stage of the country’s biggest bike race on Friday.

The seventh stage of the Tour of Britain will take in Braintree, Witham and Heybridge, before finishing in Colchester.

Organisers are expecting the race to boil down to a thrilling bunch sprint up East Hill, Colchester.

Tour spokesman Peter Hodges said: “This has the potential to be one of the most exciting stages of the tour.

“We expect it will come down to a sprint, but in cycling you never know.

“What makes the stage even more exciting is it is the penultimate one and will probably be the last chance for riders to try to win the tour overall, so there may well be some big attacks.

“Also, this will be the final chance for teams that have not won a stage to have a go.

“East Hill is a very tough finish and riders will have to be careful they don’t go too soon because it does kick up.

“But it will make a great finish to the stage under the backdrop of Colchester Castle.”

The Tour of Britain is the country’s biggest cycling race and features some of the world’s top athletes, as well as some of our own gold medal-winning Olympic stars, including Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas.

Mr Hodges said that schools along the race’s route will be encouraged to come out and cheer the riders on as the organisers try to encourage more people to get on their bikes.

“The Tour of Britain is a massive bike race, but at the same time there’s lots of stuff for children to do at the finish,” he said.

“Hopefully this will encourage them to ride to school or even take up the sport competitively.

“Who knows, a future Olympic champion might one day say he or she got into the sport after watching this stage of the Tour of Britain.”