A look back at the current iteration of the great British stage race
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After winning the prologue, Mark Cavendish went on to land stage 1 of the 2007 Tour of Britain in Southampton.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Tom Boonen wins in Matlock at the 2004 Tour of Britain.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mark Cavendish was a late addition to the 2011 Tour of Britain, where he laid the foundations for his world title win a week later.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Bradley Wiggins promotes Sky's Rainforest Rescue venture at the 2010 Tour of Britain.(Image credit: Getty Images)
The Tour of Britain peloton crosses the Humber Bridge near Hull in 2008.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Geoffroy Lequatre beats Irish champion Dan Martin to second place in Burnham-on-Sea at the 2008 Tour of Britain.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Alessandro Petacchi wins the opening stage of the 2008 Tour of Britain in London.(Image credit: Getty Images)
A youthful Ian Stannard rode the 2007 Tour of Britain as a stagiaire with T-Mobile.(Image credit: Getty Images)
2006 winner Martin Pederson is joined on the podium by Tom Boonen, Andy Schleck and Mark Cavendish.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Francesco Chicchi beats a young Mark Cavendish to win in Canterbury in 2006.(Image credit: Getty Images)
A finisseur's win for Filippo Pozzato in Sheffield at the 2006 Tour of Britain.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Andy Schleck leads the Tour of Britain up Leathley Bank on the road to Bradford in 2006.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Fame academy. Mark Cavendish, Ed Clancy, Roger Hammond and Geraint Thomas listen to British coach John Herety in Glasgow in 2005.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mayor of London Ken Livingston with 2005 Tour of Britain winner Nick Nuyens.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Colombia's Maurico Ardila won the 2004 Tour of Britain, which picked up the baton of the defunct PruTour.(Image credit: Getty Images)
Luke Rowe leads world champion Mark Cavendish through the town of Kirkby Lonsdale at the 2012 Tour of Britain.(Image credit: Getty Images)
The top three of Tour of Britain - left to right, Nathan Haas (Garmin-Sharp), Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Endura Racing), Damiano Caruso (Liquigas Cannondale)(Image credit: Rob Lampard)
Leading the Tour of Britain in 2013. He went onto win the race.
Marcel Kittel of Germany receives the leaders yellow jersey after winning stage one of the Tour of Britain in Liverpool City Centre.
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke attacks alone on Haytor Rocks(Image credit: Rob Lampard)
2015 Tour of Britain winner Edvald Boasson Hagen.
Bradley Wiggins leads his team during the final stage of the 2015 Tour of Britain in London.
The peloton take a bend in front of the Liver Building on lap two during stage one of the Tour of Britain in Liverpool City Centre.
Race Director Mick Bennett keeps an eye on the finish line during stage six of the Tour of Britain from Bath to Hemel Hempstead.
Race leader Alex Dowsett of Great Britain and Team Movistar attends the start of stage seven of the 2014 Tour of Britain from Camberely to Brighton.
Fans cheer the riders up Ditchling Beacon during stage seven of the 2014 Tour of Britain from Camberely to Brighton.
Stage Winner, Edoardo Zardini (green) of Italy and Bardiani CSF leads up the final climb during Stage Three of the 2014 Tour of Britain from Newtown to Abergavenny.
Supporters watch as the peloton passes during stage one of the Tour of Britain in Liverpool City Centre.
The Tour of Britain picked up the baton from races like the Milk Race, the old Kellogg's Tour of Britain and the PruTour when it returned to the international calendar in 2004, and the race has grown significantly since then, in tandem with the fortunes of British cycling at large.
Mauricio Ardila won the first edition of the revamped race in 2004, which took place over five stages, with Nick Nuyens triumphing the following year. By 2008, when Frenchman Geoffroy Lequatre took victory, the race had grown in reach and extended to eight days.
The 2011 edition saw the race began to challenge the Vuelta a España as a World Championships preparation race, as Mark Cavendish claimed two stage wins ahead of claiming the rainbow jersey in Copenhagen.
In 2012, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke won overall honours ahead of Nathan Haas only to be later stripped of victory when he received a ban for irregularities in his biological passport. A year later, Bradley Wiggins was the first rider from Team Sky to win, while last season Edvald Boasson Hagen became the first man to win the Tour of Britain twice, adding to his 2009 triumph.
Swipe or click through the gallery above for Cyclingnews' look back at the Tour of Britain since 2004.
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