In Pictures: Crowds turn out for grand finale to Tour of Britain Men's Race in Skegness

Crowds turned out to line the streets as the cyclists sped into town and completed an impressive 40+mph sprint finish along Grand Parade.

After setting off from Boston, the cyclists and support vehicles followed a route through Lincolnshire, via Revesby, Coningsby, Woodhall Spa and Horncastle, then up into the hilly Wolds through Binbrook and Louth. They then sped along the coast via Sutton on Sea and Mablethorpe, sweeping inland to Alford and Spilsby before back out to the coast again for the climax in Skegness.

The event was screened live on ITV4 throughout, showcasing Lincolnshire’s green landscape and local heritage, with the commentators offering interesting facts and trivia about the various locations.

Streets and shop windows were decorated to honour the event with bunting, customised bicycles and banners – while locals and visitors lined the roads eager to catch a glimpse of the action. The motorcycle camera operator, riding ahead of the cyclists, did a great job of capturing crowds waving from the roadsides – including many schoolchildren who were afforded a break from the classroom to witness the spectacle.

The event has been called “fantastic” – by the leader of East Lindsey District Council, Coun Craig Leyland - who said at the end of the race: “We’ve done good work today, our crews, our teams, our communities.”

Speaking on Friday, he added: “To see so many people, in so many of our communities, embracing the Tour was absolutely fantastic to see. East Lindsey really showed the pride that our residents have in our district. There were so many positives that we can take from this and we look forward to seizing further opportunities in the future.”