LIVE BLOG: Tour enjoys its 'best ever' race in Westcountry

Thousands of people flocked to the Devon Stage of The Tour of Britain yesterday, treating crowds to a thrilling cycle race, plenty of sunshine and some homegrown success.

Devon rider Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, of Rapha Condor Sharp, dominated the climbing section of the race over the tough Dartmoor hills as huge crowds lined the roads to cheer him on.

He was first to summit Haytor and made it a hat-trick by also taking the honours at Coffin Stone and Huccaby Tor making him the leader of the Skoda King of the Mountains classification, for which he was awarded the polka dot jersey.

Later he said the cheering crowds on the slopes of Haytor had lifted him.

Brodibike uploaded this video of the race crossing the top of the climb.

But it was Mark Renshaw of Team HTC-Highroad who crossed the finish line first in Exmouth, just ahead of teammate Mark Cavendish, watched by thousands of spectators who had gathered on The Esplanade to witness a hotly-contested sprint after a gruelling 110 miles (180 km) of the county.

Follow the rest of the race in the live console below

"Devon has again been treated to an amazing stage of The Tour of Britain and people have turned out in force to show their support for this incredible event," said Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member for highways and transportation.

"The icing on the cake is having local rider Jonathan Tiernan Locke pulling on the Skoda King of the Mountains jersey. The atmosphere at The Tour was electric, and the size of the crowds has highlighted the appetite for cycling.

"I think we have clearly demonstrated that we truly are a cycling county," he said.

The race director for The Tour, Mick Bennett, said that the Devon stage of the tour had been the "best ever", thanks to the weather, the quality of the field of riders, the way the race developed and the crowds in Devon.