IRONMAN UK has announced the most significant changes in its ten year history.

This July’s triathlon will give athletes and spectators more locations, more support, more challenges, and more of Bolton and Bury.

A new cycle route will bring cyclists into Bolton town centre and along Le Mans Crescent for the first time. Another first is that Bury will be included.

Sam Brawn, Ironman UK race director said: “We are confident that the new course will provide an intriguing challenge offering a new variation on an iconic event.”

READ MORE: Full 112-mile cycle course revealed

The changes to the 112 mile bike course are designed to take the course into new communities. It is hoped the new sections will also boost tourism and local businesses.

The route will begin in Leigh but from Horwich it will take athletes east in a reversal of the previous version of the course, taking in Chorley New Road, Queen’s Park, Bury and Ramsbottom.

From there, competitors will continue north towards Helmshore and Blackburn, where athletes will enter the moorlands descending through Belmont.

Executive cabinet member for culture and sport, Cllr John Byrne, said: “We’ve worked with our partners and Ironman to help them with a new route for 2019 which will become as iconic as the previous courses.”

He added: “With more of the route in the town centre it also gives spectators more of a chance to see the competitors on their bikes as well as on the run.”

For more information on the new bike course and to register, please visit www.ironman.com/uk.