Organisers of a prestigious women’s cycling race have announced the locations of the designated climbs and sprints along the stages in Suffolk and Essex.

Each stage of the Friends Life Women’s Tour will feature two “Queen of the Mountains” climbs and two sprints, where riders crossing the line first will be able to earn points for the respective jerseys.

The opening stage, from Bury St Edmunds to Aldeburgh, on Wednesday, June 17, will feature climbs at Hemingstone, on the Main Road to Bell’s Cross, and at Snape on Bridge Road, heading into the village from Snape Maltings.

The two sprints will feature at Kesgrave, outside the high school, and in Melton, on the B1438 before the right turn onto Wilford Bridge Road.

For stage two, the following day, from Braintree to Clacton, the first climb will be on the Essex/Suffolk border at Finch Hall near Bulmer, on the way into Sudbury. The second climb will come at Tenpenny Hill at Thorrington.

Both of the sprints come in the latter half of stage two – the first on Halstead Road in Kirby Le Soken and the second on Weeley Road in Great Bentley.

The Queen of the Mountains competition has been sponsored by Strava, with Chain Reaction Cycles backing the sprints.

Details of stages three, four and five will be announced in the coming weeks.

A total of 96 riders as part of 16 teams from nine different countries are expected to take part in the Women’s Tour when it sets off this summer.

Of those, 12 of the world’s top 15 ranked teams are expected to feature, led by the Rabo Liv team of defending champion Marianne Vos.

Details of the riders will be announced in May.