Organisers of this week’s cycle event say they have done everything possible to minimise disruption for businesses and residents.

Road closures for the Manx International Stage Race, beginning this evening (Friday), will mean a number of road closures around the island.

These include the Billown course which will be closed from 3.30pm to 7.30pm on Saturday, and sections of the TT course, including the whole mountain, which will be closed between 12.30pm and 5.30pm on Sunday.

But organiser Richard Fletcher said there would be no clash with Castletown Festival on Saturday, and any inconvenience due to a clash with Peel Carnival on Sunday would be kept to a minimum.

He said: ’Cycling race closures are very different from motorcycling ones.

’Pedestrians are not impacted at all. They are actively encouraged onto the pavements and they are allowed to cross with due care and attention.’

He said that as soon as the race has gone by, mashals will be advised to open the crossing points. This mean cars will be allowed to cross the course - so for example at the top of Bray Hill, cars will be allowed to cross over at the Ballanard Road junction.

Mr Fletcher said the race stage on Saturday would actually complement Castletown Carnival, whose organisers had originally wanted the event to start in the town centre.

And while racing is on at the same time at the Peel Carnival, nobody from Peel itself would be impacted and visitors should have no problem getting the town from any direction. There’s a two-way corridor between Ballaugh and Kirk Michael, for example.

Some 85 competitors are taking part in the three-day televised event and, with support crews, this will mean several hundred visitors to the island.

Mr Fletcher said residents might see disruption of 15 minutes before they can use crossing points and he encouraged them to make slightly different arrangements to avoid delays.

Businesses, he said, will be more affected but without exception every one had been enthusiastic about the event.