The Tour d’Azerbaidjan is only one week away, and this year's edition will again take the peloton on a trip across the entire country – from the Caspian Sea and the capital city of Baku, to the mountains around Gabala.

The race opens on Wednesday, May 4, with the traditional first stage from Baku to Sumqayit. Riders and fans alike will gather at the Big Flag Square on the Baku waterfront for the start of the opening stage, before the peloton tackles 154 kilometers including a category 3 ranked climb and three intermediate sprints. The stage ends with five laps of a closing circuit in Sumqayit where the first race leader of the Tour d’Azerbaidjan 2016 will be decided.

Stage two also starts in Baku, at the Velo Park, before heading out over a difficult 187 kilometre parcours to Ismayilli. The stage includes three categorised climbs, including the race’s first category one climb. It is not just the climbs that risk splitting the peloton, with a tricky, steep descent to be negotiated before the main climb of the stage.

The third stage gets off to an early start in the mountain resort of Gabala. It is a “out-and-back” stage, taking the riders northwest to Sheki and the day’s only climb, before returning to Gabala, after a total of 177 km.

On Saturday, May 7, the race leaves Gabala for the fourth stage, heading east to the finish in Pirqulu. The race’s shortest stage covers 115 km, taking in the picturesque surroundings of the Shahdagh National Park.

The tour comes to a close on Sunday with the traditional race through the city streets of the capital, Baku, following a visit to Absheron Island. The stage starts and finishes at Freedom Square.

Eurosport will be bringing the race to audiences worldwide through its daily 15-minute highlights on Eurosport 1, and extended 45-minute highlights on Eurosport 2, displaying the beauties of the country before the action comes to a close in the capital. A sprint finish is expected to bring the racing to an end before the closing ceremony to honour the overall winner of the 2016 Tour d’Azerbaidjan.