WHEN Southend becomes the epicentre of the cycling world this evening a local man will be especially pleased.

Pro tour series commentator Dan Jarvis, 35, was brought up in Eastwood, went to school in Southend and now lives in Stanford.

Dan has manned the PA on every one of previous nine tour dates which has meant that he’s had to dash around the country, as well as hold down a job for Southend Council.

“The Southend leg is going to be the big one, the culmination of the tour so it’s going to be a great event for the riders and the town,” he said.

Dan started his commentating career at stunt riding events at bike shows and mountain biking events and progressed to commentating at the Commonwealth Games, world championships and he was even on the shortlist to commentate on mountain biking at the Beijing Olympics.

He said: “It will be really special to be commentating to the crowds in the town where I grew up.”

The bike-mad cycle enthusiast works for Southend’s Public Protection Group, helping locals find out how to deal with asbestos and other materials.

“I’ve taken most of my holiday allocation this year doing the MC work for the tour, and it’s been exhausting but great fun. Each of the rounds has been different and the riders have had to cope with a lot of different conditions.”

“The event at Chester on Tuesday was on cobbles and other events have seen climbs and breakaways.

“Who’s to say what will happen on Thursday night? Although the racing is along the seafront nobody knows what the wind will be doing and if it’s off the estuary it may affect how the teams race.

“I think the racing is likely to be very tactical but the evening may go to the current leaders, the Halfords team.

“But some major team tactics will come into play, as teams go for the spot sprint prizes.

“Anyone who comes along should keep an eye out for the local riders involved,” he added.

Benfleet-based Jason White, a 36-year-old bike shop owner is doing his bit to keep the Cyclingbargains team clear of the wooden spoon position.

And the struggling BMC team — including Southend’s Dean Shannon and Rochford-based Andy Lyons — will be hoping for big cheers from the crowds expected to throng the seafront.

In the round 9 of the series at Chester the Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta team packed a trio into the first six positions and took the win by a whisker from Rapha-Condor — as Team Halfords Bikehut crossed the line a beaten team. However Halfords still hold onto the overall lead.

Dan’s love of bikes and fluid commentating style may be called on again locally — he’s hoping that the mountain biking Olympic event at Hadleigh Castle will see him on the microphone in 2012.

“It would be great to commentate on the Games especially as it’s just up the road.

“The event is going to bring a huge cycling boost to cycling as a whole in the Southend and South Essex area.” he added, praising the area’s rapid embracing of cycling culture for both young and old l Tour Team Standings after Round 9: 1st Team Halfords BikeHut 84 points; 2nd Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta 84; 3rd Rapha – Condor 83; 4th Madison.co.uk 77; 5th Sigma Sport Cycling Team 48; 6th Sports Beans – Wilier 44; 7th Team Corley Cycles 38; 8th Endura Racing 26; 9th BMC UK Racing Team 19; 10th www.cyclingbargains.com 19.

l The crowds expected at Southend tonight have a second chance to see the action when the action is screened tomorrow night on ITV4 at 7pm (it’s also online with ITV Player) l Tonight’s tour series finale sees the Western Esplanade — between the pier and Maxims Casino — closed for most of the day. Racing starts at 7pm around the 1.4 km circuit.