The Tour of Britain, the UK’s largest professional cycling event and the country’s biggest live sporting event, will this year kick off its Scottish stage in the Scottish Borders.
The race will take place over eight days from Saturday 12 September to Saturday 19 September with Stage Three starting from Peebles on Monday 14 September. The Tour of Britain is one of Britain’s most famous annual sporting events and sees 96 riders from 16 teams cycling over 750 miles for victory.
For further information on the tour see our Frequently Asked Questions.
For details of the route click on the maps below:
Peebles | Innerleithen | Galashiels | Melrose | Lilliesleaf | Hawick | Newcastleton
For details of where to see the Tour of Britain visit our suggested viewpoints.
Our Scottish Borders banner displayed on Shankend Viaduct alongside the B6399 on the Tour of Britain cycle route
The Tour of Britain runs from Peebles to Gretna on Monday 14 September 2009. The Scottish Borders is packed with services for cycling enthusiasts from VisitScotland Cyclists Welcome accredited accommodation to bike shops and cycling trails.
Use the town links below for interactive maps showing the best of things to see, places to stay and where to eat and drink in the Scottish Borders.
Initially held over five days, by 2008 the Tour of Britain had grown to become an eight day event, allowing it to visit more parts of the UK than ever before.
Over the past five years, Olympic, World and Commonwealth Champions have ridden The Tour of Britain, alongside stage and jersey winners from all three Grand Tours. This is the perfect opportunity to showcase the Scottish Borders as a prime cycling destination and allow spectators to see some of the best road racers in the world compete.
Stage 3, which covers more than 150kms, will start at Peebles in the Scottish Borders and end in Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway taking in some of Scotland’s iconic countryside and places of interest along the way including the Melrose RFC, Bowden Hill, a gruelling climb at Lime Kiln Edge, Glentress and Newcastleton which are home to 7stanes mountain biking trails, Harelaw Hill and Langholm.
The Race starts in Peebles at 10.15am on Monday 14 September. Organisers are encouraging local residents, schools and businesses to come out and support the riders.
Tour of Britain Big Breakfast!
Start the day with a hearty breakfast in Peebles town centre from 8am – 10am and sample a great selection of local produce. Look out for Tour of Britain Big Breakfasts at the following venues:
The event has been secured for the South of Scotland through a partnership of EventScotland, the national events agency, Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries and Galloway Council.
For further information log on to www.tourofbritain.co.uk or visit www.cyclescottishborders.com. Alternatively contact Scottish Borders Council on 01835 825066.