A NEW sportive road cycling event that will make the most of the quiet Borders roads in springtime has just been launched.
The Tour o’ the Borders, to be staged on Sunday, April 29, is a 70-mile ride, starting and finishing at Peebles High School, with some testing climbs as the route traverses four separate valleys.
The event aims to establish itself as a spring classic road ride for Scotland and the team behind the tour are confident the area has what is needed for a popular new sportive, and with a considerable amount of cycling experience under their wheels.
John Anderson of cycle clothing brand RennerSport and a partner in The Bicycle Works has teamed up with Neil Dalgleish, who is responsible for building the TweedLove Bike Festival, in order to bring the event to the Borders.
Anderson said: “Between us we know a fair bit about the cycling world and I know we can put on a great event. The roads are perfect in the quieter parts of the Borders, there are some cracking big hills and you hardly see a car all day.”
The two organisers, who first met 30 years ago while Dalgleish had a Saturday job in a Peebles bike shop, believe there’s great potential for the new venture.
“Road sportives are becoming increasingly popular and this part of the country has all the right ingredients to host a top quality event,” added Dalgleish.
“We can move the course around year by year – there’s so much potential for new routes – and in time who knows, we might build something big like the Etape in Perthshire.”
The Tour o’ the Borders is open to all, and is about participation in a challenge rather than racing. The seven hills included in this year’s course will provide a test for all, but cyclists can ride at their own pace.
Full event information, advice on how to prepare for the 70 and 112 miles of sweat and smiles and entries (£35 – includes event T shirt and goody bag) – available at http://tourotheborders.com