For the first time, Scotland will welcome two stages of the Friends Life Tour of Britain cycling event. Stage Three and Stage Four of British Cycling’s premier road cycling event, from September 6 to 13, will take place on two separate days.
On September 8, the third stage of the Tour of Britain starts in Cockermouth and finishes at Floors Castle, Kelso, having travelled through Gretna. It’s the second time in the tour’s history that it has visited Dumfries and Galloway.
Stage four, the following day, will see the tour departing from Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, before passing through the centre of the capital and on into East Lothian, then the Borders to finish in Blyth in Northumberland.
The two stages in Scotland will be supported by Scottish Cycling.
Mick Bennett, Race Director of Friends Life Tour of Britain organisers SweetSpot said: “This year’s route gives us the fantastic opportunity to have two days of racing in Scotland. I am sure many cycling fans will be excited, just like we are, at the prospect of seeing the world’s top riders in Scotland and we will hopefully use the race as an opportunity to visit the areas we pass through”.
Further details of both stages, including Ordnance Survey stage maps, will be announced in the summer, along with details of the 20 competing teams.
Once again ITV will screen three-hours of live coverage of every stage, starting on ITV for the opening Wales stage before reverting to ITV4 for Stages Two to Eight. ITV4 will also screen a one-hour highlights programme each evening during the race.
See Tour of Britain.