Midlothian welcomes Tour of Britain cyclists
Midlothian is to welcome the UK’s most prestigious stage race on Saturday 11 September as Tour of Britain cyclists battle it out from Hawick to Edinburgh. The route is among two Scottish stages that will round out the weeklong tour.
Rescheduled
Rescheduled to 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 17th Tour of Britain, from Sunday 5 September to Sunday 12 September, will cover more than 1,300km (807miles) in a route that boasts the first overall finish in Scotland since 2008.
Fantastic event
Midlothian Council Leader Derek Milligan said the cyclists were expected in Dalkeith mid afternoon. He said: “It’s a fantastic event and a real honour to welcome some of the top riders in the world to Midlothian. If you want to go and cheer them on, the best bet is to check out the nearest Sprints or King of the Mountains climbs points along the route, which you can find by visiting the Tour of Britain Stage 7 page on the website.”
Greatest sprinter
Mark Cavendish, the greatest sprinter of all time, is confirmed as taking part along with Tokyo 2020 Olympic medallist and six-time Tour de France stage winner Wout Van Aert, who will make his Tour of Britain debut this September.
Safety
The race will go ahead subject to local conditions and in line with relevant national guidelines and UCI protocols. Organisers SweetSpot are working closely with EventScotland and all the local authorities along the route in Scotland, including Midlothian, to ensure that the event can take place safely.
Roads
A rolling road closure will be enforced on each of the stages. This means roads on and around the race route will be closed for a short period in which it takes the race to pass by – usually about 10 to 15 minutes around the estimated time of arrival and indicated by police escort vehicles.
Two stages
For the first time in modern Tour history, the race ends with two stages in Scotland. The first, on Saturday 11 September, features a fourth visit to the Scottish Borders in six editions as Hawick plays host to the start for the first time and the stage heads through Midlothian ending in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.
Champion
This year’s overall champion will be crowned in Aberdeen at the end of the most northerly stage ever to feature in the Tour of Britain.
Routes and timetable
Detailed routes and timetables for the Tour of Britain stages can now be found by visiting tourofbritain.co.uk/stages