Route for opening stage of Men's Tour of Britain in Scottish Borders announced

The route for the opening stage of the Men's Tour of Britain has been revealed.

Stage one will take place on Tuesday 3 September in the Scottish Borders with a 113.1 mile route planned.

It will start and finish in Kelso, passing through Coldstream, Gordon, Melrose, Denholm, Jedburgh and St Boswells with more than 2,300 metres of ascent.

It features two loops, enabling spectators in Kelso and Melrose, and on the categorised climbs at Scott’s View and Dingleton, to see the race in action twice.

From Kelso the race will first head east alongside the River Tweed to Coldstream, turning north and west via Greenlaw, Gordon and Smailholm to the first ascent of Scott’s View.

The 2.5-kilometre climb averages 2.5% and is followed within 10 kilometres by the 6.2% average gradient of the two-kilometre climb of Dingleton, in the Eildon Hills above Melrose.

The route continues south to Denholm, climbing Dunion Hill (three kilometres at 5.4%) and descending into Jedburgh before returning to Kelso alongside the River Teviot.

Riders will then repeat the intermediate sprint in Melrose and the King of the Mountains climbs at Scott’s View and Dingleton, the latter coming with just under 23 kilometres of racing remaining, to set up a chase back to the cobbled finish in Kelso.

Men's Race Director Rod Ellingworth said; "The Scottish Borders has a long history with the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men and so we are delighted to have worked with our partners at Scottish Borders Council to come up with this spectator-friendly, and challenging route, for the riders. "With five categorised climbs this will be a tough opening stage, and is by no means certain to end in a sprint, so should set up a thrilling battle between the sprinters and those riders who believe the final climb at Dingleton can be a launchpad to victory in Kelso."

Councillor Scott Hamilton, Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Community and Business Development, added: “The route for the Scottish Borders stage of this year’s Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men is superb and will be a fantastic advert for the Scottish Borders and cycling in the region. “We look forward to welcoming visitors from across the country to enjoy not only some world-class cycling, but also our brilliant local businesses and additional activities and events that we are planning."

Following the Borders stage the tour heads to the Tees Valley, South Yorkshire, East Midlands, and West Northamptonshire, before concluding in Suffolk on Sunday 8 September after six stages of racing.

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