The UCI has today announced a new race, the Women’s Tour of Scotland, that will make its debut next August and which will be broadcast to a global audience on TV.
Taking place from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 August, the professional race will be accompanied by “a public cycling event that will bring together 5,000 cyclists from Scotland and beyond.”
Details of the 350-ikilometre route will be released at a future date – although with the Edinburgh Festival in full swing in August each year putting pressure on accommodation and infrastructure in the city, it’s possible the capital won’t figure.
This year, Glasgow hosted the European Championship road cycling events which were part of a multi-sport format for the first time, with some other sports hosted in Berlin.
The Women’s Tour of Scotland, which will have a permanent place on the UCI calendar, takes place a week after next year’s Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix which attracts many of the world’s top female cyclists.
The event is being organised by Zeus Sports whose managing director, Darren Clayton, said: “Scotland’s reputation as a destination for hosting international sporting events just keeps on growing and we’re confident that The Women’s Tour of Scotland will only help to strengthen and build on this.
“We want to raise awareness of female cycling on a global scale and there’s no better backdrop than the Scottish landscape to show off the sport at its best.
“We’ll be working with stakeholders across the next few months from Event Scotland, to Scottish Cycling and local businesses to ensure the event sets a strong precedent for years to come.
“We look forward to revealing the full race route through Scotland over the coming months and getting local communities behind the event ahead of next August,” he added.
Craig Burn, CEO at Scottish Cycling, commented: “We're incredibly proud to be working with the team at The Women's Tour of Scotland to make this become an iconic race on the professional cycling calendar.
“The event will provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase the talent and passion that exists within the sport here in Scotland.
“As well as the elite level competition, the mass participation element provides a great platform for those involved with the sport at a grassroots level to sample a unique atmosphere and to be inspired for the future."
Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.