Edinburgh is set to host a stage of cycling's Tour of Britain

Some of the world’s best cyclists are set to grace the streets of Edinburgh once more, as the Tour of Britain is set to return to the capital for the first time in four years.

Pic Greg Macvean - 2017 Tour of Britain cycling race leaves the Royal Mile

The city last hosted the Tour of Britain in 2017, when the ‘Grand Depart’ - the start of the tour - was commenced from the Royal Mile in front of a huge crowd.

Now, the organisers, Surrey-based events company Sweetspot, are planning on bringing a stage of the tour back to the capital.

The eight-stage race will begin in Penzance on September 5 in what will truly be a cross-country event, as the final stage will start in Stonehaven and finish in Aberdeen on 12 September.

Edinburgh will host the penultimate stage, with the finish line being held in Holyrood Park and the start of the stage taking place in the Borders on September 11.

The event is set to be free to attend, and Edinburgh City Council and Police Scotland will implement a system of rolling road closures as the stage enters the city.

The council is also set to allocate £70,000 from its 2021/22 events budget to help host the tour.

A report, set to go before the local authority’s culture and communities committee on Tuesday January 26, reads: “There has been a huge upsurge of interest in cycling in recent years, and the event will be free to attend for spectators, who will get to see some of the world’s top cyclists racing through Edinburgh streets.

“As always, the race will be managed in full consultation with the council’s public safety and roads teams, as well as Police Scotland, and will be achieved on roads which will be closed only for a short period using the tried and tested rolling road closure technique, which involves teams of trained motorcycle escorts to ensure safe passage through the city.

“The event is likely to bring a significant economic impact for Edinburgh, as it will attract spectators from around Britain and further afield.

“It is recommended that £70,000 is allocated from the 2021/22 events budget.”

Previous tours have drawn large crowds, and have enjoyed live coverage on ITV4, plus various highlight shows on other channels.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.