Pressure group calls off cycle race protest

A PRESSURE group formed to oppose the largest closed-road cycling event in Britain yesterday announced plans to suspend protests for two years while it campaigns for a new event to be staged in Highland Perthshire.

Last year's Etape Caledonia race was severely disrupted after hundreds of carpet tacks were strewn along more than five miles of the 81-mile route in an apparent protest against roads being closed during the event.

This year's race is due to be held on Sunday and has attracted a record entry of more than 4,500 cyclists. Local protest group, Anti-Closed Road Events (Acre), had been expected to stage a demonstration at the event, which is organised by sports management group IMG.

But the group, which has vigorously denied any involvement in last year's attempt to sabotage the race, yesterday announced a suspension of any protest action while it develops a new strategy to replace the Etape Caledonia with a locally-conceived and operated cycling event.

Peter Hounam, a spokesman for Acre, said the group hoped to organise an event for cyclists which would run throughout the year with a main weekend or festive week during the spring.

He claimed that such an event, held on open roads and at off-road venues, would "reignite" local support for cycling events in Highland Perthshire.

"We will argue that by 2012 Etape will have had its allotted stint," said Mr Hounam. "It is now time for Perth and Kinross Council to support local initiative, rather than a multinational concern based in the south of England.

"The attraction of our idea is that it will bring a steady flow of visitors into the area at all times of the year, something Perth and Kinross Council is fervently in favour of encouraging."