Tour de France Grand Depart route from Edinburgh through Borders revealed

The route of the first-ever Tour de France stage to be held in Scotland has been announced, taking riders south from Edinburgh through the Borders to Carlisle.

The largest free sporting event in British history will leave from the capital in the “Grand Depart” on Friday July 2 next year as the first of three stages in Britain before it continues across France.

The stage one route south from Edinburgh | Tour de France

The 114-mile route will take in Newtongrange and Gorebridge in Midlothian before heading through Innerleithen, Galashiels, Melrose, Selkirk, Hawick and Newcastleton in the Borders.

It will include a “king of the mountains climb on the Côte de Melrose” in the Eildon hills.

Riders will then speed through Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway before crossing the Border near Longtown in Cumbria.

The route through Edinburgh is expected to be announced later this year.

Stage two between Keswick and Liverpool | Tour de France

Stage two, the following day, will start at Keswick in Cumbria and finish in Liverpool, with stage three on July 4 between Welshpool in mid Wales and Cardiff.

Crowds totalling 2.5 million lined the route when the first two stages of the Tour were held in Yorkshire in 2014 and organisers are expecting a similarly spectacular turn out next year.

Three stages of the women’s race - the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift - will be held in England from July 30 to August 1 between Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, and in London.

Yellow beams of light illuminated the skies above the ten start and finish venues, including Edinburgh Castle, to coincide with the announcement on Thursday evening.

Tour de Fance

Announcing the Scottish leg, race director Christian Prudhomme said: “Edinburgh for me is a magical city” with Arthur’s Seat “just unbelievable”.

He said: “We want huge crowds but we also want the best landscape and outstanding scenery. All three stages will be gorgeous”

The elevations in stage one | Tour de France

Mr Prudhomme told Paul Bush, managing director of Grand Depart UK, who lost a bid for Edinburgh to host it in 2014: “Thank you for waiting so long.”

The capital was announced as the Grand Depart in March last year.

The race director explained that it had not been possible to start the event in Edinburgh 12 years ago because of the length of the stages between Scotland and France, but a subsequent rule change had allowed it.

Geraint Thomas crosses the finish line in Sheffield when the Tour de France came to the Steel City in 2014 | Iconic Media Group

Mr Bush said he did not expect the need for an increase in the £9.25 million funding pledged by the Scottish Government, which is coming from its major events budget.

He said having stages of both the men’s and women’s races in Britain for the first time together would make it a “historic” occasion for cycling.

British Cycling said 7,000 volunteers would be recruited for the events.

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift’s English stages | Tour de France

First Minister John Swinney said: “The Tour de France starting in Edinburgh will be a moment of real national significance and a powerful endorsement of Scotland’s ability to deliver on the biggest international stages.

“I am delighted that the historic streets of our capital and the beautiful landscapes of Scotland will be at the heart of this iconic sporting event, one that will be watched by millions of fans on the route and around the world.”

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The Tours will be accompanied by a ”social impact programme” called Joy, for “people to connect with cycling”.

British Cycling described said it would be a “once‑in‑a‑generation chance to build a healthier, more active and more connected nation”.

Business minister Richard Lochhead said last month the programme would “seek to improve health by increasing cycling participation”.

However, a Scottish cycling sector source told The Scotsman: “Sporting events do not change behaviour as a legacy and cycling championships do not lead to people taking up cycling.”

“Instead, the Scottish Government and councils are successfully getting more people on their bikes by improving infrastructure and supporting projects to give more people access to cycling.

“That work should continue to be the long-term priority.”