People in Aberfoyle will have the chance to witness some of the world’s top cyclists pass through the village as part of the first Women’s Tour of Scotland this weekend.
Scottish cycling hero, Katie Archibald, is just one of the stars taking part in the 350-kilometre race, stage two of which gets underway in Glasgow tomorrow (Saturday) before heading north into Aberfoyle for a spectacular sprint section around noon.
After leaving Aberfoyle, the teams will climb the Duke’s Pass and head round Loch Venachar before entering Strathyre for another sprint.
Before the teams depart Strathyre and journey towards Perthshire, via Lochearnhead, there will be a chance for spectators to grab team souvenirs at Strathyre Cabins - the cyclists’ feeding zone on stage two.
Rolling road closures will be in place along the route, with the race starting at 11.15am in George Square, Glasgow.
No parking will be in place on the A821 around Loch Achray from 9am until the race has passed through the area, expected to be around 1pm.
Convener of Stirling Council’s community planning and regeneration committee Chris Kane said: “The stunning surroundings of the Aberfoyle area are the perfect backdrop for this exciting race and cements Stirling’s reputation as top-class events location.
“With the influx of visitors and the wide exposure on TV, it will also provide a tourism boost to the area as we continue to support the development of Stirling’s important rural economy.”
Strathard Community Council chairman, Trevor Geraghty added: “It’s fantastic that Aberfoyle and the surrounding area will take centre stage for another top-class event and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors to watch the action unfold.
“There is a real buzz in Aberfoyle at the moment, with new businesses opening up, major events like the Dukes Weekender Cycling Festival being held in the area, and the introduction of initiatives such as free Wi-Fi which allows visitors and locals to get online 24/7.”
Trossachs and Teith Tory councillor, Jeremy McDonald, added: “I’m delighted that the extra investment we managed to secure for our roads has resulted in a lot of work on parts of the route already taking place.”
The three-day, three-stage race started in Dundee and will finish in Edinburgh and be contested by many of the top women’s teams in the world, along with the cream of Scotland and Great Britain’s female cycling talent.
Archibald, an Olympic gold medallist at the 2016 games in Rio, will captain team Scotland, who will compete against 15 other teams.
- Will you be watching the riders pass through? Send us your selfies and photos to Chris.Marzella@reachplc.com
