With just one week to go until the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men 2024 gets under way in the Scottish Borders, we’ve picked out some of the key locations along the stage one route that you might want to consider heading for to catch the action.
Stage one on Tuesday 3 September will take in a 181.9-kilometre (113.1-mile) route starting and finishing in Kelso, passing through Coldstream, Gordon, Melrose, Denholm, Jedburgh and St Boswells, with more than 2,300 metres of ascent.
The South of Scotland was recognised in 2023 as being a UCI Bike Region, due to the commitment to not just elite cycling but cycling for all, and this will be the tenth time in 15 years that the area has held a stage start or finish of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men.
Start / Finish
The race will get underway in the heart of Kelso at The Square, with all 18 teams riding eastward along the River Tweed toward Coldstream. Fans can expect to see some of the world’s best cyclists like Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe up close and personal at both the start and finish as the teams and riders are presented ahead of the race from 09:30 and the first jersey presentations take place following the conclusion of the first stage at approximately 15:04.
Fans in Kelso can also take in one of the three intermediate sprints of the stage as the riders pass back through the town on their second loop before the stage finish.
Kelso will also host the exciting Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men Tour Village that will feature food, drink, free-to-attend activities and entertainment from 09:30, alongside big screens to catch all of the day’s action.
King of the Mountains
Stage one features two loops, enabling spectators at the Scott’s View and Dingleton categorised climbs to see the riders ascend each climb twice.
Scott’s View is the first categorised climb of the stage, a 2.5 kilometre climb averaging 2.5%. Fans can expect stunning views from the viewpoint at the peak of the climb overlooking the winding River Tweed.
Scott’s View is followed within 10 kilometres by the tougher 6.2% average gradient King of the Mountains climb of Dingleton, so expect to see the riders pushed to their limits to reach the peak. The climb is located in the Eildon Hills overlooking Melrose, in close proximity to the Melrose Intermediate Sprint.
The final categorised climb of the stage will take the riders from Denholm to Dunion Hill, a three kilometre assent averaging 5.4% gradient, before descending into Jedburgh and back to Kelso to begin the second loop.
Intermediate Sprints
The stage will also feature three intermediate sprints in Melrose and Kelso, with the Melrose sprint being tackled twice as part of the stage one loop.
Set between the first and second King of the Mountain climbs, fans in Melrose can take in two passes of the Intermediate Sprint in the picturesque town. The first will come after just 75 kilometres of racing and the second after 156 kilometres as the peloton heads back towards the cobbled streets of Kelso for a thrilling finish.
The second intermediate sprint of the day is set in Kelso on the first passage of the finish line with just over an hour of the stage remaining, another chance for fans at the start and finish to see the riders in action.
Hear from the Race Director, Rod Ellingworth
"The Scottish Borders has a long history with the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men and so we are delighted to have worked with our partners at Scottish Borders Council to come up with this spectator friendly, and challenging route, for the riders.
"With five categorised climbs this will be a tough opening stage, and is by no means certain to end in a sprint, so should set up a thrilling battle between the sprinters and those riders who believe the final climb at Dingleton can be a launchpad to victory in Kelso.”
How else can I watch the action?
For fans wanting to see the likes of Remco Evenepoel, Julian Alaphilippe, and Tom Pidcock in action firsthand at the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men with a special view, you can now book and enjoy a range of premium hospitality opportunities and experiences, available via Sportive Breaks here.
If you can’t make it to the stunning Scottish Borders, more details of how you can watch flag to flag coverage on ITV4 in the UK, and around the world via other broadcasters, as well as a live stream on the British Cycling YouTube channel will be revealed soon.
