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Preview: International Gathering DoonHame

Tour DoonHame - 23-25 April, Moffat, Scotland
Related: 2010 Tour DoonHame race report

Riders from all over the world are heading for Dumfries this Easter to compete in Scotland's most prestigious cycling stage race, The Tour DoonHame.

The event is the opening event of British Cycling's Premier Calendar series and attracts the best riders from all over Britain and beyond to race over roads that were first used for cycling by the inventor of the bicycle Kirkpatrick MacMillam in 1839.

Above: Images from the inaugural 2010 edition of this instant classic.

The 260 mile course is spread over three days and centres in the towns of Moffat, Dumfries and Castle Douglas with intermediate sprints timed to the 100th of a second and hill climbs or King of the Mountain Primes that pass the highest villages in Scotland.

The organising team from Wallacehill CC have teamed up with Scottish Power Renewables and Dumfries & Galloway Council to put on an event that not only attracts the best riders but will provide spectators with ample opportunity to see the starts & finishes up close.

The first stage on Saturday 23rh April for example starts in Moffat and does a small loop before sprinting through the town and repeating this sprint after 11 miles before going up country to tackle the hills and climbs of the Lowther Hills.

Stage 2 sees the riders leave Dumfries at 10:30 and shortly after sprint past the actual smithy that Kirkpartick Macmillan made the first bike. The race then snakes its way over the Dalveen Pass and a circuitous route before returning to Dumfries and a gallop sprint along the Whitesands to the finish.

Stage 3 again starts in Dumfries but follows the old military road towards Haugh of Urr and Dalbeattie before climbing up to Castle Douglas and beyond to sprint along Dalry Main St before returning to the final sprint of the weekend at Castle Douglas.

Many of the riders will be using the Tour DoonHame as a practise for the Tour of Britain later on in the year with past winners of the event mixed in with Olympic and Commonwealth medallists.

One riders' name which may catch the eye of the non cyclist is that of Greig Mansell, nothing strange there apart from the fact that he is a motor racing driver whose father is ex World Champion Nigel Mansell, but even he will be hard pressed to keep up with the professional teams that are taking part.

Rapha Condor Sharp and Endura are just two of the teams taking part that have already been successful abroad this year with top ten positions in Singapore, Mumbai and New Zealand..

Last year's winner, Chris Newton of Rapha Condor Sharp has moved on to become the British Cycling coach responsible for making sure British riders will be ready for the London Olympics and this leaves the door to the winners rostrum wide open.

Will his place be taken by team mate Dean Downing a prolific sprinter or will the strength and stamina of Ian Wilkinson of Endura and Marcin Bialoblocki of Motorpoint win through at the finish? Only time will tell and the best way to find out is to be there.

Follow the race pedal by pedal at www.tourdoonhame.info with our twitter feed or get out on the streets courtesy of our full route guide again to be found on the web.