The Highland welcome mat is being rolled out for more than 3,300 cyclists who are gearing up to descend on Inverness this weekend for Etape Loch Ness 2015 – one of the biggest cycling events in the Highlands and one that will see riders from all over Scotland take part, as well as several from south of the border.
The riders will tackle a 66-mile route which starts and finishes in Inverness, but makes its way around one of the world’s most famous beauty spots, Loch Ness, and swings by a host of villages.
The event this Sunday, April 26, is set to create a real carnival atmosphere – and one which the public are encouraged to get behind by showing their support for riders who have put in months of hard training in preparation for the event.
Now in its second year, the sellout Etape Loch Ness provides riders with the opportunity to raise money for charity and cycle on traffic-free roads in an iconic location. Add in some local friendly encouragement along the way and it makes the event all the more memorable for the riders, says organiser Malcolm Sutherland.
He said: “The Highland welcome is legendary, and I’m sure the people of Inverness, and the villages around the area, will again rise to the occasion by encouraging the cyclists as they make their way around the course. It really lifts the spirits, and adds to the sense of occasion, to have cheering onlookers, so we’d really like to encourage the public to turn out to see this fantastic sporting event.”
Cyclists start in groups of 200 riders and the first wave of cyclists depart at 6.20am. Those who live in, or are visiting, the following villages are urged to get out and give the riders a cheer as they go past – it really does make a difference:
Drumnadrochit – riders expected through the village between 6.55am and 8.05am
Invermoriston – riders expected between 7.25am and 9am
Fort Augustus – riders expected between 7.40am and 9.25am
Foyers/Inverfarigaig – riders expected between 8.15am and 11am
Dores – riders expected between 8.40am and 11.45am
Inverness – riders expected between 9am and 12:30pm
During the event, riders will have the opportunity to take part in a King of the Mountain time trial. When they are around 34 miles into the route, as they leave Fort Augustus, they face a steep 4.8-mile climb which at times has a gradient reaching 12%. The start and finish of this hill climb will be clearly marked and timed and riders have the option of taking it slow and steady, or going for the burn and trying for the King of the Mountain title – the choice is entirely theirs. All participants will receive a split time for the King of the Mountain section, which will be included in the results.
The final two miles of the event will see the riders whizz through Inverness city centre, with the streets alongside the River Ness providing the best vantage points for spectators and at the Event Hub at Eden Court Theatre. Again, spectators are being encouraged to turn out to the Event Hub to welcome riders home. The first riders are expected to arrive from 9am onwards, with the bulk of riders crossing the finishing line between
9am and 1pm.
Macmillan Cancer Support is the official charity partner of Etape Loch Ness for the second year running. Team Macmillan cyclists have raised more than £43,000 so far to help ensure that no one living with cancer has to face it alone. That alone makes it worth getting up a little earlier than usual on Sunday to cheer on the riders.
Contact: www.etapelochness.com