BRITAIN'S biggest cycling event is coming back to the Borders.

The Grand Depart of this year's Tour of Britain will leave from Edinburgh's Royal Mile on Sunday, September 3.

And some of the biggest names in the sport will head through the Borders to the finishing line in Kelso.

The 188-kilometre opening leg will also include a 79-kilometre loop in the Scottish Borders, giving fans at the finish in Kelso town centre the opportunity to see the world's top riders in action twice.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland's director of events, said: "We are delighted to be welcoming the Tour of Britain back to Scotland this summer.

"The open stage will take in some truly wonderful and iconic scenery as it travels from Edinburgh, through East Lothian and onto the Scottish Borders, providing an amazing spectacle for spectators and riders alike.

"Scotland is the perfect stage for cycling events and the Tour of Britain is fantastic race that brings strong economic and social benefits to the country. EventScotland is proud to be long-term partner of the event.”

It will be the sixth time that the opening stage of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain has taken place in Scotland since the race was revived in 2004.

The race has only once before visited Edinburgh, in 2015, while the Scottish Borders has hosted the event on four occasions, most recently in 2015 when Team Sky's Elia Viviani won a stage finishing at Floors Castle.

And in previous years stages have started in both Peebles and Jedburgh.

Many of the road racing's biggest names including Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish have taken part.

Tracey Logan, chief executive of Scottish Borders Council, is thrilled that the Tour is returning to the area. She said: "We are delighted to be hosting our second Tour of Britain stage finish and are especially pleased to have the addition of the loop, which will showcase why this is Scotland's leading cycling destination.

"This will also hopefully encourage thousands of spectators to make their way to Kelso to witness some of the world's top cyclists race through the town twice.”