Cash boost for Borders cycling events
Published 25 Feb 2013 07:30
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CYCLING in the Borders was given a major boost this week - after EventScotland and Scottish Borders Council announced their support for both TweedLove Bike Festival and the Tour o' the Borders road sportive events this year.
TweedLove is a ten day festival that celebrates cycling in all its forms. The festival, which runs from May 24 - June 2, incorporates everything from gentle family rides to top level mountain bike races, attracting some of the world's top professional cyclists.
Now in its fourth year, TweedLove is already estimated to be worth £500,000 to the local economy.
Tour o' the Borders is a one day road event on April 14 which sees up to 1000 riders take in 112km of quiet roads through beautiful Borders landscapes. Featuring big alpine-style climbs and sweeping descents, the race is already garnering an international reputation with entrants far as far afield as the USA and Canada.
And it's not just the participants giving the events a global feel - international sponsors are also getting in on the act.
Swedish extreme sports brand POC will sponsor TweedLove's King and Queen of the Hill enduro event, whilst Norwegian company Sweet Protection will do the same for the festival's Dual Slalom race.
However, TweedLove's title sponsor is very much a home grown affair - with Scottish cycle shop chain Alpine Bikes, which has stores in both Innerleithen and Glentress, taking the role of lead supporter again for 2013.
Organisers are also delighted to receive support from other local businesses such as Cycle Law Scotland, a specialist legal firm based in Peebles who have made a commitment to support the home grown success story of TweedLove.
Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland said: "TweedLove continues to grow and develop with a packed programme of events appealing to cyclists of all ages and abilities, while the one-day Tour o' the Borders will challenge road racing enthusiasts.
"2013 is the year of natural Scotland, and both Tweedlove and the Tour o' the Borders will highlight the strength and versatility of Scotland's national landscape which provides the perfect stage for cycling events."
And Neil Dalgleish, who organises both TweedLove and Tour o' the Borders, said: "I'm delighted that both events are attracting such great support.
"The events have attracted cyclists from all over the UK and beyond and it's a great opportunity to show them just how special the Tweed Valley, and the Borders, are.
"The Scottish Borders is widely recognised as probably the best cycling destination in the UK, and the level of support for these events locally, nationally and internationally, is testament to that. We are hugely grateful to these funders and sponsors for their continuing support. "
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