A £1 million fund will back a series of projects in Scotland in order to capture community engagement in cycling in the run up to the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027, when opening stages will take the best cyclists in the world through Scotland, England and Wales.
Scotland’s national governing body, Scottish Cycling, will oversee the delivery of events aimed at encouraging young people to tackle inactivity, group activity and improve their wellbeing, after receiving government backing.
Business Minister Richard Lochhead met with Scottish Cycling Chief Executive Nick Rennie to make the announcement and see such a project in action at the Rural and Urban Training Scheme (RUTS) in Penicuik, Midlothian.
Surrounded by local school children taking part in their first BMX lessons, RUTS Chief Operating Officer Alison Nimmo said the renowned cycling event with unparalleled global appeal is “too good to miss an opportunity that’s passing our doorstep”.
Talking through a number of RUTS cycling projects, Ms Nimmo told GB News, “One that we’re piloting at the minute is called ‘Ride out off grid’ and it’s been designed by young people for young people.
“It’s about getting outdoors on your bike and embracing the outdoor environment,” adding, “to see that linked in with this launch today is an inspiration to these young people and what they can possibly achieve in the future.”
Business Minister Richard Lochhead shares cyclists’ excitement that the Tour de France is to depart from Scotland for the first time in its 124-year history.
He said: “Thousands of people are going to line the route but also hundreds of millions of people around the world are going to be watching and that’s a great showcase for Scotland.
“So it’s great for the economy, it’s great for tourism – but we also need a lasting legacy and that’s what this social impact fund is all about.
“We’re allocating a million pounds for that, working with the organisation Scottish Cycling to run projects around the country so the whole country benefits from the Tour de France.”
In recent times, Scottish Cycling has a proven track record of building momentum ahead of the UCI Cycling World Championships, hosted by Glasgow in 2023.
CEO Nick Rennie said Scottish Cycling says his job is made easier by Scotland being “a great country for cycling”.
“We’ve got some fantastic countryside and we’re seeing some vast improvements in the cycling infrastructure in our urban environments.
“We know we’ve got the best countryside for cyclists and some of the best mountain bike trails in the world and we’re starting to see development in all other aspects of cycling.”
Someone who has benefitted from those facilities around Scotland is champion junior cyclist Daisy Wilkinson, who is now on the Team GB Olympic Pathway for her proficiency racing mountain bikes up Bens and down glens.
Brought up in a family of cyclists, she explains how the Tour was a huge influence on her track to becoming a competitive cyclist.
“My dad used to always watch the Tour de France,” she explains, “my sisters used to race when they were younger and then I just got involved in the community and they brought me up in the sport.
The Grand Depart will be from Scotland
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TOUR DE FRANCE
“When the World Championships came to Scotland, it was an incredible opportunity and that really boosted me on to keep going in the sport.”
Helping non-cyclists make sense of the buzz around the British Grand Départ, she said: “everyone is just so excited to see the world’s best riders for their home roads, whether it’s Scotland, England or Wales.
“It’s never happened before – it’s never come this close to Scotland before – and it’s going to be in credible to show of Scotland at its best.”
The Grand Départ comes in the midst of a series of high-profile sporting competitions that Scottish ministers hope will sell Scotland’s viability as a top tier nation for global events, including the Commonwealth Games returning to Glasgow this summer and the UEFA European Championships in 2028.
The three opening stages of the 2027 Tour de France will set off from Edinburgh to Carlisle on July 2, Keswick to Liverpool on July 3 and Y Trallwing to Cardiff on July 4 before cyclists make their way to mainland Europe.