Young Borders musicians, cycling challenges and skills tests, spin fitness sessions and special parade laps will all feature when the Tour Series comes to Galashiels on Wednesday 4 May.
The town is hosting the second round of this year’s Tour Series - a fun, fast and free to spectate cycling event featuring Britain’s best male and female riders.
The Tour Series is the UK’s premier professional cycle race series, with national and international television coverage, including highlights on ITV4. It will also be live streamed for the first time this year too.
Activities for all ages
Local activities will start from 12noon, with the first race off at 5.30pm and the second at 7.30pm. Each last one hour plus five laps of the short town centre circuit, which uses Bank Street and Channel Street.
In addition to the Tour Series ‘village’, Bank Street Gardens will also host interactive arts workshops, ability bike displays and information stalls. Live Borders’ sports development team will have a pump track cycling challenge in Market Square from 2.30pm, while the Tri Fitness team will also be offering spin classes and there will be a Great British Bike Off challenge.
Gala Town Band will be performing at various times in Bank Street and MacArts are putting on four performances on the podium in Cornmill Square at 1pm, 1.45pm, 2.30pm and 3.15pm.
From 1pm cycling skills based sessions will take place on the start finish straight in Bank Street, and from 3.45pm there will be several parade laps round the circuit, including the Borders Additional Needs Group lead by local leaders from the Scottish Cycling Breeze Group and then the Breezers Woman’s Programme participants.
Get involved
There’s still time for Galashiels residents and businesses to take part in activities organised by Energise Galashiels Trust to support the event, including window dressing and bike decorating competitions.
Free bikes, provided by Just Cycle, are available, on a first-come-first-served basis, for anyone wishing to take part in the bike decorating contest. These can be collected from the Focus Centre in Galashiels any day before 2pm – simply ask for the Centre caretaker who will be happy to help.
The competition ends on the 29 April when representatives from the Braw Lads' Gathering will judge the best bikes in Bank Street gardens between 7 and 8pm.
The winning bikes will then be displayed throughout the town for the duration of the Tour Series. The winners will also receive gift vouchers and a goody bag.
Town centre businesses are also being encouraged to join in the festivities with a window dressing competition.
To take part, all you have to do is:
- Decorate a window at your business premises based on a cycling theme
- Email the organisers at hello@galashielsheartland.org.uk by 12noon on Monday 2 May to say that you are taking part
- Have your window ready for judging by 5.30pm on Monday 2 May
- Keep your window dressed until Thursday 5 May
The windows will be judged by this year's Braw Lad and Lass, with the winner to be announced during the Tour Series event. The prize is £250 worth of advertising with Radio Borders.
More information
More information on the Tour Series event, including details of road closures is available.