This page covers the staggered start, route and vital safety information. All the event numbers will be at Cash for Kids and collated around five days before the event.
Please take a note of the Tour de Forth emergency number and save it on your phone - 07384 502137.
Forecast is dry and sunny with a light to moderate East North East breeze but a growing chance of light rain during the day, so a tailwind to the midpoint and a headwind home. It is forecast to be 14C at 8am, rising to 19C with an 7mph East North Easterly breeze at noon, but please check the forecast before you leave home so don’t forget your rain jacket and apply sun protection! Don’t forget your essentials from the previous email! Come prepared.
Please respect others and maintain social distancing, where possible, until the start and after your return to Gogarburn. If you have symptoms, have tested positive or have been asked to isolate, please do not come to the event.
The Start
We are adopting a staggered start process for the Classic but will start the Nouveau at 0815 in two groups as the riders will spread out quickly. We will set off in groups of approximately 40 riders at 90 second intervals. We propose you stand in a start wave as follows:-
Wave 1 and 2 – Riders 1 to 80 who will average > 18 mph and expect to complete the route in around 3 to 3.75 hours
Wave 3 and 4 – Riders 81 to 160 who will average > 16mph and expect to complete the route in around 4 to 4.5 hours
Wave 5 and 6 – Riders 161 to 260 who will average >14mph and expect to complete the route in around 4.5 to 5 hours
Wave 7 and 8 – Riders 261 to 340+ who will average >10mph and expect to complete the route in 5 to 6 hours
The Nouveau will start in two groups of riders around 0815 after the Classic.
The Route
Click here to download the route as a GPX to your Garmin or save the link to the mobile friendly google map. There has been a lot of growth and lots of the hedgerows are overgrown which reduces the visibility on the narrow roads and especially at bends, please slow down and take care.
It is an open road event so riders must obey the highway code at all times. Please remember the updated highway code being courteous and giving way to pedestrians and horseriders. We will have volunteers at all the key junctions with signage to show the way. We will depart onto Gogar Station Road and head for Ratho, Newbridge and onto B800 towards Kirkliston and head for Dalmeny via Standingstanes Road, South Queensferry, Hopetoun House then join the Forth Road Bridge via the bus lane and then the cycle path on the West side of the Bridge. On the North side take care to stay on pavement then loop back onto the paved cycle track onto Hopeview Road. Then head for Rosyth, Limekilns and Charlestown then back to the A985, past Crombie, turning off down to Crombie point, please give way to pedestrians and dog walkers who may be out for Sunday stroll. After Torryburn, you carry on through Culross, past Longannet power station and sharp turn up to Kincardine Bridge, cycle slowly taking care and giving way to any pedestrians, stay on the pavement to the skinflats.
You head over the skinflats towards the Grangemouth. The water/snack station is at 41 miles - you are more than halfway! We will have water, bananas etc. and mechanics and loos. You need to leave the feedstation by 1pm to make the finish in time.
You leave Grangemouth and head up into the hills towards West Lothian Golf Club, taking care with the poor road surface on the descent after the golf club, back East towards Philipstoun and Linlithgow, up the hill, taking care of the road surface leaving town. Follow the road on to Niddry via Fauchledean, then onto Newbridge, and retracing your wheels back to Ratho and then Gogarburn.
SECTOR CLOSING TIMES
We will be doing a final patrol of the route sectors at the following times. Any rider who has not completed the sector by then will be deemed to have retired from the event – we will endeavour to offer transport for any rider who has retired but cannot guarantee this as riders with medical requirements will have priority.
Ineos feedstation 1300
West Lothian Golf Club 14.00
Philipstoun 14.30
Gogarburn 16.00
We will have Radio Forth providing some entertainment and music to celebrate your return and a food stand with snacks and tea/coffee to recharge your batteries after you have collected your finisher medal.
Due to popular demand, souvenir cowbells and Tshirts are available at £5 and £8 - ALL proceeds going to our charity so bring a little extra cash if you want to take one home.
REGISTRATION
Registration will be organised by rider number, please note your rider number and arrive with your ID and confirm your contact and emergency contact details are correct. Open from 6.30am to 7.45am. If you want an extra 30 minutes in bed then please register between 12-230pm on Saturday 10th June at Edinburgh Bike Cooperative, 7 Alvanley Terrace, Edinburgh, EH9 1DU. Don't forget to bring your numbers and emergency contact details on the Sunday and you can just grab a coffee or do a warm-up and go straight to the start line for the start at 8am.
You must register to receive your rider pack, including a bike and bib number – you must complete any medical information on the back of your bib number and put it in your pocket.
We recommend you aim to be at registration by 7am on the Sunday to be at the start line on time.
The event is all about raising funds for Cash for Kids, we will award bike helmets to 2 lucky fundraisers, one male and one female. The winners will be chosen by a draw after the event, all you need to do is raise funds for this fantastic charity. We also have 5 sunglasses for the highest team fundraisers, all kindly donated by Endura. See more at prizes.
If you want to make a personal donation please use our donation page by clicking donate.
Lastly, please take care to get that gel packet or wrapper back in your pocket and try not to litter our beautiful country. Thank you for your support – see you on Sunday!