Pedals to the metal at TweedLove event

Scotland’s biggest homegrown cycling event took place much earlier than usual and proved to be a great warm-up for what will be a showcase year for biking in the area.

Three major races across the weekend attracted more than 1,200 riders – with the YT Industries TweedLove International a highlight of the biking action.

Featuring some of the fastest enduro racers in the UK, and a prize fund of £2,000, this fiercely-competitive race saw local riders Bex Baroana and Innes Graham secure the fastest times of the day.

And there was just as much excitement on the hill in this year’s Hope Enjoyro presented by Ridelines. Hundreds of first-time racers and family teams enjoyed a laid-back day of riding at Glentress on Saturday, with plenty of locals turning out to cheer them on.

Away from the races, the buzzing event village on Tweed Green kept visitors and locals entertained all weekend with music and films, street food, beer and more.

Hundreds of kids watched Sing 2 at the free outdoor cinema on Friday evening – and a showing of Top Gun: Maverick topped off a great day of action on and off the bikes on Saturday.

Peebles High Street also had a busy weekend, with festival visitors offering a welcome boost to the bank holiday trade. Some spectators struggling to find local accommodation had to travel in from Melrose to watch the racing – a sign of healthy room bookings over the TweedLove weekend.

Festival director, Neil Dalgleish said: ‘This year’s festival was always an important one for us. It’s a massive year for cycling in Scotland and we wanted to do our bit to set the Tweed Valley up for the events to come.’

‘As well as hosting the UK’s biggest enduro race, a free family ride through the streets and a fun day of dedicated events for kids, we attracted some of the biggest cycling brands and businesses to the valley. We couldn’t be more proud of the people in our community that helped to make it happen – from our wonderful team of local volunteers to everyone who offered a warm welcome to our riders and visitors. You are all amazing!’

The next round of the YT Industries TweedLove Triple Crown Series will take place in Innerleithen on May 20/21.

Visit tweedlove.com for more information.