Tour o’ the Borders race set to hit road for national charity

The annual Tour o’ the Borders road race returns for a seventh year in September, and its organiser, Peebles events firm Hillside Outside, has chosen Kidney Research UK as its official charity partner for the second year running.

That link-up – inspired by father and son Tim and Joseph McLean, from near Dolphinton in South Lanarkshire – saw the event donate £3,600 to the charity last year.

The pair had to withdraw from the 2018 Tour o’ the Borders event due to Joseph, 22, being diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure in July of that year.

Fortunately, father Tim was a good tissue match for him, and, after a successful kidney transplant operation in early 2019, the pair completed last year’s sportive, raising more than £1,600 for the charity, with the event’s organiser chipping in with a further £2,000.

The pair believe themselves lucky to have been matched for an early transplant, due in part, they believe to their love of cycling keeping them in good health.

“We are committed to demonstrating the many benefits of cycling through our event programme, and Tim and Joseph’s inspirational story exhibited just how phenomenal these benefits can be,” said Hillside Outside’s marketing manager Harley Lothian.

“We are delighted to take this partnership forward for another year and continue to support the fantastic work that Kidney Research UK does each day in stopping this disease in its tracks.”

This year’s race, sponsored by Pirelli, takes place on Sunday, September 6.

Expected to attract up to 2,000 pre-registered riders, it offers a choice of 74 or 56-mile closed-road routes starting and finishing in Peebles.

Participants can sign up to commit to raising a minimum of £250 for Kidney Research UK and receive support from the charity in return.

Charity places can be purchased at tourotheborders.com, and donations to the charity can also be made there.