Borders cyclist Oscar Onley tells of pride at competing in 2022's Tour of Britain in front of home crowd

Kelso cyclist Oscar Onley, far right, back in the Borders with Team DSM team-mates during 2022's Tour of Britain (Photo: Scottish Borders Council)

The race, the biggest of its kind in the UK, was brought to a premature halt last Thursday night, three days after passing through the region, due to the redeployment of police motorcyclists and command vehicles previously assigned to it following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The cancellation of stages six, seven and eight of the race – in Gloucestershire on Friday and Dorset on Saturday and on the Isle of Wight on Sunday respectively – was disappointing but couldn’t be helped, said Onley.

“It was a shame that the race finished early as we were planning on racing aggressively over the weekend with nothing to lose,” the 19-year-old told us.

Kelso Cyclist Oscar Onley back in the Borders during 2022's Tour of Britain (Pic: Scottish Borders Council)

That abrupt ending didn’t detract at all from his pride at taking part in a race he’d watched for years as a child, though, he insisted, adding that seeing his team-mate Cees Bol win that day’s stage, after a photo finish, in his home-town of Kelso had been a highlight.

“Personally, I was happy with my race as it showed I can be up there with the best guys,” said the former Kelso Wheelers member.

“It was a really special day for me to be back in the Borders in a pro race.

“I’m not at home often anymore and it was incredible to see so many people out on the roads shouting my name.

Team DSM cyclists Marius Mayrhofer, Chris Hamilton, Cees Bol, Leon Heinschke, Oscar Onley and Max Poole heading from Hawick to Duns on Monday last week during stage two of 2022's Tour of Britain (Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

“The day was almost perfect for us.

“The whole team were fully committed to Cees in the final. Unfortunately I couldn’t help the others in the leadout after getting caught up in a small crash, but it left no damage.”

“I first watched the Tour of Britain by the roadside in 2011 and to see it going past my house this year was pretty exciting.”

Onley finished in the pack that day despite an accident in the Lammermuir hills earlier on and went into stage three of the race in 30th position overall, only 14 seconds behind then race leader Corbin Strong, of Israeli team Premier Tech.

The Borderer ended up 24th, 28 seconds behind eventual winner Gonzalo Serrano, of Spain’s Movistar Team.

His Netherlands-based team, Team DSM, ended up sixth, Britain’s Ineos Grenadiers coming out on top.

Last Monday’s 109-mile stage took riders from Hawick to Duns, via Jedburgh, Kelso, Morebattle, Coldstream, Eyemouth and Reston, plus a brief excursion into East Lothian.That was the ninth time in 13 years that the Borders had hosted the cycling race.

Next up for Onley is the Tour of Croatia from Tuesday, September 27, to Sunday, October 2, followed by a race from Paris to Tours in France on Sunday, October 9, to conclude his current season.