A MAJOR cycling event will return in 2025 after receiving overwhelming public support.

The future of Tour O The Borders was unclear following complaints over road closures associated with the biking spectacle.

Peebles-based organisers Hillside Outside revealed last year that Scottish Borders Council (SBC) had asked it to “rest the event” for 2024.

But the local authority has now thrown its weight behind its return in 2025 after more than three quarters of respondents to a survey felt it had a positive impact on the region.

A Hillside Outside spokesperson said: “The importance of the event as a sports event and as a contributor to the local economy has been recognised and we’re delighted it now seems to have more support than ever.

“So while there’s some disappointment this year, we hope you agree that a more secure long-term future for the event is worth it. 

“The huge amount of work gathering and listening to views has been a vital part of this process, and we will continue to respect the voices of those who are inconvenienced by the Tour.”

They added: “It’s worth noting that the decision not to run the closed road event in 2024 was ultimately our own decision and was not mandated by any outside organisation. We hope all the riders will understand why we made this call and not be too disappointed – we’ll be back and more robust than ever in 2025.”

The spokesperson said that not running the Tour, one of Scotland’s biggest closed road biking events, in 2024 would give communities a break. 

The council-run survey received almost 600 responses, the vast majority from local residents and businesses, including in Peebles and Innerleithen.

Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton, executive member for business and community development, said their input was “key” to SBC’s support of the event.

“As with any event which requires road closures, some disruption is inevitable and we have strongly encouraged the organisers to proactively engage with communities along the route, mitigate the impacts as much as possible and ensure that communities and local businesses are aware of, and able to take advantage of, the benefits of the event and the visitors it brings to the area,” he said.

“With our ambitious South of Scotland Cycling Strategy and as a UCI Bike Region, we are committed to supporting existing cycling events in the area and encouraging new events and fully harnessing the power of the bike for the benefit of our residents, businesses, young people and visitors.” 

Tour O The Borders will return on Sunday, September 7, 2025. Entries will be available “very soon”, according to Hillside Outside.

Meanwhile, the company confirmed that LoveTouro would go ahead on June 16 as a “smaller-scale Touro event”.