HIGHLAND PERTHSHIRE came to a standstill yesterday as the second Etape Caledonia cycle challenge hit the region’s roads.

Nearly 2000 competitors from all over the UK and beyond tackled an arduous 81-mile route through stunning scenery.

Perth and Kinross Provost Dr John Hulbert waved off the participants from Pitlochry’s Atholl Road shortly before 7am.

And the weather turned out to be just perfect for the cyclists with bright sunshine for much of the day and not a drop of rain.

The 2008 event started earlier than last year’s challenge, while road closure times were minimised, all in a bid to reduce its impact upon local communities.

Despite the measures, there had been some local anger over the road closures, with the Anti-Closed Road Event group seeking to change the whole structure of the competition.

A handful of protesters were visible on the route yesterday, but they were lost among almost 6000 spectators who gathered in Pitlochry and around the course of the Etape, the UK’s only closed-road, mass participation cycling event.

Among the participants were the reality TV star and clean queen Aggie MacKenzie and Fife’s round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont.

The pair were fitted with tracking devices to allow spectators to follow their progress around the course, which eventually brought them back to Pitlochry.

Mark set the pace in the early stages before coming in 262nd in a time of four hours, four minutes and 52 seconds.

Meanwhile Aggie, who was joined on the route by sister Karen, finished in six hours and 30 minutes.

The How Clean is Your House? star was raising money for Action Medical Research, one of the event’s two official charities— Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres being the other.

First to complete the challenge was the Granite City Race Team’s Veli Matti Raikkonen in a time of three hours, 38 minutes and 53 seconds.

Cyclists take over Perthshire roads

HIGHLAND PERTHSHIRE came to a standstill yesterday as the second Etape Caledonia cycle challenge hit the region’s roads.

Nearly 2000 competitors from all over the UK and beyond tackled an arduous 81-mile route through stunning scenery.

Perth and Kinross Provost Dr John Hulbert waved off the participants from Pitlochry’s Atholl Road shortly before 7am.

And the weather turned out to be just perfect for the cyclists with bright sunshine for much of the day and not a drop of rain.

The 2008 event started earlier than last year’s challenge, while road closure times were minimised, all in a bid to reduce its impact upon local communities.

Despite the measures, there had been some local anger over the road closures, with the Anti-Closed Road Event group seeking to change the whole structure of the competition.

A handful of protesters were visible on the route yesterday, but they were lost among almost 6000 spectators who gathered in Pitlochry and around the course of the Etape, the UK’s only closed-road, mass participation cycling event.

Among the participants were the reality TV star and clean queen Aggie MacKenzie and Fife’s round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont.

The pair were fitted with tracking devices to allow spectators to follow their progress around the course, which eventually brought them back to Pitlochry.

Mark set the pace in the early stages before coming in 262nd in a time of four hours, four minutes and 52 seconds.

Meanwhile Aggie, who was joined on the route by sister Karen, finished in six hours and 30 minutes.

The How Clean is Your House? star was raising money for Action Medical Research, one of the event’s two official charities— Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres being the other.

First to complete the challenge was the Granite City Race Team’s Veli Matti Raikkonen in a time of three hours, 38 minutes and 53 seconds.

Team-mate Alister Watt finished just two seconds later.

“I think the day was a fantastic success,” said event spokeswoman Tricia Fox.

“Pitlochry was thronging and there was a real festival atmosphere.

“Local businesses got firmly behind the event, with many going that extra mile to make visitors to the area feel welcome.

“Particular thanks should go to Victoria’s which was in prime position for the finishing line and made a real effort.”

Tricia added, “The success of the event has really given us something to build upon and the organisers are obviously delighted.”