The best young cyclists from all over the country and Europe are in Perthshire for the biggest youth stage race in the UK.
The 160 under 16 male and female cyclists arrived at the event base, Strathallan School, on Friday.
The event consists of four stages and roads will be closed in Forteviot, the Madderty area and Forgandenny over the weekend and on Monday to allow races to be staged safely.
Now in its seventh consecutive year, the event is well-established in the national youth cycle racing calendar and the organisers describe it as a platform for “the cycling stars of the future”.
“The youth tour of Scotland is the biggest and best youth stage race in the UK showcasing some of the most talented young riders,” said Craig Burn, chief executive of Scottish Cycling.
“Perthshire has been the choice of location for each year due to the fantastic accommodation at Strathallan School as well the great choice of circuits in this area.
“We are incredibly proud of the Scottish Cycling Youth Tour of Scotland, it is the highlight of the National Youth racing calendar and emphasises our aim of developing the sport from grassroots to elite.
“It’s going to be an action-packed weekend with the Commonwealth Games taking place on the Gold Coast. Team Scotland will be inspiring our youth racers as they tackle the roads of Perthshire.”
Aged from 13 to 16-years-old, there are 20 boys teams and 20 girls teams participating in the event, each supported by a team manager.
The organisers thanked local people for their cooperation and patience in putting up with the inevitable disruption caused by road closures.
Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times but car traffic will be curtailed.
“There may be gaps during the races during which we can allow necessary movement of vehicles but for the safety of competitors and drivers, this must be kept to a minimum and vehicles must travel in race direction,” explained a spokesperson for the organisers.
