Scottish Cycling Events 2024

So far this year, we have seen the Strathpuffer 24 hour endurance race take place in January. Into February and the next event is the Fort William MTB Festival, this year marks their 20th anniversary. They have a jam packed programme running from the 15th to the 18th.

17th Learn to ride drops with Anna from RideOut Coaching.

24th Introduction to Jumping with Anna from RideOut Coaching.

In to March, with the cold weather still at full force the Nevis Range Day and Night Enduro on the 2nd will offer you a challenge of Snow, Ice and freezing cold winds. The Nevis Range Day and Night Enduro will have you doubling up on the thrill as riders will get to race once through the day and once through the night. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for stage two on the 9th of November.

If Road Biking is more your idea of two wheeled fun, Elgin Reliability Trial is being held on the 9th. Riders have two distances to choose from 70km & 100km. Included with your entry is a fancy piece, morning roll and hot refreshments at the other end to get you through.

The 23rd is the Youth Dirt Crit being hosted by Ythan CC and the first cyclo-cross event with Ellon’s Dirt Crit. Details are TBC so watch this space.

We are kicking off April in Nairn with Highland Audax’s event, The Wolf, Whisky & Mountains a 200km road ride going through Nairnshire and Moray. Quiet country lanes with gentle climbs will lead you up to the Lair of The Wolf (of Badenoch) at Lochindorb for road side refreshments. Stops will be made at The Fishermans Table in Findhorn, The Fire Station Cafe in Tomintoul and finishing off at Nairn Football Grounds where food & drink will be on offer. If 200km is a bit far, they have a 150km and 100km to choose from too.

Farr from Elgin and Away to the Spey are on the 14th. Organised by Elgin CC (Club of the year 2023), the routes are 200km and 100km respectivly. With Farr from Elgin going to Inverness and through the edge of the Cairngorms and Away to the Spey heading out to Upper Knockando and around the back of Fochabers. Ythan CC have the Bob Souter 10.

20th MacAvalanche!! Scotland’s take on the infamous Megavalanche. Balls of Steel optional but recommended.

21st Sees another event by Highland Audax, The Iron Horse is a 200km ride that features the iconic climb of Bealach Na Ba.

25th Ythan CC APR.

26th – 28th Perthshire Peloton Led by a Legend explore the rolling roads of Perthshire on a cycling and culinary break hosted by multiple World and Olympic champion track cyclist, Sir Chris Hoy.

The Weekend of the 27th is a competitive one whether you are trying to beat your own time a sportive or flying down trails. The Scottish Downhill Championships kick it off starting on the 26th at Ae Forest. TweedLove Enduro series also starts this weekend with Round 1 at Laggan. 27th is the Sportive Kinross followed by the Highland’s favourite sportive the Loch Ness E-Tape on the 28th as well as DT’s Spring Bunny 25mtt.

Other events to be confirmed are The Wee & Lumpy Python and Gravelfoyle Festival of Cycling.

May the fourth be with you, but not before Deeside Thistle CC’s APR on the 2nd and the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup that starts on the 3rd until the 5th! Over the weekend of the 4th you have, Lezyne Cateran Dirt Dash, a two day self-supported bike packing adventure and Muck n’ Mac Fest a family inclusive bike festival (under 14’s are free).

5th Scottish XC Round 2 (Lochore). Deeside Thistle CC are hosting the Dick Longdragon Road Race.

11th Bealach Beag Starting and finishing in Shieldaig, experience fabulous unspoilt landscape with outstanding views of the sea and hills with a closed road up and over the Bealach. RideOut Coaching have their first Trail Day of the year at Glassie Bike Park.

12th The Grand Old Dukes a 111 miles non-competitive 1 day challenge climbing 10,000ft. E-Tape Caledonia the UK’s original closed-roads sportive, with just 5,000 places on offer. A local offering of the Scottish 10 mile TT champs with Elgin CC hosting this year.

16th Crit Road Race hosted by Ythan CC.

The 18th is an exciting time for the gravel world, with the UK’s first UCI Gravel World Series Qualifier at The Gralloch. The concept of the series is focuses on competitive riders of all ages, from professional and elite riders through to older racers who want to compete on a level playing field with fellow racers of their own age. The 18th also see The Turra Coo challange a 300km ride through Moray, Banffshire and Nairnshire. RideOut Coaching will be at Laggan Wolftrax for a Trail Day.

18th & 19th is the two day Oban Sportive.

19th Aberdeen Enduro Entry details to follow.

23rd Road Race hosted by Team Ecosse Northboats Cycling Club.

The last weekend of May sees Round 2 of the National Downhill Series at Fort William over the 25th and 26th. This weekend TweedLove have their Electric Weekend. If you want to support a local charity and are up for a challenge, you can join Outfit Moray with their biggest fundraiser of the year Cairngorm 2 Coast.

It’s June, that means summer is here. Lets see what events we can enjoy with the longer nights and warmer days. It is a busy one so there will be a few hard choices to make!

Starting off June on the 1st is the Cairn O’Mount Challenge with an 80 mile or 30 mile route to choose from.

On the 2nd we see round 3 of the Scottish XC series heading to Tarland. The Isle of Mull Sportive will also be happening this Sunday, with two distance options for riders to pick between.

The 7th sees a different kind of challenge set out by Highland Audax in the way of Hellfire Corner 400. The 400km challenge starts out with a pre-ride curry at 20.00 before setting out at 22.00. This challenge is not for the faint hearted as in 2019 the lowest temperature recorded was -5!

18 years and still going strong. On the 8th we have 10 Under the Ben, 10 hours and all the endurance you can muster.

What would summer be with out a festival. First up is The Midsummer Beer Happening Sportive running from the 13th to the 15th this event is as much about beer as it is about their choice of 4 Sportives. They will also have good offering off Food and of course no festival woud be complete without Music.

The 14th sees the start of TweedLove’s biggest event of the year for the whole family and adrenaline junkies alike. They have something for everybody this year, even the roadies. Entry is free to the TweedLove Bike Festival with all the bikes, kit, riding and racing they can fit in to Peebles and the Tweed Valley, plus great food & drink, free movies and DJs all weekend. TweedLove Enduro Series Rd 2: The International will be held over the 15th and 16th with races happening on the Sunday. If you aren’t one for racing but still want to hop on a bike they will have demo‘s galore.

Fancy a bit of adrenaline and race curious? The Enjoyro could be what you are looking for. If getting mucky, riding berms and catching air isn’t your thing, TweedLove has you covered with their new sportive on the Sunday LoveTouro, with a choice of 70km or 100km.

16th Forres 25 TT

19th Massie Shield 25 hosted by Ythan CC.

Our biking calender wouldn’t be complete without mentioning The Highland Cross who celebrate their 40th Anniversary on the 22nd this year. In that 40 years they have raised a staggering £5.9 Million! From humble beginnings raising £13,000 in 1983 to £329,378 in 2023! If you want to help raise money with The Highland Cross for their chosen 5 local charities head over to their JustGiving and make 2024 the biggest fundraiser to date.

Mountain biking events on the 22nd sees the Scottish XC Round 4 at Chatelherailt. In Kintore The Sundown Cycle will take place with 3 choices of distance, 25 miles, 50 miles or 77 miles. Trail Day for RideOut Coaching this time heading to Bike Glenlivet.

23rd 50 Mile TT hosted by Deeside Thistle Cycling Club.

27th Quines & Loons Road Race hosted by Aberdeen Wheelers.

The 28th to the 30th is the 3rd round of the SDA series at Glenshee.

Are you up for one more epic challenge before the schools are out and the tourist flood the the Highlands? Highland Audax has the challenge just for you with the North Coast Classic 600 on the 29th. This Challenge is the final and most challenging ride in the North of Scotland series. Starting from North Kessock, Nr Inverness this challenge will take you through scenic villages including Ullapool, Strathy and Watten. Or head over to Dunoon for Grit of Dunoon and the Scottish Gravel Championships. If you don’t want the Challenge of the Champs why not join in on their Explore option or even their Discover Gravel option which is open to adaptive riders as well.

The Aberdeen Enduro Round 2 brings a very busy June to an end on the 30th, with venues still to be confirmed and entry details to follow.

Schools out for Summer!! Which means you are all away topping up your tan and quality family time. But for those of you that can’t fight the urge to get on a bike, July has a few events to dive into.

6th National Vets Mens & Womens hosted by Velocita Coaching Race Team.

Aviemore for a Trail Day on the 13th with RideOut Coaching.

20th Road Race hosted by Spata Breda Race Team. Another Trail Day for RideOut Coaching, this time at Tarland.

The Scottish National 100 mile TT hosted by Elgin CC will be held on the 21st, this will be on the A9 heading to the Dornoch Bridge roundabout and down to the Cromarty Bridge roundabout.

Galloway Forest Gravel Epic is on the 27th, they offer three choices of distance. The long route comes in at 129km, the medium route is 75km and the short route is 59km. There is also the opportunity to make a weekend out of it with camping available for £10. The route is fully signposted as well as supplying GPX files, you will also recieve full support with mechanics and rider support vans being a phone call away. A couple of the checkpoints are stocked with proper food to keep you going and for those finishing before the rider village closes, there will be beer and hot food available from their Food Truck to enjoy with other cyclists.

If you fancy an adventure whilst raising money, Bike The UK For MS will be up in the Highlands with a North Coast 500 ride. Spanning from the 27th to the 3rd of August cyclists can choose to cycle the full 500 or segments. Entrants will have a fundraising target of £1.75 per mile which works out at a modest £965. All overnight accommodation, support vehicles, volunteer route leaders, maps, team apparel and minor bike maintenance are all covered by your fundraising! You only need to cover travel to and from the trip and food during the ride. Accommodation will be at campsites, churches, community centres, town halls and the occasional university accommodation. One night in a hotel for the team would be enough money to build a ramp for someone with MS which is why our riders are willing to rough it where necessary. (Don’t forget your tent!)

After a month off, August is off to a flying start with the Scottish Downhill Series Round 4 kicking off at Glencoe over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th.

4th 2UP TT – Elgin CC

The 9th – 11th The 3rd year of Limitlass is here and they are on the move heading to Dunkeld. This is a festival for all women and non-binary individuals, the best part, it’s all about bikes!! Specifically Mountain Biking. So far Limitlass has won DMBINS Event of The Year in 2022 and 2023. Tickets sell out fast so you will have to be quick off the mark, last year sold out in an astonishing 14 hours!! This is not surprising though as it is a jam packed festival. With 2 ticket types and skills events at camp you can make the weekend what you want. Live Music and Great Local food will be available to purchase in the evenings.

10th Jolibar Road Race hosted by Deeside Thistle Cycling Club.

11th Scottish XC Round 5.

15th Road Race held by Ythan CC.

Exciting times in the Borders as British Cycling announce the first National Enduro Championships will be held in Ae forest over the 17th & 18th. With Hope Women and Hope Academy trail centre enduro on the Saturday.

18th Youth Road Crit held by Ythan CC.

The 24th sees Ride the North heading to Angus where it will start in the historic town of Arbroath. RtN have two routes to pick from with one being 100 miles and the other 70 miles. If you want to make your miles count for more, check out the list of Charity Partners you can get involved with. Including Highland Hospice, The Archie Foundation and Outfit Moray. Another TweedLove event for the diary in the form of the New Glentress Weekender. On Saturday Glentress 7 will see riders racing for 7 hours on a new course. Ride solo or in teams of two or three – the most laps in seven hours wins. On Sunday you have the Enjoyro EVO A proper enduro, but a bit mellower.

If you are a beer lover and your diary is empty on the 25th then Brewdog Ride Out Sportive might be for you. Experience BrewDog’s famous HQ in Ellon and the beautiful Aberdeenshire coastline in this sportive event. Ideal for both seasoned cyclists and beer lovers, pick from a 55k or 97k distance. Reward yourself post-ride with a well-deserved burger and beer.

Adventure and a Festival wrapped up in one to see August out? Raiders Gravel will tick all your boxes! From the 29th until the 1st September. Choose your ride format, if you’re going for the podium then Race Wave is for you or if you just want to ride for fun, Ride Wave will be for you. The rides will be in 3 stages. There is evening entertainment every night, including guest speakers and much, much more. Check out the festival here. The event closes with Podium Presentations.

31st to the 1st September Falling Leaves Road Race hosted by Velocita Coaching Race Team.

As we come into September, fresh crisp air and the trees turning golden only means one thing, autumn is here. Event’s are starting to wind down as we head towards the colder weather, however, there is still plenty to enjoy before we get to that point.

1st Scottish National XC Championships at Comrie Croft. Aberdeen Enduro location TBC. Keep an eye open for updates.

The date for the 20th edition of Tour of Britain has been confirmed by the UCI and will be held from the 1st to the 8th.

Friday the 6th is the final race weekend of the year for the SDA series with Round 5 at Innerleithen.

Roadies are going to have a hard choice on the 7th with the Bealach Mor Sportive and Insch CC Audax with two choices, Insch by Insch and the Half Insch.

8th Olympic TT Championships hosted by Ythan CC.

The Dukes Weekender is on the 13th and 14th with their brand new challenge the Gravelfoyle 10. A 24km loop and 10 hours to get in as many laps as possible. Take the challenge solo, pairs or gather the troops and tackle these trails in a team!

13th – 15th Perthshire Peloton at Gleneagles Led by Sir Chris Hoy.

14th Charity Sportive Tayside Challenge is in its 9th year. RideOut Coaching’s end of season epic Trail Day is heading over to Torridon.

TweedLove have Round 3 of their Enduro Series on the weekend of the 14th, featuring the final round and podium presentation of the BENBA National Enduro Series. This weekend Rat Race are holding their Scottish Coast 2 Coast challenge. Choose to smash it out over 1 day or chill and take 2 days. Book a solo during January and get 20% off your entry as Rat Race celebrates their 20th Birthday.

15th Aviemore Triathlon. Race alone or as part of a relay and choose from the short fast durty or the long hard durty. A triathlon of choice. Aberdeen Wheelers are hosting the Classy 10 Mile TT.

A wee local challenge on the 21st with Moray Gravel Collective’s Moray Raid Gravel Challenge. This ride is self-supported with two choices of distance 140km or 90km. Any bike will do if you are game enough. One year they had someone complete it on a road bike so no excuses please! Moray Gravel Collective have regular rides with their Winter Wednesday night rides and weekend outings where they sometimes meet up and ride with the North of Scotland Gravel group. All the events are free and shared on their Strava and Facebook pages.

21st & 22nd Lezyne Dunoon Dirt Dash is a self-supported bikepacking event over two days around the amazing scenery on the Cowal Peninsula near Glasgow.

October is the month of spookiness marks the end of the year for competitions with the final round of the TweedLove Enduro Series on the 5th and 6th. For the first time and the final leg TweedLove ends the series at Yair.

13th & 19th sees the Scottish Hill Climbing Championships.

Events still to be confirmed for this month are, Kayleigh’s Wee Stars cycle challenge and Durris Dash.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. We will remember them.

November in Moray means one of Elgin CC’s biggest events in the calendar with the Moray Poppy Ride. The Date is TBC and we will up date in due course.

Nevis range Day and Night Enduro with be back on the 9th for round 2. Entry details to follow.