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Following last year’s ‘Stickgate’ incident at the 2017 Tour O The Borders closed-road sportive, two men aged 60 and 71 have now been charged and a report has been submitted by police to Scotland’s procurator fiscal. During the event a group of cyclists reported being attacked with sticks by the two men and footage, captured on the riders helmet mounted cameras, was given to the police to back up the claims.
Neil Dalgleish, the director of Hillside Outside who organise the annual event said: “It’s a relief to see that action is being taken – no-one should ever be subjected to threats or attacks of this nature. We provide numerous opportunities for local residents and businesses to voice any concerns and so it should never have come to this.”
It is now down to the legal system to decide what happens next, but in the meantime organisation of this year’s Tour O The Borders is in full swing, with the September 2 event looking set to be more popular than ever.
“It’s one of the most beautiful routes in the country, in an area which makes a point of welcoming cyclists to our many miles of empty roads and tracks,” says Neil Dalgleish. “This incident was an embarrassment for the area – the Scottish Borders is a very cycle-friendly region, so we all hope justice is seen to be done.”
