We Rode ALL 3 UK Closed-Road Sportives!

Brian and I take on Tour O The Borders 2026, the final one of the UK's three major closed-road cycling sportives for us this year! 🚴‍♀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 After riding Etape Loch Ness and Etape Caledonia earlier in the year, it was time to head to the Scottish Borders and take on the Tour O The Borders Challenge route. Starting and finishing in Peebles, we had around 54 miles of stunning Borders scenery ahead of us, along with plenty of climbing, Scottish weather and one climb in particular that we knew was going to hurt: the infamous Wall of Talla! At only around 1.8 km long, the Wall of Talla might not sound too intimidating, but with an average gradient of almost 9% and some seriously steep ramps, it certainly lived up to its reputation. Did we cycle all of it? Well… you’ll have to watch and see. 😂 Despite the wind, this turned out to be a fantastic day on the bike. Closed roads, incredible scenery, challenging climbs and plenty of laughs along the way. And with all three events now completed, Brian and I compare: 🏔️ Which had the best scenery? 🎉 Which had the best atmosphere? 🔥 Which has the toughest climb & route? ❤️ And most importantly, which one was our favourite? If you enjoy road cycling, cycling in Scotland, sportive events and discovering some of Scotland’s best places to ride, I’d love you to subscribe and join me for more rides. Thanks for watching and let me know in the comments: Have you ridden Tour O The Borders, Etape Loch Ness or Etape Caledonia? And which is your favourite? Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Start Line 02:05 Brian's Overview 03:15 Dreva Climb 04:40 Feed Station 1 05:13 Here Comes The Talla! 08:02 The Wall of Talla 11:00 Talla Descent 11:51 Megget Reservoir 12:28 Feed Station 2 12:51 Paddy Slacks Climb 13:36 Comparing Events 14:55 Finish Line 15:28 Medals 16:06 Photos #sportive #cycling #cyclinglife #cyclinglovers #tourotheborders #peebles #scottishborders #scotland #roadcycling #roadcyclist #talla #etapelochness #etapecaledonia