Scottish cycling legend Graeme Obree will act as official witness to the wedding that will open this year’s Etape Caledonia, it has been announced.
The Flying Scotsman will be on the start line for the nuptials of fund-raisers Rick Millin and Jo Louden, who will tie the knot in front of 5000 participants in Pitlochry at 6am on Sunday.
Graeme who twice broke the world hour record and was two-times individual pursuit world champion will then take part in the gruelling 81-mile closed-roads race for the second time.
“I’m particularly looking forward to bearing formal witness to Rick and Jo’s big day. As fellow cycling enthusiasts, I really do wish them both all the very best,” he said. “I can’t think of a better way to start married life than pedalling off into the Scottish sunrise together.”
It was also revealed by Perth and Kinross Council on Monday that the weekend cycling extravaganza in Highland Perthshire should net the area’s economy an “immense” sum over £1 million.
The largest Etape to date is being preceded by the Highland Perthshire Cycling Festival, which runs all this week in and around Aberfeldy and is part of a council strategy to put its area on the map as the perfect pedal-powered tourist destination.
The authority’s enterprise and infrastructure convener John Kellas said, “Independent research showed us that last year’s Etape Caledonia boosted the local economy by over £1 million and this year’s event is even bigger than in 2010. The value of the Etape Caledonia to business in Highland Perthshire is immense.
“Cyclists have really taken the event to their hearts and it has gone from strength to strength each year. The 2011 event was a 5000-entrant sell-out a record six months before the race.
“By hosting such events Highland Perthshire can show what it has to offer to the cycling community and can entice them back to the area again and again. We have found that over 90% of visitors who come to Etape Caledonia travel from outside Perth and Kinross.
“Around 45% of visitors come from outside Scotland and almost 90% of visitors say they will come back to the area once they have experienced the Etape. These figures show the true value of the event to Highland Perthshire.
“The value of cycling tourism in the UK is estimated at over £635 million a year and we want to ensure that Highland Perthshire enjoys the full benefit from this sector.”