Top young cyclists will descend on Perthshire this weekend for one of the best youth stage races on the calendar.
More than 140 young cyclists in 35 teams from around Europe will compete in the fifth Scottish Cycling Youth Tour of Scotland.
Teams of cyclists under the age of 16 from throughout the UK, Belgium, Isle of Man, Ireland and Wales will compete in the four-stage event, on closed roads around Perth.
The Youth Tour of Scotland is seen as an opportunity for upcoming talent to gain experience of what it is like to be a professional rider, and to help the winners on their way to future stardom.
Stage one will involve a long circuit road race in and around the village of Forteviot, starting at 10.30am.
The contest will see the boys complete nine laps and the girls five laps of the 6.63km course.
On Sunday, the stage two team trial will involve one lap of the 6.5km Coupar Angus circuit, starting at 10am, while the stage three road race will see girls complete five laps and boys nine laps of the circuit, from 12.30pm onwards.
Stage four on Monday will involve a short circuit Kermesse-style road race, incorporating 16 laps for boys and 10 laps for girls, each lap of 2.55km.
The race, which begins at 9am, will take place in and around Strathallan School.
The winners will be invited to this year’s Tour of Britain, which begins in Glasgow on Sunday September 4, where they will be treated to VIP hospitality.
Events officer for Scottish Cycling and event organiser Bob MacFarlane said: “The Youth Tour of Scotland is one of our flagship events and I can’t wait to see the action unfold over the weekend.
“It is a great opportunity for the young riders we have in Scotland to showcase their skills and compete against the very best riders from around the UK, Ireland and Belgium.”
All of the teams, along with volunteer team managers, will be staying at Strathallan School throughout the weekend and will be offered tips from some of Scotland’s best coaches in between races.
The event is being run by Scottish Cycling in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council.