Sunday 5th June sees Edinburgh RC breaking new ground in the east of Scotland with their very first women's road race.

The Tour de Gladhouse is round two in Scottish Cycling's Women's RR Series supported by Dales Cycles.

Based on the challenging Howgate, Gladhouse Leadburn, Waterheads circuit shared by ERC's midweek Eastern Promise RR the new event starts from Eddleston Village Hall, Eddleston, Peeblesshire.

The race will be neutralised for the first section north on the A703, turning right at Waterheads and up the curving climb of Westloch. Once the peleton has passed the finish area and crested the summit of Westloch it's racing on for four full laps of this tough thirteen mile loop.

With current Women's RR Series leader Flora Gilles of Team 22 WRT absent it's a chance for her second placed team mate Genevieve Whitson to leapfrog her in the league.

However Gen faces strong opposition from Scottish National Women's RR silver medallist Shani Bloch-Davidov (Pedal Power RT) and former Scottish RR champion Chloe Fraser (LOINTEK) in a thirty rider strong field that also includes the talented climber Rachel Crighton (Team 22 WRT) and time trial champion Lynsey Curran (www.Dooleys-Cycles.co.uk).

Promoting club Edinburgh RC are represented by Emma Borthwick, Mireille Captieux, Eleanor Strathdee and Helen Wyld but sadly miss the driving force for this new race Juli Rourke who is sidelined by a knee injury.

There are plenty of short climbs on the circuit for riders to attack on and long exposed drags to whittle the field down but it's expected that the Westloch climb will play a defining role in who takes first honours in this inaugural event.

For more information on the event please see HERE.