Dunfermline Cycling Club aim to attract up to 200 riders for the ‘Tour of the Kingdom’ challenge on Sunday 14th June with the choice of pedalling 92, 60 or 28 miles across Fife.

It will begin and end at Fife College’s campus in Halbeath and has the backing of Fife Council, who are set to host bikeability (formerly known as cycling proficiency) sessions in a ‘cycling village’ in the college grounds.

Tom Bishop, Dunfermline Cycling Club’s president, said, “After I signed up to ride a stage of the Tour de France for charity 10 years ago I always wanted to be involved in an event locally. There are a huge amount of people cycling now, whether they want to race or just get on a bike, so there is a definite interest in these sort of events.

“We are aiming this at the recreational market and have three routes that are spread over a big area and cater for people of different abilities.” Although non-competitive, the routes – the longest takes in Aberdour, Kirkcaldy, Ceres, Newburgh and Blairadam Forest – are a nod to the former ‘Tour of the Kingdom’ road race that saw riders compete over 180 miles in two stages from Dunfermline to Leven via St Andrews.

Bishop added, “We’re hoping that 200 people will take part which would be beyond our expectations.

“It is very much a participation event and we would like to do it on an annual basis.

“In association with Fife College and the council, we’ve organised a lot of activities in the college grounds and I am quite excited given the short time we’ve had to organise it.” The Tour of the Kingdom will be 10 days after the Dunfermline # Squirrel Crit Race, a closed road cycling event, returns to the city and builds on the £2.4million being spent on the sport here as part of the council’s ‘Cycle Dunfermline’ project.

New cycling routes across the city are in the process of being completed, while a partnership will be developed with Fife College to establish a ‘cycle friendly campus award’ through Cycling Scotland.

Entry to the Tour of the Kingdom costs £25 and the money raised will be put towards the club’s youth development programme. For more information and to enter, visit www.entrycentral.com/tour-of-the-kingdom.