Edinburgh has been chosen to host the start of Britain's biggest professional cycling event for the first time.

The city will welcome riders for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain series on Sunday, September 3 with the finish line in Kelso.

The Grand Depart will feature hundreds of professional cyclists hurtling through the Old Town as the 73-mile opening leg gets under way.

It will be the sixth time the opening stage of the tour has taken place in Scotland since the race was revived in 2004.

The event has only visited the capital once, in 2015.

Councillor Richard Lewis said: "Edinburgh's winding and cobbled streets offer a challenging and dramatic start to the Tour of Britain in Scotland.

"I'm sure the competitors will enjoy the thrill of hurtling through the Old Town."