Etape Loch Ness, live.

A closed-road lap of Loch Ness from Inverness

Etape Loch Ness sends riders round the full circuit of Loch Ness on fully closed roads on Sunday 25 April 2027, starting and finishing in Inverness.

The organiser calls it the UK's largest closed-road sportive, with more than 6,500 cyclists, and general entry for 2027 is already sold out. The 66 mile route has 900m of ascent and four support stations with water, snacks, toilets, first aid and mechanical support.

The start is at Bught Park in Inverness. The route crosses the Caledonian Canal and follows the A82 to Drumnadrochit with views across Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, then on to Fort Augustus. From there riders take on the King and Queen of the Mountain climb to the Glendoe Summit, 4.8 miles (7.7km) gaining 380m. A descent leads to Foyers, then short climbs and rolling roads along the quieter southern shore through Dores, a last climb back into Inverness and a finish beside Inverness Cathedral on the River Ness.

Riders are split into four waves by estimated finish time and released in groups at 3 minute intervals between 06:00 and 06:50, from a start area 0.6 miles from the Event Hub. Registration is on Saturday 24 April from 10:00 to 19:00 at the Event Hub at Eden Court, with photo ID, and there is no collection on event morning. Friends can start together by entering the same team name.

The closed-road cut-off is based on a minimum average of 13mph, giving up to 5 hours 38 minutes from the final wave start before roads reopen. Mechanics are out on the course, but riders should carry a pump, puncture kit, tyre levers and spare tubes. For 2027, riders can count Etape Loch Ness instead of RideLondon towards the London Classics.

On Livebib you can follow a rider live when they choose to share their own position from the phone they carry. That dot comes from the cyclist, not from the organiser's timing, and the official results are published by the organiser after the ride.