Q: Who's behind the Tour DoonHame?
Q: How long has the race been going?
Q: How important is the race in the cycling world?
Q: Does the Tour DoonHame attract any big names?
Q: How does a stage race work?
Q: Why all the cars and motorcycles?
Q: Racing on public roads - is it legal?

Q: Who's behind the Tour DoonHame?
A: The Tour DoonHame is organised by Wallacehill Events, the event organisation committee of Wallacehill Cycling Club. The Race Organiser designate for the Tour DoonHame is Ian Sinclair who chairs the committee of unpaid volunteers.

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Q: How long has the race been going?
A: The 2010 Tour DoonHame was the inaugural edition of the race. The event grew out of the Girvan Cycle Race which was held over the Easter holiday weekend for forty years, with the last edition taking place in 2009.

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Q: How important is the race in the cycling world?
A: The race forms part of British Cycling's Premier Calendar, an annual series of single-day and multistage races for elite level road racers. The race provides an important early-season test for national, professional and club teams alike.

A good performance at the Tour DoonHame can catch the selectors' attention and can pave the way to international team selection or a pro team contract. Many of the competitors in the event's forerunner, the Girvan Cycle Race, went on to success in British and World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games. Several went on to join the European pro circuit, competing in the major tours of France, Spain and Italy.

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Q: Does the Tour DoonHame attract any big names?
A: Indeed it does! The race, in its previous guise as the Girvan Cycle Race, featured some of the best known names in world cycle road racing as competitors. Mark Cavendish, Chris Boardman, Sean Kelly, Robert Millar, Tony Doyle, Brian Smith, Chris Newton, Rob Hayles, Paul Curran and Sean Yates to name but a very few. With the Tour DoonHame having been awarded Premier Calendar status from its inception in 2010 the event continues to attract the same high quality entry.

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Q: How does a stage race work?
A: Most stage races are essentially scaled down versions of the famous Tour de France. Followers of the World Rally Championship may recognise the timing/points system as it is broadly similar to the WRC format.

Riders compete together over a number of timed "stages". Each stage produces a Stage Result, with every rider being credited with a time and place according to their finishing position.

As the race progresses, each stage classification is added to the preceding ones to produce a combined General Classification or "GC". The overall winner after all four stages is the competitor who has the lowest cumulative time on General Classification.

Other classifications within the main race determine the winning team, best sprinter, best hill climber and leading under-23 rider. All this makes for a highly competitive and absorbing race which, after several stages, can be won by several minutes or by as little as a single second.

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Q: Why all the cars and motorcycles?
A: It's a question we're often asked - why do so many cars and motorcycles accompany a cycle race? It takes a considerable amount of support to move a road race of up to 140 cyclists safely around the course.

Safety cars and motorcycle marshals precede the main racing groups to warn oncoming traffic and guide the riders around the course. Each team is entitled to have one support car behind the riders to help keep them 'fed and watered' and to provide spare wheels or bikes in the event of punctures, 'mechanicals' or crashes. So called 'neutral service cars' provide this service to any rider whose team car is not close to hand. Team cars also carry wet weather clothing for their riders and the team manager directs team tactics from the car.

The Race Director and Commissaires (referees in cycling) in cars and on motorcycles travel with the event to control the convoy of vehicles and to ensure that the rules of the sport are complied with. Judges and timekeepers go ahead to the King of the Mountains climbs, Hot Spot Sprints and stage finish lines to record the placings and times of the riders at these locations. Timing motorcycles identify breakaway riders and time the gaps gained by them over chasing groups, displaying this information to the riders on a blackboard. A race announcer travels just ahead of the race in a loudspeaker car to keep spectators informed of the latest race situation.

Doctors and/or first aiders deal with injuries following a crash. Press cars carry journalists while their reports are illustrated by shots captured by stills and TV camera motorcycles which can get up close to the action. Ahead of the race, routeing and safety crews check and prepare the course with event direction and warning signage while at the rear the 'Broom Wagon' sweeps up any riders who are unable to continue in the race. Last vehicle on the road is the derouteing van which collects all the event signage promptly after the race has passed.

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Q: Racing on public roads - is it legal?
A: Yes, cycle road races in the UK are organised in accordance with the Road Traffic Act, 'Cycle Racing on Highways Regulations' which specifically allow for bicycle racing on public roads. However, races are only authorised when they meet the conditions specified in the Regulations. Major race organisers work in close consultation with local authorities and police to ensure that their events are run as safely as possible. Temporary Road Closure Orders are used where appropriate to ensure the safety of competitors and the general public alike.

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