Tour de France trophy arrives in Edinburgh as Portobello pupils take cycling scheme success to Paris
The trophy visited the school to celebrate its work getting girls into cycling
Students at Portobello High School caught a glimpse of the Tour de France Grand Départ trophy ahead of tickets for next year’s opening ceremony at Edinburgh Castle going on sale next week.
The Tour sets off from the castle on July 2, the first time it has departed from Scotland in its 120-year history.
But before riders set off for the 24-day race, ten pupils from the high school are headed on their own journey to Paris this week to speak at the British Embassy on how they grew the Girls Gone Cycling initiative.
The trophy was brought to the Portobello promenade in recognition of the pupils’ hard work encouraging more girls to take up cycling.
They grew the initiative from an idea in June 2026 and within six months, more than 70 pupils now take part and the project is being replicated in schools across Edinburgh and the East of Scotland.
Girls Gone Cycling allows the school to provide bikes for students to take home to make cycling more inclusive and the girls have been particularly successful at encouraging ethnic minorities and those with additional support needs to get into the saddle.
It is part of the Pedal Power Porty strategy which has led over 150 pupils to take part in cycling to school, bike activities and the launch of school mountain bike team.
Headteacher at Portobello High School Greg McDowall said: “Having the Tour de France trophy come to Portobello is incredible and can only encourage more kids to take up cycling. I know a lot of our pupils are counting the days until the Grand Départ set off from their home city.”
Council leader Jane Meagher said: “I am really excited and proud to be welcoming the Tour de France trophy to Portobello High School before the tour comes to Edinburgh next summer.
“The Tour de France coming to Edinburgh for the first time is very exciting. We are investing £1.7million – money that has been generated from the Visitor Levy - to improve roads for the event and it’s set to bring in millions of pounds for the local economy.”
The castle will host the opening ceremony on its Esplanade on June 30, and will feature the official presentation of the riders ahead of the 114th edition of the men’s race.
This will see the world’s top elite cyclists and their teams introduced to fans, ahead of the Grand Depart from the city on July 2.
It will also feature a performance by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, including Highland dancers, massed pipes and drums, and new music created specially for the occasion.
Celebrations are set to extend beyond the castle walls, giving fans across Scotland’s capital the chance to see the riders en route to the castle, and join in the festivities ahead of the Grand Depart.
The peloton will go along the Royal Mile, before heading south, going through Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders and heading to Carlisle via Dumfries and Galloway.
It will then continue through the Lake District to Liverpool, before heading into Wales for a finish in Cardiff.
Tickets for the ceremony will go on general sale from Friday October 30, priced from £27.
Those subscribed to the race’s newsletter can access pre-sale tickets from October 23, followed by British Cycling, Scottish Cycling and Beicio Cymru members on October 24.