MORE than 100 of the world’s top cyclists are to race through East Lothian on Sunday morning.

The opening stage of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain sets off from Edinburgh’s Royal Mile at about 10.30am.

Twenty of the world’s top professional cycling teams will take to the roads, with the stage passing through the county before finishing in Kelso in the Scottish Borders on Sunday afternoon.

Among the top names already confirmed for the race are Team Sky duo Geraint Thomas and Michal Kwiatkowski; recently crowned European Champion Alexander Kristoff, from Norway; World Time Trial Champion Tony Martin; and multiple time British Champion Alex Dowsett, with others expected to be confirmed ahead of the race, including 30-time Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish.

The stage, which is shown live on ITV4, is expected to reach Musselburgh at about 10.50am before passing Prestonpans and Cockenzie and Port Seton at about 11am.

Cyclists will continue along the coast road to Longniddry (11.10am) before heading inland, via the B1377 and A6137, to Haddington (ETA 11.25am).

They are due to reach Pencaitland – using the A6093 – at about 11.35am.

From there, the race heads south, via the B6355 towards Gifford, which hosts the first intermediate Eisberg Sprint of the 2017 race at about 11.50am, where riders will battle for points towards the Eisberg Sprints Jersey.

Shortly afterwards, riders tackle the first SKODA King of the Mountains climb of the race at Redstone Rigg in the Lammermuir Hills, with the race expected to reach the summit at about noon before the stage heads in to the Scottish Borders and is due to finish in Kelso at about 3.20pm.

There will be a series of rolling road closures, up to 90 minutes, in place along the route to facilitate the race through the county.

The event last visited East Lothian two years ago, with Edvald Boasson Hagen, from Norway, finishing third on stage four – which saw competitors en route from Edinburgh to Blyth – on his way to overall victory.

Paul Bush, VisitScotland’s director of events, said: “Spectators are in for an amazing opening stage to this year’s OVO Energy Tour of Britain as they are treated to world-class racing set against the backdrop of some of Scotland’s most iconic and spectacular locations and countryside.

“EventScotland is proud to be a long-term partner of the Tour of Britain and help bring the race to Scotland to showcase what’s on offer to an international audience of cycling enthusiast. With more than 2,000 miles of the National Cycle Network covering the country, Scotland truly is the perfect stage for cycling events.”

Competitors will battle it out over a further seven stages with the winner crowned in Cardiff next Sunday (September 10).