[Source: UCI] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zwift, a global online training and racing platform for athletes, for the governance and development of cycling esports as a new cycling discipline.

This MoU follows the integration of cycling esports into the UCI Constitution, which was approved by the Federation’s Congress in September 2018 in Innsbruck (Austria). The objective is two-fold: to establish requirements that guarantee the speciality meets the standards of sporting integrity and fairness necessary for all UCI-sanctioned disciplines, and to launch the inaugural UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in 2020, as well as qualification events for these Championships, on the Zwift platform.

The news follows the confirmation of Zwift as Official Supplier to the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire, Great Britain.

As part of the MoU, the UCI and Zwift will collaborate to ensure the sporting credibility of cycling esports events. This will include the establishment of a hardware programme that is reliable enough to be used in events sanctioned by the UCI, a performance verification programme that will validate a rider’s performance and ward against technological fraud, and a rider identification system, including height and weight. Moreover, different formats of racing, for individuals and teams, will be tested. The UCI Regulations will be updated accordingly.

On the sporting side, the UCI will organise the 2020 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships (on the Zwift platform). These will be held on a date and at a venue that are still to be confirmed. The UCI and Zwift have agreed that a maximum of 15 National Championships will be organised in select countries as well as Continental Championships; these competitions, organised on-site or remotely on-line, will act as qualification events for the new UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. The Zwift application will be the only programme used for all these events.

 Following the first edition of the World Championships, the UCI will launch a bidding process to determine the provider with which it will collaborate for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships after 2020.     

UCI President David Lappartient declared: “Cycling esports is a fantastic opportunity for the development of cycling. It is a new way of practising cycling that is expanding rapidly and enables more athletes, whether beginners or more experienced, to train and race regardless of what the weather is like and where they live. The Memorandum of Understanding between our Federation and Zwift is a decisive step towards the total integration of cycling esports by the UCI.”

Zwift’s Esports CEO Craig Edmondson added: “Earlier this year, we stated our ambition to develop an esports platform, but I think it’s much more than that. We are looking to establish a new approach to the sport. This partnership is a significant leap forward in that journey. We are at the very beginning of a long and exciting roadmap here at Zwift as we look to establish a new and innovative cycling discipline.”

About Zwift
Zwift is a fitness company born from gaming, that is dedicated to fitness and experienced in software and video game development. Combining that passion and deep understanding of the fitness world, Zwift is the first company to use massive multiplayer gaming technology to bring the outdoor experience indoors. Athletes from around the globe can train and compete with each other in rich, 3D-generated worlds simply by connecting their existing devices & hardware (e.g. cycle trainers, power meters, treadmills, heart rate monitors, etc) wirelessly via open industry standard ANT+ and BLE. From friendly competition, to racing and structured training programmes, Zwift is building a community of like-minded athletes united in the pursuit of a better social fitness experience.

About the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
Founded in 1900, in Paris (France), the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms, for all people as a competitive sport, as a healthy recreational activity, as a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the eight cycling disciplines: road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials and indoor cycling. More information on www.uci.org.

Spirit of Harrogate launches new ready to serve drinks brand

[Source: The Sports Consultancy] Harrogate-based premium drinks brand, Spirit of Harrogate, is today announcing the launch of ‘Solo’ – five ready to serve drinks – created for the UCI Road World Championships, taking place in Yorkshire this September.

Solo will be an Official Supplier of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships running from 22^nd – 29^th September, with the world’s best cyclists descending on Yorkshire for the week. Spectators can sample the range of refreshing tipples from the tournament’s multiple bar venues throughout the week, and from the Spirit of Harrogate experience store on Montpellier Parade. Solo will also be available to purchase in store after the races too.

Solo has been made using award-winning Slingsby Gin and includes Slingsby London Dry with Indian Tonic Water – a signature classic made with locally sourced botanicals. Attendees can also enjoy Slingsby Rhubarb Gin with Ginger Ale or Elderflower Tonic Water infused with the finest Yorkshire rhubarb or Slingsby Gooseberry Gin mixed with Mediterranean Tonic. Solo will also launch a ready to serve made using the Gin brand’s latest flavour variant Marmalade, complimented with Mediterranean tonic. All products are bottled at 8% ABV.

The sponsorship deal, which was concluded on behalf of the UCI by The Sports Consultancy (TSC), will see Solo benefit from multiple promotional opportunities over the seven days including on-course branding, branded content across the event’s social channels and advertisement in the official programme. The team will also be handing out branded giveaways throughout the duration of the event in the UCI Fan Zone, in their flagship store in the heart of Harrogate and as part of the 2-day publicity vehicle caravan on the final weekend.

Co-Founder of Spirit of Harrogate Mike Carthy comments:

“We’re delighted to be launching our first ready to serve drinks brand and thrilled that Solo will be the Official Supplier for such a prestigious sporting event. We can’t wait to welcome the thousands of attendees and world’s best cyclists to our hometown. I’ll certainly be there cheering on the sports men and women who are competing as they race through the heart of Harrogate – with a Solo in hand of course. Solo is something we’ve worked incredibly hard on and we can’t wait for visitors to trial our unique flavours during the event.”

Can Scotland go Dutch? That’s the question British Cycling Policy Manager, Nick Chamberlin, will put to delegates when he speaks at this year’s National Events Conference on 9th September at Gleneagles Hotel.

Joining a stellar line-up of internationally renowned speakers and presenters, Nick’s presentation, “Let’s change the way we move – Can Scotland go Dutch?” will highlight the unique opportunity available to Scotland in hosting the biggest ever festival of cycle sport: the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Will this ground-breaking major event create the chance for Scotland to follow in the footsteps of Holland and become a cycling nation?

Nick said: “I’m delighted to be speaking at this year’s National Events Conference. In 2023 Scotland will once again welcome the world and deliver another ground-breaking major event, the UCI Cycling World Championships, but does the event offer more than just a great spectator experience? I look forward to discussing with delegates the opportunity for Scotland to follow the example of the Dutch and embrace cycling for everyone and to adopt transport polices to allow short car journeys to be replaced with bikes instead.”

With just under a month to go, Nick is the latest speaker to confirm his attendance at the flagship industry conference for the Scottish events & festivals sector, which will address the theme Embracing Innovation, Delivering Change. Other confirmed keynote speakers include:

• Bruce Dewar, CEO & President Lift Philanthropy Partners
• Dr Beatriz Garcia, Director, Impacts 18 / European Capital of Culture Research Programme
• Helen Marriage MBE, Director, Artichoke
• Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs,
• Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events

There is also a range of breakout sessions with sector experts covering up-to-the-minute topics relevant to the industry, including:

• Events and Sustainability with Jonathan Smith, GEO Foundation Founder & Executive Director and consultant to The Solheim Cup, Dan Withall, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Property Manager, and Lachlan Kirk, Resource Efficient Scotland Implementation Advisor.
• Visitor & Audience Trends with Chris Greenwood, VisitScotland Senior Tourism Insight Manager, and Cimeon Ellerton, The Audience Agency Chief Product Officer
• Broadcast Innovation with Jason Wessely, Sky Sports Golf Executive Producer, Jack McGill, CEO QTV, and Ali Russell, Formula E Director of Media & New Business
• Data Drive Innovation with Joshua Ryan-Saha, University of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Innovation Lead for Tourism & Festivals, Lyndsey Jackson, Deputy CEO Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Oliver Davis, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Head of Marketing & Development, and James McVeigh, Festivals Edinburgh Head of Marketing and Innovation

With the conference taking place alongside the 2019 Solheim Cup - the biggest women’s golf event in the world - conference delegates will have the unique opportunity to go on a ‘behind the scenes’ tour and hear from some of the key people delivering this major international event.

The conference will provide delegates with a first-class opportunity to hear from experts, network with industry peers and share their event experiences, plus enjoy the fabulous surrounds of the Gleneagles resort. As part of the delegate pass, there are free courtesy coaches from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “I’m delighted to have Nick join us at this year’s National Events Conference to share his insights into how Scotland can capitalise on the amazing opportunity the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships presents beyond just delivering a world-class event.

“This year’s conference is shaping up to be one of the best yet and to have the opportunity to host it within a major international event is something truly special. With places selling fast, I urge anyone in Scotland’s events and festivals sector who is yet to sign up to do so now. It promises to be a great day filled with lots of helpful information and insight as well as a great opportunity to network with industry peers in the amazing surrounds of Gleneagles Hotel.”

Delegate places cost £145 + VAT and can be paid online or by invoice. With only a few weeks left before registration closes, remaining places are selling fast so make sure you BOOK NOW to secure your spot and preferred breakout choices. Visit www.nationaleventsconference.scot

Denmark will host the Grand Départ of the 2021 Tour de France, starting on 2^nd July in capital city Copenhagen, followed by a second stage on 3^rd July running from Roskilde to Nyborg on the island of Funen, and the third stage on July 4^th starting in Vejle and finishing in Sønderborg.

A Deloitte report on the 2017 Grand Départ found that Düsseldorf benefited economically by EUR 64m, with the total marketing value to the host estimated at EUR 443m. Other cities and regions to have benefited from hosting the Grand Départ include Utrecht (2015), Yorkshire (2014), and Rotterdam (2010).

Denmark’s bid to host a Tour de France Grand Départ officially began on June 20th 2016 in Paris, where the bid was presented to Christian Prudhomme by the former Danish Minister for Business and Growth, Troels Lund Poulsen, and the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Frank Jensen.

Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Race Director at the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) said: “Of course the Tour de France, with the best professional sports cyclists in the world, had to visit Denmark and Copenhagen – the best country and the best city in the world for everyday cycling. The Grand Départ Copenhague – Danemark 2021 is the ‘rendez-vous’ to celebrate the mutual inspiration between every day cycling and professional cycling.”

With 198 top athletes and more than 900,000 spectators expected to attend the three stages, this will be one of the biggest sports events ever held in Denmark.

The Tour de France is broadcast in 190 countries and has about 3.5 billion TV viewers during the race.

Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, said: “Denmark made it! It is fantastic! A dream born many years ago has come true. The world’s greatest cycling race starts in Denmark in 2021. It doesn’t get much bigger. It is the perfect match for the proud Danish tradition for hosting major cycling events where the massive interest for cycling and the stars of cycling are the driving forces.”

Other major international cycling events hosted by Denmark include the UCI Road World Championships in 2011, the UCI BMX World Championships in 2011, the start of the Giro d'Italia in 2012, the UCI Amateur World Championships in 2015, the UCI European Championships in 2017 and the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in 2019.

The hosts of the three stages

The opening stage, a 13-kilometre time trial in central Copenhagen, starts off on H.C. Andersens Boulevard and finishes on City Hall Square after having passed through the heart of Copenhagen including landmarks such as the Royal Palace of Amalienborg, the historic harbour of Nyhavn and the parliament at Christiansborg.

The second stage runs for 190 kilometres, starting in the heart of the historic city of Roskilde and finishing in Nyborg on the island of Funen after crossing the majestic Great Belt Bridge with possible side winds and a chance of breakaway.

The third and final stage starts off in Vejle, passing sights such as UNESCO world heritage Jelling Monuments and riding through 170 kilometres of stunning countryside scenery before finishing in Sønderborg, with an airport five kilometres from the finishing line.

The city of Odense was included in the original bid as the destination of the second stage but was replaced by the municipality of Nyborg, due to a desire from the ASO to let the Great Belt Bridge play a bigger role in the second stage of the Tour.

Bidding and delivery teams

The bid team consisted of the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, the municipalities of Copenhagen, Roskilde, Nyborg, Vejle and Sønderborg, Sport Event Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen, the Capital region of Denmark and the regions of Zealand and Southern Denmark.

The event will be organised by a partnership consisting of the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs and the municipalities of Copenhagen, Roskilde, Nyborg, Vejle and Sønderborg as stakeholders. The capital region of Denmark and the regions of Zealand and Southern Denmark are contributing to the partnership financially.

An administrative office with responsibility for the day-to-day operation of this partnership will be set up to implement the Grand Départ in Denmark. The temporary director of the administrative office Alex Pedersen was vice president of media company Jysk Fynske Medier and a professional cyclist who took part in organising the Giro d’Italia in Herning and Horsens in 2012.

“The best cycling city in the world"

The slogan of the Danish Grand Départ is “The greatest cycling race in the world meets the best cycling city in the world", with the latter title conferred by the Copenhagenize Index.

There are 5.6 times as many bikes as there are cars in Copenhagen, with almost half of the locals cycling to work and school on 379 kilometres of designated cycling paths.

In 2015 Denmark was named the most bike-friendly country in Europe by the European Cyclist Federation. Cycling accounts for 26 per cent of all trips less than 5 kilometres in Denmark and 16 per cent of all trips. The average Dane cycles 1.6 km per day. The country has 12,000 km of marked cycling paths.

Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen said: “Biking is a vital part of the lifestyle in Copenhagen where bikes actually outnumber cars. Copenhagen is a true bike and a top event city – ranking number 8 at Sportcal’s Global Sports Cities Index. Copenhagen is therefore the perfect place for a Grand Départ, and we are looking forward to welcoming the world of existing and going-to-be bike enthusiasts to our city.”

[Source: EventScotland] Scotland’s position as a world-leading host for major events has been reaffirmed with the announcement on 8^th February that it has been awarded the inaugural Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Cycling World Championships in 2023.

The Championships, which will take place at venues in Glasgow and across Scotland over two weeks in August 2023, has been awarded in recognition of the country’s proven expertise in delivering world-class and ground-breaking events.

The vision of UCI President, David Lappartient, this historic and innovative event will bring together 13 existing individual World Championships cycling disciplines into one mega event for the first time. The Championships will bring together thousands of the world’s best cyclists all vying to win the iconic rainbow jersey, in what will become the world’s biggest cycling event, broadcast to a global audience.

Speaking at today’s announcement at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, UCI President David Lappartient, said: I am delighted that the UCI has today awarded the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships to Glasgow and Scotland. The creation and the implementation of this event was one of the commitments I had made during my campaign for UCI presidency and I am proud to have fulfilled it. I wish to thank EventScotland, Glasgow Life, UK Sport and British Cycling for their enthusiastic involvement in the very first edition of this historic event, which will uniquely showcase our sport and its different disciplines on an international stage. Glasgow and Scotland has a great deal of experience in the organisation of major sporting events, notably multi-sports, such as the first edition of the European Sports Championships that it organised in 2018. I am convinced that the UCI Cycling World Championships will be a great success, and I look forward enormously to preparing them with our Scottish partners.”

Both Glasgow and Scotland’s records are self-evident when it comes to delivering mega events, having hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events in recent years; including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2014 Ryder Cup and Glasgow 2018 European Championships, with the 2019 Solheim Cup and UEFA EURO 2020 to come over the next 18 months.

It is this unrivalled events experience, which also includes such cycling events as the annual Mercedes Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup at Fort William, the 2007 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, OVO Energy Tour of Britain and the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup in recent years, which made Scotland the UCI’s destination to host the maiden edition of what is destined to become every four years an outstanding fixture of the international cycling competition calendar.

Combined with Glasgow’s existing investment in world-class cycling infrastructure such as the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and the Glasgow BMX Centre in Knightswood, this ensures that Scotland will be able to host this event without having to build any new venues.

The opportunity to be the first-ever hosts of the UCI Cycling World Championships will also provide a visible focus to support the acceleration of a range of local and national policy initiatives across the areas of health, transport, sport and tourism, and which would see Scotland aspire to become one of Europe’s top cycling nations.

Reacting to the news, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: “As the first ever host of this event, Scotland will cement its position as a leader and innovator in the planning and delivery of major sporting events. It builds upon the successes of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2014 Ryder Cup and last year’s European Championships.

“Our overall aim is for Scotland to become one of Europe’s top cycling nations with cycling firmly embedded across Scotland as the favoured way to travel to school and work, as an enjoyable leisure activity and an efficient way to improve health.”

Sir Chris Hoy, six-times Olympic gold medallist, said: “To see Glasgow build on the legacy of the Commonwealth Games in 2014 - and more recently the European Championships - to become the first city to host a combined cycling world championships is a real coup for the city and Scotland. I’m looking forward to witnessing first-hand what I know will be another fantastic event not only on the velodrome track in 2023, but across all disciplines of our great sport.”

Katie Archibald, Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion, said: “I’ve competed in a few major events in Scotland, and they are amongst some of my career highlights thanks to the amazing support myself and my team mates get from the home crowd. The UCI World Championships 2023 sounds really exciting, it’ll be the year before the Paris Olympics, meaning all the nations will be ramping up their preparations so the racing will be great to watch. I also like the idea of being able to support my team mates from other disciplines in their world championships.”

Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life and Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “This is a huge announcement and achievement for the city. Being the first ever hosts of this event – which will become the pinnacle of the international cycling competition calendar – will cement Glasgow and Scotland’s position as a worldwide leader and innovator in the planning and delivery of major sporting events.

“Our city is one of the top five sporting cities in the world, and events like the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will help us continue to climb these rankings and realise our big aspirations. This event will be the biggest event staged in the city, and indeed the country, in the coming years – and we cannot wait to welcome athletes, officials, and spectators from around the world to Glasgow.”

Today’s announcement follows months of work by EventScotland, Glasgow Life, UK Sport and British Cycling to secure the event after the UCI announced its ambition to create this brand new cycling concept back in 2018.

Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair of UK Sport said: “UK Sport is delighted to see that Scotland has been chosen as the first ever host of the exciting new concept that is the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

“The decision from the UCI demonstrates once again that the UK remains a world leading innovator when it comes to hosting global sporting events as well as an open and welcoming place for athletes, coaches and fans across the globe.

“This move provides real confidence as we look to deliver our ambitious event hosting strategy and I would like to thank National Lottery players for their support because it is their backing that will allow us to bring more of the world’s top sporting competition to the UK.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “We are delighted that Scotland has been chosen to host the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023. I’d like to thank President Lappartient and the UCI for awarding the event to Glasgow and Scotland and for trusting us to bring the vision of this exciting and historical new event to fruition. Securing a competition of this global magnitude reinforces Scotland’s position as the perfect stage for events and one of the world’s leading sporting destinations.

“The competition will once again provide another significant opportunity for both visitors and locals to celebrate some of the world’s elite cycling talent across a range of events. We look forward to working closely with UCI and wider partners to deliver this landmark event for Scotland.”

It will also provide opportunities including volunteering and workforce development, as well as supporting British athletes in their preparation and qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Frank Slevin, Chair of British Cycling, said: “At British Cycling, we do not judge the success of major events only by the medals won, but by the numbers of people inspired to get active by getting on their bikes. Hosting the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships reflects the pioneering success of Scotland’s national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage, and also represents an amazing opportunity to transform a whole nation’s relationship with the bicycle. We look forward to working with our colleagues at Scottish Cycling to ensure the benefits of this event will be felt in Scotland long after the final race has been won.”

Today’s announcement highlights the continued success of Scotland’s national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage, in ensuring a solid pipeline of events which deliver sustainable impact and international profile for the country. The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will join a portfolio of major events in the coming years, including The 2019 Solheim Cup and UEFA EURO 2020 and will continue Scotland’s journey to being the perfect stage for events.

The UCI currently stages annual World Championships in each of its disciplines across the year in different host cities around the world. The newly proposed UCI Cycling World Championships will, in a single region, bring 13 disciplines together every four years starting from 2023. These are:

• UCI Road World Championships
• UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships presented by Tissot
• UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
• UCI Mountain Bike Cross-country World Championships presented by Mercedes-Benz
• UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Championships presented by Mercedes-Benz
• UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships
• UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country Eliminator World Championships
• UCI Trials World Championships
• UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Championships
• UCI BMX World Championships
• UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships
• UCI Gran Fondo World Championships

Host City: The Hammer Series is a great brand name – where did the name come from?

Julien Ternisien: The name was developed jointly by Infront and its partner Velon, the company uniting the top 11 UCI World Tour Teams, together with a leading London based agency.

We looked for a brand name that would immediately resonate with cyclists, reflect the race format and work internationally.

All serious cyclists know what it is to be hammering down the road or when a rider drops the hammer and then goes all out. It reflects the impact racing style of the series and translates well across many languages.

Host City: How does the format of the event differ from other cycling competitions?

Julien Ternisien: Firstly, it is a team versus team format, rather than individual winners.  Although cycling is a team sport, normally an individual winner stands on the podium. For the Hammer Series it is the team standing on the podium.

The other important aspect is that it is short and action packed. It is two hours of racing per day over three days including the Hammer Climb, Hammer Sprint and Hammer Chase.

The Hammer Climb and Hammer Sprint are races in which riders will attempt to win points for their team. Fans are able to see the top riders in the world sprinting against each other on each lap – approximately 10 times – during the Hammer Climb and Sprint. 

Each team’s finishing positions from days one and two are combined to determine their starting place on day three’s Hammer Chase, a team pursuit against the clock with the leading team starting first and the other team chasing them.

Host City: Who is the rights holder to Hammer Series and what is Infront’s role in delivering the event?

Julien Ternisien: Velon Ltd and Infront are the rights holders of the series, partnering with local race organisers on the events.

Host City: The event is part of the UCI Europe tour - what is your relationship with the UCI and how do you help to further their aims?

Julien Ternisien: Both Infront and Velon have a strong relationship with the UCI and we see them as our partner in the development of the Hammer Series

We have engaged with the UCI from the outside and have worked closely with them on the development of the format and the regulations necessary to facilitate this new form of racing.

All Hammer races, as well as the series, are sanctioned by the UCI.

We believe the Hammer Series is a fantastic race series for the globalisation of cycling, which is a key objective of the UCI. This new format of short form, action packed racing offers a unique opportunity to introduce cycling to new cycling markets.

This article first appeared in the Summer issue of Host City magazine

Billed as a new era in world sport, this summer’s multi-sport European Championships will elevate the profiles of host cities Glasgow and Berlin during an 11-day sporting extravaganza. The inaugural event will bring together the existing European Championships for athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon, while a new golf team championships will be held.

Around 4,500 athletes from 52 nations will take part in the championships, which are set to be held every four years after August’s event. And the UK’s biggest multi-sports event since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is showcasing novel features in two of its venues.

The Glasgow BMX Centre in Knightswood is the only permanent new venue constructed for the event. The first ever world and Olympic-standard BMX track for Scotland, built at a cost of £3.7 million, makes Glasgow the only city in the world with venues capable of hosting all four Olympic cycling discipline events (BMX, mountain biking, road and track) within its city boundary. All four disciplines are being staged as part of the European Cycling Championships.

The facility, completed in May 2018, features the only outdoor 8-metre ramp in the UK as well as a 5-metre starting ramp. Funded by Glasgow City Council, SportScotland, Glasgow 2018 and British Cycling, the venue is already open for use by the local community. After the championships, it will also be utilised for training by Western Titans BMX Club.

Colin Hartley, Glasgow 2018 championships director, said: “The exhilarating thrill ride that BMX will take us on in August is set to be spectacular, and we’ve got a fantastic venue for it. 

“We commissioned the innovative Glasgow BMX Centre to be built especially for the championships and, in doing so, we brought Scotland its first and only world and Olympic-standard BMX track, with a legacy that will last for years to come. 

“Witnessing the BMXers take to the track this August will definitely be a moment to remember.” 

Swimming Pool Innovation

Home to the Glasgow 2018 Synchro Swimming European Championships, Scotstoun Sports Campus, located in the west end of Glasgow, is one of the busiest sport and leisure facilities in the city.

The campus accommodates both Scotstoun Stadium, home of the Glasgow Warriors, and Scotstoun Sports Centre. The centre is a Glasgow City Council-owned facility, featuring a 25m x 25m pool, gym, six squash courts, multipurpose sports hall, eight indoor tennis courts and the National Badminton Academy of Scotland. There are several outdoor football pitches and tennis courts.

In the wake of its successful hosting of the table tennis and squash events at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Scotstoun Sports Campus was chosen to deliver the Glasgow 2018 European Synchronised Swimming Championships. It became an interesting and unique project.

The sport required a venue with a 20m x 25m x 3m competition pool as well as a training pool. Glasgow 2018 organisers thought outside the box and a decision was made to utilise Scotstoun by building an international standard synchronised swimming competition pool – in the indoor tennis centre.  

The design team ensured all technical requirements were incorporated into the build, including the installation of a heating, ventilation and cooling system to regulate the temperature of the hall to 27 degrees.  

The overlay included: excavation to create a level platform for pool filtration equipment and associated power overlay; construction of a platform to hold an HVAC unit that was craned into position over the building; and complete strip of all internal lighting to install temporary broadcast lighting, a competition PA system and screen rigging truss.

The work also involved construction of a 20m x 25m x 3m competition pool, installation of a 3.1m pool deck platform and two grandstands to accommodate spectators, athletes, sponsors and European federations’ guests, as well as installation of media and broadcast tribunes.

“We’ve got an excellent facility in Scotstoun, so it made perfect sense to build upon this in order to deliver a venue fit for our world-class synchronised swimmers,” said Glasgow 2018 director Hartley. 

“Making the venue ready for the events was quite an interesting undertaking, and one we’ve really thrown ourselves into in order to make it as perfect as possible for both our athletes and attendees.

“Our grandstands will ensure everyone is able to see the show-stopping performances in this not-to-be-missed spectacular.”

For the first ever European Championships, a total of 12 venues across Scotland will be used. Glasgow hosts six sports – aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon – while Berlin stages athletics at its Olympic Stadium, with the road races and race walking events held throughout the city.

More than 3,000 athletes will travel to Scotland as part of a total delegation of around 8,500 including officials, media and others. A further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin.

Festival 2018, an arts and culture programme, will complement the sporting competition in Glasgow and Scotland. “There is something on offer for everyone at Glasgow 2018, with elite sporting action and a unique cultural programme, and we want to see as many people as possible get out to enjoy the events whether that’s in George Square, Go Live at the Green or the sports venues,” said Scotland’s culture secretary Fiona Hyslop.

Organisers of the championships say it has a potential European TV audience of up to 1.03 billion. In a deal with the European Broadcast Union, its free-to-air members, including the BBC, will screen the event across the continent.

British Cycling, Welcome to Yorkshire and UK Sport have submitted a bid to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for Yorkshire to host the 2019 UCI Road World Championships.

Announcing the bid formally in the Yorkshire Post, Prime Minister Theresa May commented: “Yorkshire’s beauty was brilliantly shown off to the world by cycling events like the Tour de France and the fantastic Tour de Yorkshire, led by Sir Gary Verity.

“So today I can announce that we have backed a Yorkshire-led bid to bring cycling’s World Road Championships to Britain. This week, British Cycling's bid to hold the event in Yorkshire was delivered to the sport's governing body, the UCI.

“The government will underwrite the event and back it with £24m of investment so that we can get even more people to visit the region. Our backing will include £15 million for cycling infrastructure projects, to encourage even greater participation in the sport and continue the proud legacy that has seen our athletes excel at the Rio Games."

Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Sir Gary Verity added: “It would be an absolute honour to host the 2019 UCI Road World Championships.

“Yorkshire has everything a bike race could wish for. We can promise a gruelling but spectacular range of routes, huge crowds and the very warmest of welcomes.

“Yorkshire is ready to embrace the championships. We’ve turned the county yellow once before, and now we want to see it swathed with those coveted rainbow bands.”

The bid promises to not only deliver a world class cycle race but also a £15 million package of nationwide investment to further develop cycling facilities, inspiring the nation to get on bikes.

British Cycling’s president, Bob Howden, said: “The UCI 2019 Road World Championships should find its natural home in Britain and in Yorkshire. Britain has proved that when it gets behind major cycling events, it really does the nation proud. Not only would Yorkshire deliver a cycling event to rival the scenes we saw in 2014 (during the Tour de France Grand Depart), it promises to build on our fantastic legacy of getting more people to discover the joys of life on two wheels.

“Backed by substantial government investment, our bid promises not only to host the biggest UCI Road World Championships in history, it will secure new facilities across the country to ensure that even more people get to experience British Cycling programmes and opportunities to get on their bikes.

“This bid represents a chance to set a new standard for an international sporting event. A country-wide investment in facilities ensures the participation legacy is not an add-on but built into the bid from the start and means the benefits will be felt far beyond the host region and for far longer than the eight days of the championships.

“Working alongside UK Sport and Welcome to Yorkshire, we collectively stand ready to deliver both the event and the lasting legacy that will sit behind it.

“We have the experience of hosting top class world cycling events, we have the structures in place to support a continued boom in interest in cycling, and we’re more ready than ever to truly show the world how passionate Britain is about one of its favourite sports.”