Host City: The events landscape is increasingly competitive, and in the current financially challenging environment, why does Glasgow continue to host major events?

Susan Deighan: Glasgow has an immensely strong record of delivering some of the world’s biggest events, from the Commonwealth Games to COP26, and, this year, the inaugural UCI World Cycling Championships. These significant world events contribute to the city’s economy and identity and over the last decade Glasgow has cemented its reputation as the perfect location for international events.

Yet every bid is rooted in the local. Each decision to bid for or host a major event rests in Glasgow’s policy ambitions. While traditional economic benefits are still key, increasingly the focus is on creating a tangible, worthwhile legacy for the city and its communities.

We believe that the city’s events programme provides the people of Glasgow with the opportunity to benefit in the longer term, from the enhanced opportunities for participation leading to improved health, and wellbeing outcomes.

Major events can be a catalyst for change in societal behaviours, and aligning with local aims to encourage a healthier and more active population has countless benefits.

Take this summer’s Cycling events and their long-term impact. The city of Glasgow is committed to improving access to cycling for all, to active travel, to volunteering, to becoming a healthier, happier, and more sustainable city. For Glasgow, the UCI Cycling World Championships were an incredible opportunity to change a great city for the better.

As a world-leading festival and events destination, Glasgow is capitalising on major events to generate global exposure, developing, and promoting the city’s enviable international brand, People Make Glasgow. In addition, it is a driver for generating positive social impacts. We have recently recruited our first Social Impacts Development Manager, who is responsible for developing and evidencing positive outcomes for local communities and ensuring this is part of our event planning process.

Host City: The theme of this year’s conference is Driving and Reacting to Change. Is Glasgow an innovative city?

Susan Deighan: As you touched on, Glasgow is operating in an increasingly competitive environment, I think this has encouraged us to draw attention to Glasgow’s USP.

In recent years Glasgow has, in partnership with others, created brand new events. In 2018 Berlin and Glasgow successfully co-hosted the inaugural European Championships. In August, Glasgow was at the centre of the biggest cycling event in the world, when it welcomed the first-ever UCI Cycling World Championships to Scotland.

Glasgow is a trailblazer; some might say a disruptor. From scratch, we have created completely new major events, which have succeeded and have gone on to be hosted elsewhere. We have an enviable reputation for being a successful host city, making Glasgow a stand-out candidate when international sport bodies are considering where to host their event. They can look at our innovative events history and trust Glasgow to deliver confidently and expertly.

Host City: Continuing to consider reacting to change, how might evolving audience attitudes drive change for host cities?

Susan Deighan: Glasgow has welcomed the Host City Conference to our city for nine years. It returns to Glasgow again this year because we use this gathering of leading destinations, rightsholders and organising committees as an opportunity to pose and discuss the tough questions facing our industry.

 This year we will focus on driving and reacting to change. I am confident issues such as what is important to Gen Z will be tackled. How will environmental values push major events to drive innovation through sustainability initiatives, which in turn push governments on towards net zero targets.

Glasgow’s approach to this, across the range of events the city hosts, has led to our ranking 8th in the world on the Global Destination Sustainability Index. The ranking positions Glasgow as the first city out with Scandinavia, and the only UK city, to appear in the top ten, maintaining this will be key when hosting future events.

Will the rise of the mega event continue or will joint pan-destination bids like the UK and Ireland’s Euro 2028 become the new norm in international sporting events? Should the historical significance of an event be enough to guarantee its continuation? Continuing to deliver successful events will rest on being brave enough to challenge the status quo.

Given changing tastes, landscapes, and attitudes, we must consider, adapt, and respond to what makes an event relevant to its audiences.

Host City: Equality, diversity and inclusion are increasing buzzwords; has Glasgow made a genuine effort to influence a shift in the events the city has hosted?

A: Yes. I have watched Glasgow flourish by committing wholeheartedly to the transformative power of investing in culture and sport for all. The city has hosted an amazing array of civic events, from the Garden Festival in 1988 and City of Culture in 1990 to the UEFA Champions League Final in 2002 and the opening of the Hydro in 2013, the incredible 2014 Commonwealth Games, the UN Climate Change Conference in 2022 and, this summer, the UCI Cycling World Championships.

This year Glasgow is celebrating soaring up the annual World’s Best Cities Report from 93^rd last year to 61^st, second in the UK after London, and our role as European Capital of Sport. I think one of the reasons we were the first city to be awarded this accolade for a second time is because we recognise that sport can be an immensely powerful way of bringing diverse communities together. It inspires passion, engagement, and identity like few other things.

At Glasgow Life we believe access and participation are universal rights, which can have profound lifechanging impacts.

For these reasons we are pleased to have worked with UCI to combine all para-cycling events into the main competition programme at this summer’s World Cycling Championships. We support equal prize money for men and women and, personally, I was incredibly proud to watch the elite women’s road race bring eleven days of outstanding competition to a close in Glasgow this summer.

Host City: Looking at evolving sports and formats, what does the future of events in Glasgow look like?

Susan Deighan: 2024 is another significant year as we prepare to be in the international spotlight again with World Athletics and the World Irish Dance Championships.

History and experience continue to deepen my belief that major events have the power to change people’s behaviour at a societal level.

As competition to host events increases from across the globe, and while the financial situation at home remains challenging, it is important we take stock.

In this time of change, Glasgow continues to collaborate with partners and is currently developing a new events strategy. As an innovative host city, with a successful record of reacting to change, Glasgow will respond to the enlightening, exciting and inventive ideas emerging from these discussions, to ensure Glasgow remains at the forefront of event organisers’ go-to cities when deciding on a host city.

Register for Host City 2023 here: https://www.hostcity.com/host-city-2023/register

[Source: 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships] The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships have been declared a huge success after a preliminary estimate of 1 million spectators turned out to watch the festival of cycling, while millions more tuned in around the world to see the 11 days of cycling action taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland.

The final event of the programme, the Women Elite Road Race, brought the curtain down on the inaugural event that has seen 13 UCI World Championships combined into one mega event for the first time ever.

Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky claimed the top spot following a thrilling finish to the race that saw tens of thousands line the route between Balloch and Glasgow. It was the first time the women’s elite road race has closed a UCI World Championship, with 207 riders (including Women Under 23) taking on the 154.1km course. This is up on the 129 riders that took to the start line at the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong, Australia.

A total of 653 medals were awarded and 220 UCI Rainbow jerseys races have been raced as fans of all ages flocked to venues across the country to witness cycling history being made, with sold out crowds at events across the programme. Additionally, spectators lined roads, ramps, and routes at locations including Glasgow Green, Stirling, Edinburgh, Perth and Kinross, Dundee, Angus, Fife, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, and Dumfries and Galloway, to cheer on riders at free events up and down the country.

Across all competitions, almost 8,000 elite and amateur athletes took part with Great Britain topping both the cycling and para-cycling medal table with 56 and 44 medals, respectively. A full list of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships medal winners and results is available here.

Such numbers demonstrate how the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships have undoubtedly inspired new fans of the sport and created new experiences for thousands of spectators at home and abroad. In addition, EY (Ernst & Young) have been commissioned to conduct a qualitative social and economic impact assessment for the event to detail the value that it has brought to Scotland.

The delivery of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships would not have been possible without the support of the 4,000 volunteers who have supported in key roles across every venue, from making sure spectators have the best experience possible, to assisting with media operations and supporting elite cyclists.

UCI President David Lappartient said: “The inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships have taken our sport to new heights. The 13 UCI World Championships that took place in Glasgow and across Scotland united all members of the wide cycling family, bringing together different disciplines, an unprecedented number of nations and a record number of television viewers worldwide. The fantastic welcome from Scotland and the excellent organisation created a clear benchmark for future editions of this magnificent cycling show, that will take place every four years, before the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Paul Bush OBE, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Chair, said: “The 2023 Cycling World Championships have brought together around 8000 athletes from over 130 countries, in what has been an unprecedented celebration of cycling. 

“It is testament to Scotland's reputation as a world leading events destination that we were handed this opportunity by the UCI, and I just want to thank everyone who has played a role, from our funding partners to our host regions, the athletes, the spectators and of course the volunteers. Everyone has contributed to a memorable event that has further boosted the nation's reputation as a major event destination.

“Our host venues have thrived, making history in staging world class sporting events and welcoming thousands of visitors over the course of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Signing off with huge crowds of spectators lining the streets of Glasgow to watch the women's elite road race has been very special, providing a fitting finale to an event which has inspired new fans of the sport and showcased Scotland in the best light to the millions watching around the world.” 

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “I would like to thank all the athletes, volunteers, and staff, including those from the emergency services and other partner organisations, who played such important roles in delivering this unique and hugely successful event which showed Glasgow and Scotland at their very best.

“I am immensely proud of how the UCI Cycling World Championships showcased our welcoming and inclusive country and have been delighted to see the huge crowds turning out to watch the action. The Championships have undoubtedly been yet another vote of confidence in Scotland as a destination of choice for staging major global events.

“We will work now to ensure this event leaves a lasting legacy that benefits our economy and environment, and that inspires people from all walks of life to be more active and healthier through the power of the bike.”

A great events city

Leader of Glasgow City Council, Susan Aitken said: “From the first race to the last; riders, fans and officials have been telling us that 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will go down in history as not only the biggest, but one of the greatest ever held.

“The UCI approached Glasgow to pioneer this new ‘super’ UCI World Championships because they understood what a great events city this is; what an amazing passion for sport it has – and they knew we were the safest pair of safe hands when it came to making it all work.

“The faith they showed in Glasgow to host a truly global event was remarkable and I’m delighted the city has been able to repay that faith so emphatically – surpassing their expectations and even our own.

“The sport has been fiercely competitive, with racers needing to be at the very peak of their powers to be in contention for medals – and it has drawn huge audiences, on the road, in venues and across the world on television.

“There is nowhere quite like Glasgow when it comes to creating an atmosphere and people who are ready to throw themselves into an event, heart, and soul.

“One of the big themes of this event has been ‘The Power of the Bike’ – and I think these UCI Worlds have also resonated because they have given people an opportunity to rethink their ambitions for what our city can be.

“For Glasgow, the last eleven days have demonstrated that The Power of the Bike is making an already great city more vibrant and healthier; accessible, active and connected.” 

Esther Britten, Head of Major Events at UK Sport said:  “The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has been a wonderful showcase for why the UK hosts brilliant major sporting events. Over the past 11 days of competition, we’ve seen some incredible performances, including from a British team who have turned out numerous extraordinary sporting moments, all against a backdrop of passionate and knowledgeable fans who have created a fantastic atmosphere at all the venues. 

“Bringing events like the UCI Cycling World Championships to British shores is only made possible through the support of The National Lottery, so we owe a big thank you to everyone who buys a lottery ticket.”

British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton, said: “Like so many people I leave the UCI Cycling World Championships feeling incredibly proud of our British riders, whose bold, brave, and brilliant performances have taken this event into the hearts and homes of fans across the country.

“New stars have been born, our household names have delivered in spades, and we now have an amazing opportunity to harness all of that inspiration to ensure that more people ride, race and enjoy our sport in the future.”

This announcement builds on the initial overview of road routes revealed last September during the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong, Australia. It includes new details and full routes for the road races (Men Elite, Women Elite and Men Under 23), Individual Time Trials (all categories) and Team Time Trial Mixed Relay.

Today’s announcement also unveils the first details of the route for the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships that will take place in Dumfries and Galloway, including the Road Race, Individual Time Trial and Team Relay.

Road races and Team Time Trial Mixed Relay

Throughout these events, the world’s best cyclists will savour some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery, with racing taking place across the country. The Men Elite road race takes in Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat from its start in the capital on Sunday 6 August, before heading north across the Firth of Forth via the iconic Queensferry Crossing, then heading west through Fife towards Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling, passing near world-renowned landmarks including  the Kelpies, the Falkirk Wheel, Carron Valley and the Crow Road, before turning towards Glasgow and the specially designed finishing circuit, looping through the west end to the city centre for a spectacular finish alongside George Square.

The Women Elite and Men Under 23 road races will also finish on the Glasgow city circuit, though starting on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond at Balloch, weaving through West and East Dunbartonshire en route via the Crow Road to the finish line in George Square. The Men Under 23 road race takes place on Saturday 12 August with the Women Elite road race, which includes the Women Under 23 category, closing this inaugural and history making competition on Sunday 13 August.

In addition, the Men and Women Junior road races and the Team Time Trial Mixed Relay will start and finish on the Glasgow city circuit on Saturday 5 August and Tuesday 8 August respectively.

Individual Time Trials

Stirling and its surrounding area will host the Individual Time Trials for all categories, with competition beginning on Wednesday 9 August and continuing across three days until Friday 11 August. Riders will set off from the King and Queens Knot in the shadow of Stirling Castle on a fast course that will take them, through the flats of the River Forth to the west across the countryside, before heading back towards Stirling city centre, and finishing on Stirling Castle esplanade.

Para-cycling road

Dumfries and Galloway will welcome the world’s best para-cyclists for four days as they host the para-cycling road competition at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

The region, which lays claim to introducing the first pedal-driven bicycle to the world in 1839, will see athletes competing on single bikes, tandems, tricycles and hand-cycles for the UCI World Championship titles across the varied para-cycling sport classes and the right to wear the coveted rainbow jersey.

Competition will start with Individual Time Trials on Wednesday 9 August and will finish with road races on Saturday 12 August. The routes, which take advantage of Dumfries and Galloway’s stunning cycling terrain, have been designed in conjunction with local partners to showcase the region and present a fitting challenge to the athletes.

Teams will then travel to Glasgow for the Team Relay, which will take place on Sunday 13 August.

Full details for each event, including routes and technical information can be found in the Notes to Editors alongside links to course maps on the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships website. Please note the full course details for the Gran Fondo will be announced in due course.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will bring together 13 existing UCI World Championships into a new mega event in Glasgow and across Scotland from 3 – 13 August.

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Chair Paul Bush OBE said: “The announcement of further details for road races and the unveiling of the para-cycling road routes for the first time is another exciting milestone as we continue the final countdown to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships this August.

“The routes will take in some of the country’s most iconic cities and countryside, providing a spectacular backdrop to the action taking place on road and showcasing why Scotland is the perfect stage for events.”

David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale said: “Today’s announcement detailing the road and para-cycling road routes confirms that the competitions will be spectacular. Challenging from a sporting point of view, the routes will also highlight Scotland’s wonderful scenery and rich history. We have all the ingredients for intense and sensational racing, and I cannot wait to witness the action unfold as the athletes battle for glory at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.”

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “It’s fantastic to see just how many communities across Scotland will play their part by hosting the road races for this year’s UCI Cycling World Championships. The routes showcase the best of Scotland to both visitors and those watching from home. Scotland’s breath-taking views and iconic landmarks will provide a great backdrop for the drama of the races. I would encourage all those who can do so to get out and see this world-class sporting action right on your doorstep.”

Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Susan Aitken, said: “We are excited to see the full road race routes now announced for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Glasgow’s iconic George Square, in the heart of the city centre, will provide the exciting, fast finishing straight for most of the Elite races, and before that the athletes will take in laps of the city centre circuit designed to be technically challenging, while showcasing the city to the global tv audience.”

“These races will be a real highlight of our sporting calendar with stars from across the world competing, and of course including these events as part of the competition schedule gives local, national and international sports fans and visitors a fantastic opportunity to see elite riders race past their doorsteps, this summer - for free.”

With something for everyone to enjoy, the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds will feature 13 high-adrenaline, exciting UCI World Championships including Track and Para-cycling Track at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, BMX Racing at Glasgow BMX Centre, BMX Freestyle (Park and Flatland) and Trials at Glasgow Green, Indoor Cycling (artistic cycling and cycle-ball) at the Emirates Arena, Mountain Bike Cross-Country, and Marathon in Glentress Forest, Tweed Valley. Mountain Bike Downhill in Fort William and Road and Para-cycling Road across Scotland (a full list of the UCI World Championships is included in the Notes to Editors).

Tickets are on sale now from as little as £8, with concessions from £5, plus there are many free events to watch throughout the Championships.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has unveiled the official schedule of the inaugural multi-discipline cycling event, giving cycling fans around the world a first sight of the full scale of the historic festival of cycling coming to Glasgow and across Scotland for 11 days (August 3-13, 2023).

From the Highlands to the Borders and across the central belt, the carefully created schedule boasts a world class line-up of elite cycling competitions, designed to unite Scotland while sharing an inspirational cycling message with the world.

The schedule was designed by the UCI, the Organising Committee of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, host cities and key stakeholders to give an unrivalled live spectator and TV viewing experience, packed full of daily elite finals and nonstop action with at least three disciplines on display each day of the UCI Cycling Worlds.

Thousands of the world’s top cycling athletes will compete across the 13 UCI World Championships, with only a select few earning the title of UCI World Champion and the prestige of the rainbow jersey. With inclusivity at its core, the event will also feature para-cycling and junior competitions.

In a first for a UCI World Championships, the Women Elite road race will bring the curtain down on the competitions, on Sunday, August 13. In addition to championing female cyclists, the decision to stage the Men Elite road race on the opening weekend and the Women Elite road race on the closing day was taken to ensure the best possible alignment with the UCI Road International Calendar, in particular with respect to their respective Tours de France.

The opening weekend of the Championships (5-6 August) will include exhilarating action in Glasgow, Fort William and across Scotland. The Men Elite road race will take place in the stunning scenery of central Scotland while the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will host Track finals each day. Fans will be able to witness the fast and exhilarating Mountain Bike Downhill competitions against the awe-inspiring backdrop of the Nevis Range.

At the other end of the country, Glentress Forest in the Tweed Valley will host tough endurance racing with the Mountain Bike Cross-country Marathon.

The full schedule of events across all 11-days, including BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, Gran Fondo, Indoor Cycling and Trials can be found at the website for the cyclingworldchamps.com/schedule  

This is the first time all 13 UCI World Championships will be combined into one mega-event, making it a cycling event unmatched in size and scale. The anticipated global TV audience will place the Cycling World Championships in the top-10 most watched sporting events in the world, rivalling the Olympics and Commonwealth Games and placing Scotland on the world stage as a destination for

elite cycling and cycle tourism.

David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale said: “Glasgow and the whole of Scotland are creating sporting history by hosting this multi-discipline cycling event for the first time. The UCI Cycling World Championships were one of my visions when I was first elected President of the UCI in 2017. That vision is now becoming a reality and the inaugural edition is really taking shape. The unveiling of the schedule enables us to visualise what awaits during these 11 days of non-stop cycling action. The entire cycling community can definitely expect great things!”   

Paul Bush OBE, Chair of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said “Unveiling the full schedule for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is an incredibly exciting milestone in the build-up to the largest cycling event in history. Fans from around the world can start planning their trips to Scotland to celebrate the power of the bike across 13 exhilarating UCI World Championships. The first-of-its-kind event further strengthens our position as a world leading events destination and reinforces Scotland’s place as the perfect stage for events, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone in 2023.”

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “We are looking forward to welcoming people to Scotland for a packed 11 days of competition next August. The strength and breadth of competition and viewing experiences really does have something for everyone. What’s more, along with a host of diverse and wholly inclusive events, it feels fitting to close these UCI World Championships with the Women’s Elite road race.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council said: “Glasgow is proud to be hosting 8 of the 13 UCI World Championships and we are delighted with the breadth of action taking place in the city throughout the 11 days, showcasing our amazing venues and giving citizens and visitors alike the chance to experience first-hand, elite sporting competitions. I am particularly excited to see the Women’s Elite road race scheduled as the final event, finishing in George Square, the civic heart of Glasgow.

“As a UCI Bike City and European Capital City of Sport for 2023, we look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to our wonderful city, not only to enjoy the event, but to embrace all that Glasgow has to offer in terms of art, culture and entertainment.”

The event is being delivered in collaboration between the UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport and British Cycling as principal funders. The partnership aims to create a blueprint for future editions by ensuring the inaugural event is authentic, innovative, and distinctive whilst bringing all cycling disciplines together every four years, one year ahead of the Olympics.

For further information on the UCI Cycling World Championships, visit www.cyclingworldchamps.com

David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale and Paul Bush OBE, Chair of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are speaking at Host City 2022 on 15-16 November. Register for Host City 2022 here

[Source: International Tennis Federation] The International Tennis Federation has announced that Great Britain's Lawn Tennis Association has been selected to host the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals. The Finals will be played on indoor hard courts at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on 8-13 November.
This is the fourth occasion that Great Britain has hosted the Finals of the largest annual international team competition in women's sport. Launched in 1963 as the Federation Cup, the first event was held at London's Queen's Club, with Billie Jean King herself a member of the winning US team. The competition went on to be held in Eastbourne in 1977 and Nottingham in 1991.
Great Britain, as host nation, will join Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, Switzerland and USA in the Finals to compete for the chance to become 2022 world champions.
The Finals will see these 12 nations compete in four round-robin groups of three nations, with the four group winners qualifying for the semi-finals.
In alignment with the ITF's Advantage All strategy to encourage more women and girls play tennis, the LTA is putting a special focus on placing tennis at the forefront of women’s sport in Great Britain. The Billie Jean King Cup Finals event will be used to raise awareness of tennis as the most established mixed gender sport and encourage more women and girls in the UK to get on court for the first time.
ITF President David Haggerty said: “We are delighted to be bringing the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals to Glasgow. The LTA presented a very impressive bid as part of a competitive hosting process. They have successfully hosted Davis Cup ties in Glasgow, and we look forward to having the women’s World Cup of Tennis take place in front of passionate tennis fans from around the world in an electric atmosphere, at the culmination of the women's tennis season.”
British Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to build the profile of women's tennis and focus attention on women's sport. The entire team are very excited about playing in front of a home crowd and hearing some loud support across the whole week.''
Scott Lloyd, Chief Executive of the LTA said: “We have said that we were ambitious to bring more major events to Great Britain and raise the profile of tennis across the whole year, and I’m delighted that Glasgow will be hosting the Billie Jean King Cup Finals as well as the Davis Cup Finals Group stage this year.
"The first ever finals were held in Great Britain in 1963, and it’s brilliant that the finals will be returning here for the first time since 1991. This gives us a great chance to open tennis to more people and create special memories that we hope will inspire the next generation of players."

[Source: 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships] A senior delegation from cycling’s world governing body, the UCI, has visited Scotland to check in on plans to stage the world’s biggest cycling event in Glasgow and across the country in August 2023.

UCI President David Lappartient and Director General, Amina Lanaya, received a warm Scottish welcome during their two-day visit as they reviewed a number of venues for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and met key partners and stakeholders associated with the delivery of the historic event.

It was their first official visit since it was announced the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships would be held in Glasgow and across Scotland, bringing together 13 existing UCI World Championships into one mega event for the first time.

The group visited the Glasgow BMX Centre in Knightswood, where fans will see the world’s best compete in high-speed sprint races across a purpose-built racetrack, while also taking in the city’s iconic George Square, which will provide a stunning backdrop for the road race finishes in August 2023.

They also met with key partners including Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson, who chairs the Scottish Government’s 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Cabinet Group, Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council as host city for the Championships as well as representatives from British Cycling and UK Sport.

David Lappartient, UCI President, said: “The inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships are less than 18 months away, and I am delighted to see the work that has been carried out so far to ensure the success of this historic event. The rainbow jersey battles will take place in spectacular venues in Glasgow and across Scotland, and it has been fantastic to visit some of the sites this week. Our discussions with the organisers have been positive and exciting, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration in the lead-up to this ground-breaking mega event for cycling.”

Paul Bush, Chair of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome David and Amina to Scotland for the first time since the historic decision was made to host the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow and across Scotland.

“We are proud the UCI has entrusted us to host the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and having David and Amina here to see and hear about our progress is a great milestone. Alongside our partners at Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, British Cycling and UK Sport we are committed to delivering a Championships that will be truly ground-breaking for cycling.”

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will welcome more than 8,000 amateur and elite cyclists from more than 120 countries with more than 190 UCI World Champions crowned.

More than one million spectators are expected to attend the Championships, with a global TV audience of around one billion making it one of the Top 10 watched sporting events on the planet.

The 13 UCI World Championships included in the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are: BMX Freestyle Flatland; BMX Freestyle Park; BMX Racing; Gran Fondo; Indoor Cycling; Mountain Bike Cross-country; Mountain Bike Downhill; Mountain Bike Marathon; Para-cycling Road; Para-cycling Track; Road; Track; Trials.

To date, five venues have been announced in Glasgow, with Dumfries & Galloway (para-cycling road) and Stirling (time trial) also hosting events across Scotland. Additional venues and locations elsewhere in the country will be confirmed in the coming weeks and months to ensure a pan-Scotland delivery and to capture the imagination of the entire country.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships were confirmed for Glasgow and across Scotland as a result of significant previous experience hosting high-profile sporting events. Glasgow and Scotland have become a sporting hotspot by welcoming unforgettable competitions such as UEFA EURO 2020 matches, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the multi-sport Glasgow 2018 European Championships as well as cultural events including the world-renowned Edinburgh Festivals.

Since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, participation sessions at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome have experienced positive uptake and cycling numbers have risen across Scotland. It is hoped the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships can continue the increase of pedal power in Scotland, inspiring the next generation of riders across a variety of cycling disciplines.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are being delivered in collaboration between the UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport, British Cycling, Glasgow Life and VisitScotland. The partnership aims to create a blueprint for future editions by ensuring the inaugural event is authentic, innovative and distinctive.

The UCI, cycling’s world governing body, currently stages annual World Championships in each of its disciplines across the year in different host cities around the world. The UCI Cycling World Championships will bring these championships together every four years, the year prior to the Olympics, starting with the inaugural event in 2023.

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

From 3-13 August 2023, the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships will be hosted in Glasgow and across Scotland. It will be the single biggest cycling event in history, bringing together 13 existing individual UCI Cycling World Championships into one mega event.

This historic and innovative event will welcome 2,600 elite cyclists, including para-cyclists, from more than 120 countries and crown over 190 UCI World Champions. It will be a must see, must attend, much watch event as all these cyclists vie for the iconic rainbow jersey.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is more than just an event. It will be a catalyst for behavioural change across Scotland by giving everyone the opportunity to experience the freedom riding a bike can bring to their lives. By working in collaboration with cycling and wider partners, it will amplify and unify existing work and activity across health, transport, tourism and participation.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be delivered in collaboration between the UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport, British Cycling, Glasgow Life and VisitScotland with its EventScotland team through 2023 Cycling World Championships Ltd, with the partnership creating a blueprint for future editions by ensuring the inaugural event is authentic, innovative and distinctive. www.cyclingworldchamps.com

About the UCI

Founded on April 14, 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 and for all people: as a competitive sport, a healthy recreational activity, a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the nine cycling disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials, indoor cycling and cycling esports. Five of these are featured on the Olympic Games programme (road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle), two in the Paralympic Games (road and track) and four in the Youth Olympic Games (road, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle). For more information: www.uci.org

VisitScotland

VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland. The organisation’s key objective is to contribute to Scotland Outlook 2030, the national tourism strategy ambition of pursuing a sustainable and responsible tourism agenda. This will be supported by five overarching strategies: Marketing, Events, Quality and Sustainability, Inclusive Tourism, International Engagement. Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/. Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh). For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com For information about business tourism in Scotland go to businessevents.visitscotland.com. Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews 

Glasgow Life

Glasgow Life is a charity working for the benefit of the people of Glasgow. We believe everyone deserves a great Glasgow life and we find innovative ways to make this happen across the city’s diverse communities.  Our programmes, experiences and events range from grassroots community activities to large-scale cultural, artistic and sporting events which present Glasgow on an international stage. Our work is designed to promote inclusion, happiness and health, as well as support the city’s visitor economy, in order to enhance Glasgow’s mental, physical and economic wellbeing. For more information on our work, see http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk

UK Sport

UK Sport’s Major Events Programme is projected to invest almost £40 million of National Lottery funding through to 2025 to support the bidding and staging of major events on home soil, as well as providing specialist support to organisers. Events are supported not only for their likely performance impact on British athletes, but also to maximise wider sporting, social, cultural, and economic benefits. In addition, UK Sport also invests major event funding on behalf of Government including £9m into the 2019 UCI World Road Cycling Championships and £15m into the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

British Cycling

British Cycling is the national governing body for cycling as recognised by the UCI – the international federation for the sport. Based in Manchester at the National Cycling Centre, British Cycling works across all levels and six disciplines of the sport (BMX, Mountain Bike, Cyclo-cross, Road, Track and Cycle Speedway), from providing the support and encouragement people need to get riding their bikes for the first time, to being home to the hugely successful Great Britain Cycling Team. Continued success at the highest level is inspiring a boom in participation across the nation. There have never been more opportunities to ride a bike, be it for fun or sport, and British Cycling is at the heart of this growth. British Cycling also works hard to represent cyclists’ interests at all levels, including campaigning on important issues including road safety. As a membership organisation, British Cycling provides a suite of benefits and support to its members who currently number over 150,000. All membership revenue is invested back into cycling.

[Source: Glasgow Life] Glasgow Life has today (Friday 11 March) announced the appointment of Susan Deighan as the charity’s new Chief Executive.

Susan (57) helped to establish Glasgow Life in 2007 and has held a number of senior positions, including Deputy Chief Executive, and Director of City Marketing and External Relations.

She will take up her new role on Monday 25 April, replacing Dr Bridget McConnell CBE who is retiring after nearly 24 years leading the delivery of culture and sport in Glasgow on behalf of Glasgow City Council.

Susan currently holds strategic responsibility for a diverse portfolio within Glasgow Life, comprising tourism; museums and collections; arts, music and cultural venues; and marketing communications. She also leads the city’s destination marketing, which includes the People Make Glasgow brand and award-winning Glasgow Convention Bureau.

As a senior leader in culture and sport with a background in outdoor and site-specific theatre performance and events, Susan brings extensive experience in the management of large and complex public sector organisations and also in operating Glasgow Life as a charity. She is recognised as a strong advocate for the city’s tourism industry, and her work supporting the visitor economy has been well received at a national level.

Born in Glasgow, Susan has worked in the city’s arts and culture sector for more than 30 years. She began her career in 1988 as part of preparations for the city’s 1990 Year of Culture celebrations, and her previous roles have included Performance Producer at Tramway.

Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Susan’s passion for Glasgow, and for culture and sport, is infectious. She’s a tremendous asset to the city – a natural leader and strategic thinker, and her knowledge, creativity and networks will ensure Glasgow Life continues to play a critical role at the heart of Glasgow’s communities.

“Our highly valued services and programmes are fundamental to supporting the city’s mental, physical and economic wellbeing, and under Susan’s dynamic leadership I’m confident Glasgow Life will continue to achieve its mission of inspiring every citizen and visitor to become engaged and active in a city globally renowned for culture and sport. On behalf of Glasgow Life’s Board, I congratulate Susan on her appointment and wish her every success in her new role.”

Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, said: “I’m really delighted to be appointed the new Chief Executive of Glasgow Life; the wonderful charity which benefits the people of Glasgow through culture and sport. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues and partners to contribute to the city’s social and economic recovery and to leading Glasgow Life towards an ambitious and sustainable future.”  

[Source: European Athletics] European Athletics, Glasgow Life, and EventScotland are pleased to announce that Dynamic New Athletics Indoor (DNA), a new mixed-gender, fast-paced, short and compact team athletics event, will be coming to the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday 5 February 2022.
This event will be a showcase for a new format of men and women competing together in athletics with Home Nations - England, Scotland and Wales - taking part along with Ireland, Spain and Turkey.
The six teams will be competing across 10 disciplines vying to be crowned the Dynamic New Athletics Indoor Champions 2022.
This will be the first-ever international indoor version of the previously launched outdoor Dynamic New Athletics event. More information under can be found at www.dna.run
Billy Garrett, Glasgow Life’s Director of Sport and Events, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting the first stand-alone edition of Dynamic New Athletics at the Emirates Arena in February next year.
“Glasgow and its people are fiercely proud of our global reputation for hosting inspiring and innovative events, and this has been built-up over years of experience hosting new and exciting events such as the Dynamic New Athletics. 
“As with other major events hosted in the city, we’re also looking forward to supporting a programme for young people which will run alongside DNA, giving the next generation the chance to get involved and try out new athletics activities.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “Scotland is a world-leader in delivering innovative new events and we are delighted to be working with European Athletics to develop Dynamic New Athletics for the next generation of young athletes.
“Glasgow and Scotland have a proud history in hosting athletics events, including the highly successful European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2019, and we cannot wait to welcome athletics back to the Emirates Arena in 2022 where the Home Nations will kick off a year of sporting rivalry ahead of Birmingham Commonwealth Games.”
Cherry Alexander OBE, Vice President of European Athletics said: “I am absolutely delighted to be working again with Glasgow Life and EventScotland delivering European Athletics’ Dynamic New Athletics next February at the Emirates Arena.
“Scotland has proved itself time and time again to be an amazing friend to athletics and we're excited to bring this innovative competition here to engage with younger audiences and inspire them to be active.
“Our aim is to create an environment for athletes to showcase their energy and talent and provide a valuable opportunity for athletes in the UK to earn world ranking points. The Emirates is the place to be on 5 February.
What is Dynamic New Athletics Indoor?
6 Teams: Mixed men & women, up to 16 athletes in each team, focus on team tactics and strategy.
2 Hours: Fast-paced sequence of events, only one event at a time.
10 events: Focus on run, jump & throw, traditional & new formats presented in a new way.
Easy scoring: Everything counts, 2 to 12 points for each event - 12 points for 1st place to 2 points for 6th place.
Winner:  The last event (the Hunt) will decide the winning team.

[Source: EventScotland] Dumfries & Galloway will further etch its place in cycling history by welcoming the world’s best Para-cyclists after it was named as the host region for the historic Para-cycling Road at 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

The region, which lays claim to introducing the first pedal-driven bicycle to the world in 1839, will see athletes competing on single bikes, tandems, tricycles and hand-cycles for the World Championship titles across the varied Para-cycling disciplines and the right to wear the coveted rainbow jersey – an honour bestowed to every UCI World Champion.

Building on Dumfries & Galloway’s long association with hosting world-class cycling events, including the Tour of Britain on 10 separate occasions, the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds will cement the region’s reputation as a renowned cycling tourism destination on a global stage supporting innovation, equality, diversity and inclusion.

The Championships will also take advantage of Dumfries & Galloway’s stunning cycling terrain with the course routes for the multitude of races across the variety of classifications being designed in conjunction with local partners to showcase the region and present a fitting challenge to the competitors.

Para-cycling Road will create history as part of the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships which will see 13 UCI World Championships brought together for the first time as one mega-event.

With more than 2,600 athletes competing from around 120 countries, an expected one million spectators and more than one billion viewers worldwide, the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds will be the biggest cycling event ever and one of the top 10 sporting events on the planet.

The Championships will take place in August 2023 in Glasgow and across Scotland and last month Glasgow was announced as the venue for eight of the 13 UCI Cycling World Championships. Now, Dumfries & Galloway becomes the first venue outside of Glasgow to be unveiled as a host, for an event that promises to bring the power of the bike to the whole of Scotland.

To mark the launch, Scottish Paralympic cycling medallists Fin Graham and Jenny Holl and world-record hand-cyclist Ken Talbot joined representatives from the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds, Dumfries & Galloway Council and South of Scotland Enterprise in the heart of Dumfries.

Graham, 21, who won two silver medals in Tokyo during  his first appearance in the Paralympics earlier this month, said: “Ever since I heard about the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships coming to Glasgow and Scotland I’ve been excited about it and it is great that Dumfries & Galloway will host the Para-cycling Road events. The landscape and scenery in the region is stunning and will be a great host to the Championships. To have the Para-cycling Road World Championships involved alongside the other Championships is huge for our sport and it is a huge ambition of mine to take part in front of a home crowd as well.”

Holl, 21, joined the British Para Cycling Team earlier this year following a successful junior track cycling career and secured a Paralympic silver medal alongside tandem partner Sophie Unwin in Tokyo, added: “I’ve raced in Dumfries & Galloway before and I know it will be a great host of the Para-cycling Road events as part of the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds. It will be such a special occasion for the whole cycling family to come together and compete in one Championships and I’m especially proud that it will happen for the first time in my home country.”

American born Talbot, who now lives in Edinburgh holds the current speed world record for a hand cyclist at 51.86mph, said: “I’m incredibly excited that the Para-cycling Road World Championships are being held in Dumfries & Galloway as part of the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds. It will be such a special experience to see hand-cyclists from all over the world competing alongside other world-class athletes from across multiple cycling disciplines. I think people will be hugely inspired when they see what can be achieved by these Para athletes and I would love it if it can attract more people into cycling either for sport, leisure or travel regardless of their physical abilities.”

The UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships will see upwards of 300 athletes from more than 30 countries compete with the Road Race and Time Trial events featuring in Dumfries & Galloway. The Mixed Team Relay will be held in Glasgow.

Trudy Lindblade, Chief Executive of the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds, said: “I’m pleased that Dumfries & Galloway has been announced as our first venue outside Glasgow for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and I know the region will do a terrific job of hosting the Para-cycling Road World Championships. The 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds will be like nothing Scotland and the world has ever seen before so I’m excited that we can engage communities across the whole of the country in this event. Our colleagues at Dumfries & Galloway Council and South of Scotland Enterprise have been hugely positive about being a host region for the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds and we look forward to working with them over the next two years to maximise the benefits of bringing this global event here and showcasing the transformative power of the bike.”

Councillor Andrew Ferguson, Chair of Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Communities Committee, said: “Here in South West Scotland, we are serious about supporting cycling. It will be a privilege to host the UCI Para–cycling Road World Championships in August 2023 and play a part in showcasing Scotland’s cycling heritage to the World. Athletes, officials and spectators will receive the warmest of welcomes and I’m sure local people will turn out in their thousands to cheer on the para-cyclists and take in the races.”

Professor Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), said: “With Dumfries and Galloway credited with being the region which introduced the pedal bicycle to the world, it feels fitting that it will now play a major role in the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

“As the economic and community development agency for the South of Scotland, our support for the Para-cycling Road event ties into our core values which centre around being bold, striving, inclusive and responsible, and will help bring a global focus to Dumfries and Galloway.

“Working with partners, we are committed to helping the South of Scotland build on its already impressive cycling reputation, highlighted by our involvement in the Borderlands Growth Deal project to create a mountain bike innovation centre, bike park and trail lab at Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders.”

Dumfries & Galloway is a fitting host of the Para-cycling Road as part of the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds, not only because of its world-class cycling routes but because it also lays claim to being the region that gave the first pedal bicycle to the world in 1839 thanks to a design by local blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan.

A replica of Macmillan’s creation still exists in Dumfries Museum, as well as a plaque on the wall of his old Smithy. To commemorate the invention and Dumfries & Galloway’s hosting of the Para-cycling Road World Championships, a special video has also been released by the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds and can be seen on the Championships’ Youtube channel.

[Source: EventScotland] Five-time UCI BMX and Track Cycling World Champion, Shanaze Reade, has been unveiled as the first in a series of ambassadors who will help drive forward the key policy drivers for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow and across Scotland.

With a huge passion for mentoring disadvantaged children, Shanaze will use her role as the Championships’ ambassador to make sure children and young people feel part of this once in a lifetime event, while also delving into the barriers that prevent or discourage them from riding bikes more often.

Shanaze understands first-hand the struggle to make ends meet and the limits it can put on a young person, including being able to access something as simple as a bike, having experienced it herself growing up. When she first got into cycling at age 10, she had to rent a bike until her grandmother bought her one for Christmas from a local supermarket. It was on this low-cost bike that Shanaze won her first national title, showing her drive and determination to be the best.  

She said: “I’m delighted and immensely honoured to be the first ambassador for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. It is going to be an amazing event, bringing together 13 individual cycling world championship disciplines into one mega event for the first time.

“For me, a bike represents freedom. It can open up so many possibilities and teach you so many vital life skills. I’m hugely passionate about helping young people and this role gives me a great opportunity to work with the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships team to share this message as well as understand the barriers they are facing when it comes to riding a bike.

“My single biggest ambition as an ambassador is to help to find opportunities for every single child in Scotland to access a bike so they too can experience the freedom it can bring to their lives.”

Shanaze’s role as brand ambassador complements her existing role as Co-opted member of the 2023 Cycling World Championships Ltd board.

Paul Bush OBE, Chair of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “Shanaze is already making an important contribution to this brand-new event in her role as Co-opted board member, sharing her knowledge and experience of competing at multiple world championships.

“To now have Shanaze as the first of our ambassadors is an outstanding endorsement of what we are aiming to achieve with this event, helping to accelerate key policy drivers around participation and health as well as transport, tourism, and the cycling industry.”

Taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland in August 2023, the UCI Cycling World Championships will be the biggest single cycling event in history, bringing together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines into one mega event, for the first time. After this first event in 2023, it will take place every four years in locations around the world.

The Championships is more than just an event. It will celebrate the unique power of the bike and all it can bring to our everyday lives, whether it’s physical and mental health benefits, easing congestion on the road to help the environment, or simply making it easier for people to get around.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is being delivered in a collaboration between cycling world governing body the UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow Life, UK Sport, British Cycling and VisitScotland with its EventScotland team. The partnership aims to create a blueprint for future editions by ensuring the inaugural event is authentic, innovative and distinctive.