Cycling for everyone

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison attended the Gran Fondo amateur time trial as the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships continue across Scotland.

The Scottish Government hopes the world’s biggest ever cycling competition will motivate people to cycle for sport, recreation and active travel. The £8 million Cycling Facilities Fund, delivered in partnership with sportscotland, will create a network of new accessible facilities that will encourage people of all ages to ride bikes and enjoy cycling.

In the time trial, cyclists of varying ages and abilities take on a challenging course that starts in Dundee and takes in parts of Angus before returning to the city. It follows two Gran Fondo road races of different lengths in Perth and Kinross last week.

The Deputy First Minister said:

“Hosting the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is helping us to showcase Scotland as an inclusive and welcoming nation.

“I hope that these Championships, through its many events such as the Gran Fondo, will inspire people from all walks of life to build a more active and healthier Scotland through the power of the bike.

“We understand the importance of sport and physical activity, particularly for women and girls in Scotland, and the positive impact on their physical, mental and social health across all stages in life – from early years, teenage years, through adulthood and into later life.”

Background

The Community Cycling Fund is a joint initiative between the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, EventScotland and sportscotland. The fund was developed to celebrate and encourage cycling across Scotland, particularly among under-represented groups. The Scottish Government and sportscotland have each committed up to £4 million of capital funding.

Active Scotland Delivery Plan

Gran Fondo: Individual Time Trial

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are running until 13 August 2023 in Glasgow and at venues across Scotland. This innovative event brings together 13 existing cycling world championships for the first time to create the biggest cycling event in history.

The event is welcoming 8,000 elite and amateur cyclists, including para-athletes, from more than 120 countries and more than 200 world champions will be crowned. It will attract around one million spectators.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are funded by the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport and British Cycling and are delivered in a collaboration between the funders and UCI, Glasgow Life and VisitScotland with its EventScotland team through 2023 Cycling World Championships Ltd.

As the road races will travel through a number of local authority areas there will be significant road closures and the public are advised to plan journeys ahead of time. Travel advice is available on the CWC, Twitter feeds and public transport operator websites, including www.traffic.gov.scot/uci.