Some of the world’s top cyclists will grace the roads of Stirling after the city was chosen as the venue for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships time trial.
The event is just one in a series of events in the biggest competition event ever held.
The UCI, world cycling’s governing body, selected the city to host the time trial world championships – an event that sees riders set off individually and test their mettle in a race to clock the fastest time over the course.
The historic city and surrounding area is the seventh location to be announced as a host of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland from August 3-13, 2023.
The 11-day inaugural event will create cycling history by combining 13 existing UCI World Championships into one ‘mega-event’ for the first time, creating one of the world’s top 10 sporting events.
Previous world time trial champions include Olympic gold medallists Bradley Wiggins and Chris Boardman, as well as cycling legends Fabian Cancellara, Jan Ullrich and current top rider Tom Dumoulin.
A host of the planet’s top riders will be competing to put on the iconic ‘rainbow jersey’ worn by the world champion.
Stirling’s iconic landscape will provide a fitting backdrop, with the city also having held the opening time trial as part of the inaugural Pru Tour in 1998, won by Chris Boardman.
To celebrate the return of world-class cycling to Stirling, Boardman revisited the scene of his triumph 24 years on alongside current Team GB time trial athlete Anna Shackley.
Boardman, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and is now a policy adviser at British Cycling as well The Commissioner of Active Travel England, said: “I’m thrilled Stirling will host the time trial as part of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. I have great memories of wining the time trial stage of the Pru Tour when it was here. The castle is a spectacular backdrop that adds drama and showcases the heritage of the region.
Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area.
“It’s the perfect stage for an extra special World Championship that brings together so many disciplines for the first time. As well as this historic setting for a historic event, I hope the UCI 2023 World Championships will give us a platform to remind people what a wonderful machine the bicycle is for simply getting to shops schools and workplaces under our own steam. Be it entertainment or utility, bikes make our lives better.”
Scottish rider Shackley was born just 30 miles from Stirling, in Milngavie, and made her Olympic debut in the time trial in Tokyo in 2021 as part of Team GB. She added: “Competing in the Olympics gave me a real taste for international competition at the highest level and made me determined to make the team for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Combining the championships for the first time ever will be absolutely huge and a really positive step for the sport of cycling. I’m proud that they will be held in Glasgow and across Scotland for the first time and it would be a huge honour for me to compete in front of a home crowd.”
Paul Bush, Chair of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “I’m delighted to confirm Stirling as our second location outside of Glasgow to host the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, further showcasing this as a truly pan-Scotland mega event. In Glasgow and across Scotland we have proven ourselves as world-class hosts of major events. We are incredibly proud the UCI has entrusted us with hosting the first ever UCI Cycling World Championships and to play our role in creating cycling history. We want the whole of Scotland to get behind the Championships and I have no doubt that by utilising iconic locations such as Stirling we will capture the imagination of not only people across Scotland but globally.”
Stirling Council Leader, Councillor Scott Farmer added: “It’s a massive win for Stirling to see this great sporting spectacle coming to our streets. I’m sure that local communities will embrace the event and line the course to support the cyclists.
“Not only will it continue to establish Stirling as a world-class events destination, it’ll once again provide inspiration for people of all ages and abilities to get active and live healthier lifestyles. We can all be inspired by watching world class athletes in action, on our very doorsteps, to take advantage of the wide range of opportunities available in Stirling to be active, participate in sport and live well.”
In August 2018, some of the world’s top riders raced through parts on west Stirling as the European Championships time trail raced through Strathblane.
