Perth and Kinross Council could be set to host its biggest ever cycling event.
A council report has revealed it is currently in talks with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to host the Gran Fondo road race in August 2023.
Somewhere in the region of 3-4000 of the world's top cyclists will be competing in the 160km road race.
The Gran Fondo is one of 13 world championships taking place across Scotland as part of the UCI Cycling World Championships from August 3-13, 2023. It will be the biggest cycling event in history bringing together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines for the first time ever.
The event - organised by UCI - is being run in conjunction with Visit Scotland, the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport and British Cycling.
The 13 events are taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland. The location of the Gran Fondo race is the only event yet to be revealed on the official website.
However, it has emerged Perth and Kinross Council has been approached to host the Gran Fondo road race on Friday, August 4, 2023. It is proposed the road race would start and finish on Perth's North Inch and go through Central and Highland Perthshire.
While the decision for Perth and Kinross to host the Gran Fondo has yet to be finalised, councillors this week agreed to set aside funding to enable PKC to act as hosts.
The revenue budget update was put before PKC's Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday, November 30. The report included a request for the committee to approve the transfer of £180,000 of funds in order to be able to host the event. The money would be needed for traffic and other costs including community engagement.
Provost Xander McDade sought assurance agreeing to transfer £140,000 from Communities and £40,000 from International Events to an earmarked reserve for the 2023 UCI World Cycling Championships was "not giving final approval for that to go ahead".
Director of Communities Barbara Renton said councillors were being asked to provide an "agreement in principle" while officers "continue to work with the organiser and the communities who would be impacted".
More information will be brought to the next meeting of the Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee for its approval of the event.
Head of Environment and Consumer Services Mark Butterworth told councillors both UCI and PKC were "keen to progress this".
He said: "We've been in discussion with the organiser for some time now but it's more about broad principles. The organisers and ourselves are very keen to progress this and get clarification around the route, etc moving forward.
"So we're keen to bring things and get that approval - hopefully at the next E and I [Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development] Committee committee.
"But there will be - and I need to emphasise this- extensive discussion with the community and businesses because although there is significant economic benefit with the event there will be quite a bit of disruption on the day.
"We need to have those conversations to make sure everybody is absolutely clear about the positives and also the potential impact but we will do that as soon as we can."
Convener SNP Strathearn councillor Stewart Donaldson "welcomed the proposal" and said: "This will bring the biggest cycling event in our history to our doorstep and that will give a useful boost to the local economy."
Highland Perthshire Conservative councillor John Duff said: "I look forward to the further discussions around the Grand Fondo particularly as it will impact my ward."
While fellow Highland Perthshire elected member Provost McDade "welcomed the money being appropriately put aside at the moment for this", the Independent councillor added: "We have great experience on our ward of similar things and whilst there can be benefits I am concerned about the potential economic displacement this may cause.
"There are a significant number of other events going so I look forward to further engagement on this and some more information on the detailed planning going on behind this."
