2023 Glasgow World Championships aims to make Scotland a 'bucket list destination for cycling'

The 2023 World Championships, held in Glasgow, will be a "unique opportunity" to make "transformational change to society", the chair of the event has said.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the dates for the the inaugural multi-discipline worlds were revealed: 3-11 August 2023.

The events will take place in Glasgow and across Scotland, and will include road, track, BMX, mountain bike and para-cycling alongside others. The new collated worlds will happen every four years, preceding an Olympic/Paralympic year.

Paul Bush, the chair of the event, explained that it was about more than rainbow jerseys. "This is about making transformational change to society," he said. "It's about how do we get more people riding a bike? How do we get to disadvantaged groups?

"How do we get more sustainability and links into the environment for society? Because the bike can do that. It's a unique tool."

The events will see over 8000 athletes in Scotland from over 120 countries. It is the first time that the "entire cycling family" will be together at the same time, Amina Lanaya, the UCI's director general said.

She continued: "It presents an amazing opportunity to showcase cycling as a sport, but also to make a positive difference to the world."

There are three key themes that the organisers are focusing on: "people", "place", and "planet".

On "place", Trudy Lindblade, the CEO of the 2023 worlds, said: "Scotland is a perfect place for riding bikes, from vibrant towns and cities to beautiful coastlines. We want to ensure Scotland as a bucket list destination for cycling. And we can do that through showcasing this event in venues all around Scotland."

"The world is facing the world is facing a climate crisis," Lindblade said. "The bike can play a crucial role as a vehicle for change. The championships will help encourage people to make positive commitments for clean air. 

"Powered by pedals we will strive to deliver the most sustainable cycling event ever held and showcase the power of the bike as a catalyst for transformational change in Scotland and beyond."

The worlds has a budget of £45-£50 million, with funding coming from various local and national bodies, including UK Sport and the Scottish government.

The positioning of the worlds in August means an adjustment to the usual cycling calendar. The road events will now fall in between the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, while the track worlds will also move forward in the year.

David Lappartient, the UCI's president, said that they would have to "rebuild and reshape" the calendar in order to fit the events in. The road worlds used to be held at the end of August, but this was before the Vuelta changed its slot in the season.

Lappartient was also asked about the possibility of a separate women's under-23 road race from the elite race, rather than awarding both titles in the same race, as will happen this year. He said that this was on the agenda of the UCI's management committee, but it would be unlikely to be in place for 2023.