Edinburgh gets ready for 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
Sunday 6 August will see world-class sport and culture come to Edinburgh’s city centre, as visitors and locals alike gather for the start of the Men Elite Road Race.
Article Source: The City of Edinburgh Council
Last Updated: 27 July 2023 14:05
ORGANISERS ENCOURAGE EDINBURGH LOCALS & VISITORS TO PLAN AHEAD AS 2023 UCI CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS COME TO THE FESTIVAL CITY
Sunday 6 August will see world-class sport and culture come to Edinburgh’s city centre, as visitors and locals alike gather for the start of the Men Elite Road Race – part of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. From the starting line at Holyrood, the world’s best road riders will assemble to compete for the title of World Champion, on a course that takes them through the city centre and through west Edinburgh towards the Queensferry Crossing.
Taking place over 11 action-packed days from 3 – 13 August, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are a fantastic opportunity for people across Scotland to experience world-class sport on their doorstep. Coinciding with Edinburgh’s world-renowned festivals, organisers are encouraging communities and businesses across city to plan, prepare and get ready for the event.
The Men Elite road race is scheduled to start at 9.30am on Sunday 6 August, at Horse Wynd, in the Holyrood area of the city centre. The course will then take riders up the Royal Mile until Bank Street, where they turn right, travelling down The Mound, across Princes Street, George Street and Queen Street before turning west along Henderson Row, through Royal Circus and Stockbridge towards Craigleath.
Having processed through the city until this point, at Craigleath riders reach ‘Km zero’ and begin racing in earnest. The route then joins the Queensferry Road, travelling along the A90 through Davidson’s Mains and Barnton towards the Queensferry Crossing on the M90. The race is expected to leave the City of Edinburgh boundary for Fife at approximately 10.02am. The route then continues through west Fife, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling, and East Dunbartonshire, before entering Glasgow where it will finish in George Square at around 4pm, following 10 laps of the central Glasgow city circuit.
To facilitate the race through Edinburgh, there will be some impact to residents and businesses across the route on the morning of the 6 August. Road closures will be in operation at the race start at Holyrood and along the Royal Mile until Bank Street from 00.01 on Sunday 6 August (Saturday 5 into Sunday 6 August) with roads re-opening immediately after the convoy has passed from 9.30am onwards. Outside of the start area, a rolling road closure will be in operation across the event route. This means roads along the route will be closed for the period that it takes the race to pass through, lasting around 30 minutes in total. The route will also be marked with yellow advanced warning signs in the run up to the race, and with parking restrictions in place along the course.
Locals and visitors are being encouraged by organisers to plan ahead for the event morning, by consulting the Cycling World Championships official website and the City of Edinburgh Council’s website for further information and guidance about the event and associated road closures. These websites host a hub of location specific resources to help make those in Edinburgh aware of the event’s impact, as well as helping them to prepare for and enjoy this moment in sporting history happening on their doorstep.
Spectators are encouraged to support from the sidelines but are advised not to travel by car around the route area. If residents or visitors do need to travel by car, they should plan ahead, allow extra time for their journey, and avoid road closures. More information for spectators can be found on the Cycling Worlds website.
Businesses should also note the temporary road restrictions, which may affect deliveries and suppliers. To minimise impacts, alternative arrangements should be considered in advance to prevent clashes with the road closure timings. Businesses are also being encouraged to take advantage of the event by engaging spectators, with organisers having compiled ready-to-use content for those who want to make the most of the opportunity, which can be found in a specially created Business Guide.
With Edinburgh’s Festivals also taking place from 4 August, the city will be alive with sport and culture, bringing visitors from all over the world. With increased visitor numbers over the weekend, there is expected to be some impact to the public transport network, particularly on the morning of the 6 August around the road race. Public transport users should leave extra time for journeys and check their local transport providers websites and social media channels for changes to service and schedule updates. The most up to date information can be found on social media, at Scotrail, First Bus, Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams.
Trudy Lindblade, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships CEO, said: “We are so excited to be bringing the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships to Scotland. Bringing 13 cycling World Championships together to create one mega event for the first time, it will be a truly historic moment and we want everyone to get out and enjoy all the event has to offer. Whether you’re attending an event or not, we want to encourage everyone to plan ahead so you have the best day possible.
“A huge amount of planning has gone into ensuring this a great event for athletes, fans and local communities and we want to thank everyone across Edinburgh for allowing us to bring this global event to your region.”
City of Edinburgh Council Leader Cammy Day said: “I am delighted that 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will have Edinburgh as the starting point of the Men’s Elite Road Race on August 6. From Holyrood Park to Queensferry, the Capital will provide the perfect backdrop to what promises to be a fantastic event. The race will not only showcase our city’s beauty, but also support and promote active, accessible and sustainable travel.
“As with all major events taking place in the city, the race will be managed in full consultation with our Public Safety and Roads Teams, as well as Police Scotland and summer festival partners, to ensure a safe and exciting event can be enjoyed by all. I would urge people to plan ahead in advance of the event. Full details of road closures along the route through the City, along with advice for residents and visitors, are available on our website. We are proud that Edinburgh attracts some of the biggest and best events Scotland has to offer.”
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is set to showcase Scotland’s most beautiful, bike-ready landscapes on a global stage from 3-13 August – when the world’s best riders will compete across a range of 13 different disciplines, as part of the largest cycling event ever staged, for which Scotland is the inaugural host.
The competition schedule is available on the Cycling World Championships website, with additional community engagement events taking place over 11 action-packed days, giving local bike lovers and first-time fans alike the opportunity to get involved. To keep up with what’s happening throughout, follow the UCI Cycling World Championships on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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