UNDER STRICT EMBARGO: 10AM, 27 AUGUST 2020 PRESS RELEASE
A Celebration of the Power of the Bike marks three years to go for 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
In three years, Glasgow and Scotland will open its arms and welcome the whole of the cycling world to its shores for the biggest single global cycling event in history - the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
The vision of UCI President, David Lappartient, this historic and innovative event will bring together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines into one mega event for the first time.
However, the Championships is more than just an event and to mark the three-year milestone, a video showcasing the ambition and vision of the event has today (Thursday 27 August) been released celebrating the unique power of the bike and all it can bring to our lives.
The humble bike has the power to help with so many aspects of everyday life whether it’s physical and mental health, easing congestion on the road to help the environment or simply making it easier for people to get around.
The video celebrates the uniqueness of the bike by showing cycling is not only a sport but also a leisure activity and a mode of transport; making it something that everyone can watch and enjoy but also participate in – whatever their age or motivation.
Underpinned by four key policy drivers - participation, transport, tourism and economy - the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be a catalyst for behavioural change across
Scotland from now until long after the event. By working in collaboration with cycling and wider partners to amplify and unify their existing work and activity, it will give everyone the opportunity to experience the freedom riding a bike can bring to your life.
Paul Bush OBE, Chair of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “On behalf of all the partners – Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life, UK Sport and British Cycling – I am excited to share our vision and ambition for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships as we mark the three- year milestone until the event.
“From the outset, we knew we wanted to turn the traditional event delivery model on its head and put our policy ambitions for cycling in Scotland at the centre of our decision-making process alongside event delivery.
“By working in collaboration with cycling and wider partners to champion the unique power of the bike, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will not only be a great event that reinforces Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events, it will also be a catalyst for significant change and progress in Scotland – continuing to transform the nation and make cycling part of the normal, everyday lives of everyone.”
Since the event was awarded to Glasgow and Scotland last year, the world has united to face the threat and huge disruption of COVID-19 and while we continue to deal with the global pandemic and the tragedies that have unfolded, the increased use of bikes during the lockdown, has provided a vision of a future where the bike can provide solutions to issues such as congestion, pollution, health and fitness, and mobility.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s testament to our reputation in staging major events that Scotland will host the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, the biggest global cycling event in history. This new event gives us a great opportunity to use the power of the bike to help meet our transport, health and environmental aims, as well as supporting the events industry through its recovery.
“As part of Scotland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen thousands of people embrace the benefits of cycling, and I hope that the excitement generated as we build up to this major event will encourage even more people to get active on their bikes.”
The release of the video also reaffirms the commitment of the key partners – UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life, UK Sport, British Cycling, and VisitScotland together with its EventScotland team – to create a blueprint for how future events can be delivered taking policy led approach.
UCI President David Lappartient said: “This unique project for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships carries with it the values of unity, sharing and openness, which are particularly relevant in the current troubled period due to the global health situation. Three years out from this mega event, which will bring together athletes from all disciplines in front of a large and enthusiastic audience from Scotland (Great Britain) and further afield, the UCI joins the organisers in celebrating this significant date in the countdown to what promises to be a one-of-a-kind cycling festival.”
Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council said: “As a top five sporting city and world-leading festival and events destination, Glasgow is looking forward to welcoming thousands of athletes, participants, and spectators to our incredible city in three years’ time.
“The inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will allow us to once again showcase Glasgow and Scotland on a global stage, further cementing our position as the perfect location for major events. However, more importantly, the event will also provide local cycling activation and a range of programmes for people to get involved in cycling and celebrate the power of the bike.
“We’re looking forward to the journey with all event partners over the next three years as we prepare to welcome the first-ever 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.”
Simon Morton, COO of UK Sport, said: “We are proud of our role in helping to bring major sporting events to the UK and I’m excited that our position as a destination of choice for world class competitions is continuing with what will undoubtedly prove an exciting spectacle for fans at home and abroad.
“Seeing the world’s elite cyclists competing in Scotland so soon after a hugely successful World Championships in Yorkshire last year will be a very special moment. I am convinced this event will provide a huge boost to cycling as a sport while also helping to create sporting
moments which allow us to reach, inspire and unite more people across Scotland and beyond.”
British Cycling Chair, Frank Slevin, said: “At British Cycling we know that major events provide a wonderful platform from which we can inspire so many more people to get on their bikes, whether that’s to race, ride with friends or simply get around. With just three years to go until the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, we are looking forward to working with our fellow event partners to ensure that the energy, enthusiasm and legacy of the Championships is felt all across Scotland for many years to come.”
ENDS
For further information please contact: Amy Wright, Events PR & Media Manager, EventScotland 0131 472 2286 // 07966 002 009 // [email protected]
Notes to Editors
To view the video, click here
About the UCI
Founded in 1900 in Paris (France), the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms, for all people: as a competitive sport, a healthy recreational activity, a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the eight cycling disciplines: road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials and indoor cycling. Five of these are featured on the Olympic Games programme (road, track, mountain bike, BMX Supercross and BMX Freestyle Park), two in the Paralympic Games (road and track) and four in the Youth Olympic Games (road, mountain bike, BMX Supercross and BMX Freestyle Park). For more information: www.uci.org
VisitScotland
VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland. The organisation’s key objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020. This will be supported by five overarching strategies: Marketing, Events, Quality and Sustainability, Inclusive Tourism, International Engagement.
The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland iCentres (information centres) across Scotland. 25 July 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 which led to the creation of an official Scottish Tourist Board, and the origins of VisitScotland. Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £10.5 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £4.1 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/. For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be organised by 2023 CWC Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of VisitScotland.
EventScotland
EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews.
EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.org or for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.
About Glasgow Life
Glasgow Life is an independent charity which provides culture, leisure and community learning services to citizens and visitors to Glasgow on behalf of Glasgow City Council. In 2019/20, more than 18m attendances were recorded across our venues, events and festivals.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak we’ve temporarily closed all our venues. You can find our latest updates here: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-information.
During this period, we’ve moved much of our culture, sport and learning offering online. For our new online programming, search social media using the hashtag #GlasgowLifeGoesOn or visit https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/glasgow-life-goes-on.
UK Sport
UK Sport’s Major Events Programme is projected to invest almost £40 million of National Lottery funding through to 2025 to support the bidding and staging of major events on home soil, as well as providing specialist support to organisers. Events are supported not only for their likely performance impact on British athletes, but also to maximise wider sporting, social, cultural, and economic benefits. In addition, UK Sport also invests major event funding on behalf of Government including £9m into the 2019 UCI World Road Cycling Championships and £15m into the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
British Cycling
British Cycling is the national governing body for cycling as recognised by the UCI – the international federation for the sport. Based in Manchester at the National Cycling Centre, British Cycling works across all levels and six disciplines of the sport (BMX, Mountain Bike, Cyclo-cross, Road, Track and Cycle Speedway), from providing the support and encouragement people need to get riding their bikes for the first time, to being home to the
hugely successful Great Britain Cycling Team. Continued success at the highest level is inspiring a boom in participation across the nation. There have never been more opportunities to ride a bike, be it for fun or sport, and British Cycling is at the heart of this growth. British Cycling also works hard to represent cyclists’ interests at all levels, including campaigning on important issues including road safety. As a membership organisation, British Cycling provides a suite of benefits and support to its members who currently number over 146,000. All membership revenue is invested back into cycling.