Cycling World Championship 2023: The biggest cycling event in history

1 million spectators, 4,000 volunteers, 8,000 athletes from 120 countries, 200 rainbow jerseys in 13 cycling disciplines - in 2023, the UCI will launch a completely new cycling mega-event with its cross-discipline world championship format, which will take place every four years in succession. From BMX Freestyle until Artistic bike, from the Street to the Railway and of course with MTB downhill, cross-country, marathon and E-MTB races the eleven-day World Championships is probably the biggest event in cycling history. "And in Scotland, the premiere has a host that knows how to celebrate," says Trudy Lindblade, CEO of the UCI Cycling World Championships.

In addition to bundling the disciplines, the UCI is also breaking new ground in other areas, including by prioritising the women's events: "Traditionally, the men's elite race always takes place at the finale of the Road World Championships. However, we will be closing the UCI Cycling World Championships with the elite women's race," explains Lindblade. "Another change is that we will be organising the track and para-track competitions at the same time in the velodrome in Glasgow and no longer separate them as before."

Mountain bike disciplines at the Cycling World Championship

Cross country in Glentress Forrest

8 - 12 August 2023

At the World Championships, the cross country races are held in Glentress Forrest. The area is a good 50 kilometres south of Edinburgh in the Tweed Valley and the course is known for its technical climbs and fast, flowing descents - and for its mud. Due to the rough terrain, the MTBs are put under just as much strain as the riders. Flat tyres and other technical defects are common. Dismounting and a visit to the tech zone is therefore likely and no lead is really safe. The UCI has not yet let the concrete route plans out of its hat.

Cross country MTB is divided into the following disciplines:

• Cross Country Olympic (XCO)
  A race lasts a certain number of laps, which must be completed as quickly as possible. The races usually last between 1:20 and 1:40 hours, so endurance, stamina and mental strength are required. In the Olympic Cross Country MTB (XCO) currently wear Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA) and Nino Schurter (SUI) the rainbow jersey of the world champion.
  
• Cross Country Short Track (XCC)
  XCC distance is a fast, fast-paced race with a 1 to 1.5 km long lap in which the riders have to find a balance between skill and speed. A race lasts around 20 minutes.

• Cross Country Team Relay (XCR)
  Sechsköpfige teams fight for a medal not only with speed, but also with strategy. They take it in turns to tackle the mostly technically demanding course.
  
• Cross Country E-MTB
  The athletes ride a similar route to the XCO race, but with the big difference that there are some additional technical sections. The maximum speed is limited to 25 kilometres per hour and participants must finish with the same e-MTB and battery they started with.

Cross Country MTB Marathon

6 August 2023

As the name suggests, compared to the XCO races, this is about the long distance, the cross-country MTB marathon with up to 140 kilometres. The course at the World Championships in Scotland is therefore comparatively short and covers 100 kilometres of road, gravel, tough climbs and long descents. In the mountain bike marathon, there is a mass start on the course - the elite riders start first. Here too, the Scottish Glentress Forrest area is the venue - nothing is officially known about the planned route. The reigning world champion in the MTB Cross Country Marathon are the Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and the New Zealander Sam Gaze.

Mountain bike downhill in Fort William

3 - 5 August 2023

The MTB Downhill competitions will be - as last time - in Fort Williamwhich lies in the rugged north-west of Scotland and is often damp, muddy and difficult. The course at the foot of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis (1345 metres), is therefore one of the most mentally and technically demanding. The course is 2.8 kilometres long, drops 550 metres and has plenty of big rocks. Jumps, bumps, berms and rock gardens are ploughed through at top speeds of up to 55 km/h - with a 20 metre jump at the end. In the final, the drama heightens as the riders make their way down in reverse order of qualifying speed and fractions of a second decide the rainbow jersey. The finish in Fort William is legendary, where a huge crowd celebrates the winners - but actually all the riders. But above all the two riders on duty World champion Valentina Höll (AUT) and Loic Bruni (FRA).

UCI Cycling World Championships 2023 to promote mountain biking in Scotland

The UCI and the host country also emphasise that the aim is to go beyond elite sport and firmly anchor cycling in Scottish society - both as a form of sport and leisure and as an everyday form of mobility. This is achieved primarily through investment in infrastructure and projects to promote cycling in socially disadvantaged regions or mental health projects.

The MTB sport also benefits from the funding programmes. Scotland has already developed into one of the largest MTB centres in Europe in recent years. In addition to the Tweed Valley (XC, marathon and EMTB) and Fort William (DH) event centres, Aberdeenshire is currently becoming one of the new top spots.

All mountain bike events at the 2023 World Championships in Scotland at a glance:

MOUNTAIN BIKE CROSS-COUNTRY

Cross-Country Short Track

• Tuesday, 8 August - Qualifying
• Thursday, 10 August - Finals

E-MTB Cross-Country

• Wednesday, 9 August

Cross-Country Team Relay

• Wednesday, 9 August

Cross-Country Olympic

• Thursday, 10 August - Juniors
• Friday, 11 August - U23
• Saturday, 12 August - Elite

MOUNTAIN BIKE CROSS-COUNTRY MARATHON

• Sunday, 6 August

MOUNTAIN BIKE DOWNHILL

• Thursday, 3 August - Qualifying
• Friday, 4 August - Qualifying & Finals
• Saturday, 5 August - Finals

And all information about the Cycling World Championship 2023 can be found at the UCI here: cyclingworldchamps.com