The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland loom large on the horizon, with over 8,000 athletes from 120 countries doing battle across 13 different UCI Cycling World Championships. The biggest event in cycling history, taking place between 3 and 13 August, will see the planet’s finest compete for rainbow jerseys in Glasgow and across Scotland. Today we focus on Stirling, a magnificent medieval city around 42km north-east of Glasgow, which will host the individual time trials…
Fiesta of time trialling
The Stirling area will play host to the individual time trials from Wednesday 9 August to Friday 11 August.
In all categories, the riders will set off from The King’s Knot, which lies in the shadows of Stirling Castle. Over 900 years of history nestles in one of Scotland’s greatest stone castles, a place that acted as the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots, who inherited the throne at just six days old when her father, James V, died. During her childhood, Scotland was governed by regents. Her tender years determined she naturally needed their support.
The world’s best time triallists will have no such support nearly 500 years later as they face their race against the clock. After leaving the castle grounds, they head at speed to the flats of the River Forth. From here, the Men Elite will head towards Thornhill, then down to Kippen before looping back towards Stirling city centre.
There are landmarks aplenty on the relatively flat courses: the men face 352m of elevation over 47.8km which takes in the spectacular National Wallace Monument. The Gothic-style monument, built in 1869, is a 67m tower that overlooks Stirling and commemorates Sir William Wallace, a Scottish knight of the 13th and 14th centuries who become one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Wallace and his army memorably defeated the English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297.
Challengers in the Men Elite race will no doubt include reigning UCI World Champion Tobias Foss (NOR), silver medallist Stefan Küng (SUI) and of course Belgian Remco Evenepoel, who won bronze before going on to win the road race. That is without counting other major stars such as Italy’s Filippo Ganna, UCI World Champion in the specialty in 2020 and 2021 and current holder of the UCI Hour Record timed by Tissot.
No defence in the Women Elite
The Women Elite and Men U23 riders will also travel towards Thornhill but will turn left down the B8031 before swinging back to Stirling city centre. They will face 36.2km with 242m of elevation, and both races will be tense, fast affairs. There’ll be no defence of the Women Elite title for 2022 victor, Ellen van Dijk (NED), as she’s expecting her first child in September. Like the Men Elite, it’s hard to look beyond second and third that day, Grace Brown (AUS) and Marlen Reusser (SUI) being the ones to beat.
As for the Men U23, Norway’s Søren Waerenskjold can’t defend his title as he turned 23 in March. Instead, America’s Magnus Sheffield and Great Britain’s Ben Tulett, both 21 and both racing for Ineos Grenadiers, could be the riders to watch.
The Juniors will complete a smaller loop after heading out on the same route along the A811 as the Elite and U23 races, before turning back at Gargunnock to the finish. The Junior Men face 22.8km including 187m of elevation, while the Junior Women compete over 13.4km with 132m elevation.
Finally, once the riders of every category are back in the city centre, they’ll make a turn onto Corn Exchange Road before making their final ascent up a short, sharp, pitchy climb to the finish at Stirling Castle esplanade.
Each race will live long in the memory and, for reference, here’s a breakdown of when you’ll be able to watch the world’s best time triallists…
Wednesday 9 August, 2.30pm, Men U23
Thursday 10 August, 11.15am, Women Junior; 2pm, Women Elite
Friday 1 August, 10am, Men Junior; 2.35pm, Men Elite
There will be some stunning places in Stirling and the surrounding area to watch the individual time trials, including dedicated fan zones. More information on those will be available soon.
Three of the road races will also pass through the Stirling area:
Sunday 6 August, Men Elite road race, which starts in Edinburgh and finishes in Glasgow
Saturday 12 August, Men U23, which starts at Loch Lomond and finishes in Glasgow
Sunday 13 August Women Elite, which also starts at Loch Lomond and finishes in Glasgow
In short, every cycling fan – and many others who don’t yet know they are cycling fans – will be in for a Stirling treat this August.