Visit Scotland | Alba
Article published 20/04/2023

Riders took to their bikes in Drumnadrochit on Saturday 15 April for a fun day of free activity in the first of a series of cycling events. This was supported through the latest round of EventScotland’s Community Cycling Fund Events Strand.

Delivered by Visit Inverness Loch Ness in partnership with Paths for All and Loch Ness Hub. Pedal Power: Discover More gave more than 300 people the chance to get on a bike and discover how wonderful active travel can be. Activities on the day included bike tours, bike rentals, a biking treasure hunt, an accessibility bike to try, local information stalls and a pump track for kids.

Pedal Power was a fantastic day for all! The community lead event brought in both locals and visitors to the region to discover more about the area of Drumnadrochit & Glenuqruhart. With E bike guided tours and mountain bike guided tours available for all, the uptake was excellent, and there were many that had never tried E-biking before.

The funding received from EventScotland through the Community Cycling Fund made it possible for the community to rent bikes, to offer children opportunities to try a pump track and learn the skills to be able to bike around the track and surrounding areas. Children were also offered the chance to pedal to make their own smoothies and head off on an adventure to complete a treasure hunt via bike. With a glorious sunny day, plenty rides on offer to take part in, and community food available, it was a success all round!

Emma Harrison, Destination Development Manager, Visit Inverness Loch Ness

A total of 24 events across 19 Local Authorities in Scotland have received a share of £160,000 from the second round of the events strand of the Community Cycling Fund.   Encompassing an exciting range of activities including guided rides skills development, mechanic workshops; vintage cycles, STEM through sport. These events will help showcase the power of the bike as part of a national celebration of cycling in the build-up to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

Other events to receive support through Round 2 of the fund include Hoy on Hoy that will see Sir Chris Hoy officially open the newly refurbished Scapa Flow Museum. He will also lead a community ride around the former naval base at Lyness where the museum is located. The unique gravel riding festival Muck n’ Mac taking place in the Tweed Valley from 5 to 7 May. This will feature gravel riding and adaptive cycling across some of the most epic gravel trails and roads Scotland has to offer. The Energy Sport and STEM Festival in Perth from the 29 to 30 July for a weekend full of amazing family experiences with sporting activities, adventure challenges and encouraging STEM through sport. 

Cycling Scotland also put forward £35,000 of additional funding to support seven non-competitive events, taking the overall amount of funding to £195,000. Among those to receive funding were the Women and Families Cycle Festival, CamGlen Cycling Festivals, and Pedal in the Park at Helix Park in Falkirk.

The Community Cycling Fund is a joint initiative between the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, EventScotland, Cycling Scotland and sportscotland. The £1 million fund has been developed to support sustainable cycling projects and free events across Scotland in the build-up to the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds in August this year. This is to create a lasting benefit from the Championships post event. It is made up of two strands, the Development Strand administered by sportscotland, and the Events strand being delivered by EventScotland.

To find out more about the Development Strand visit the sportscotland website.

As we get closer to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships being held across Scotland, it’s the perfect time for people to explore cycling in their local area. This funding will help communities up and down the country celebrate cycling, with many of the free events designed to encourage people to get involved in cycling, no matter their ability. I hope people will take advantage of these opportunities and embrace all the benefits that come with cycling.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson

Events play an important role in our communities as they give us the chance to come together and share memorable experiences. The 24 events being supported through the Community Cycling Fund will give people the chance to discover the joy riding a bike can bring to their everyday lives in a fun and safe environment while also helping create a lasting benefit from our hosting of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

Robbie Clyde, Head of EventScotland

In just over 100 days time, the world’s greatest riders will come together in Glasgow and across Scotland for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. This first of its kind event will be the perfect stage to inspire more people to ride bikes whether it be for sport, leisure or transport.

The 24 events being supported through the Community Cycling Fund will provide a fantastic opportunity for local communities to celebrate cycling in a fun and safe environment across the length and breadth of the country as we count down to the biggest cycling event ever this August.

Craig Burn, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Director of Strategy and Policy Impacts

Cycling Scotland is happy to partner with EventScotland to increase the number of events supported through the Community Cycling Fund. Inclusive cycling events play an important role in encouraging more people to cycle more often in communities across Scotland, and help to highlight local cycle routes and opportunities to travel by bike.

Christopher Johnson, Head of Education and Training, Cycling Scotland

The latest round of funding builds on the 18 free events across 12 Local Authorities received support from the first round of funding. This includes the Women on Wheels Cycling Festival in Queens Park in Glasgow, Get Active Family Cycling Challenge that took place in and around Drumchapel Cycle Hub, Fife Loves Cycling, the Auchterarder Community Sports and Recreation (ACSR) Bike Fun Day, and the Dukes Weekender. They developed and delivered an adaptive cycling route as part of this year’s event.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will create sporting history in August 2023 with 13 existing UCI Cycling World Championships brought together for the first time to create one mega-event. With more than 2,600 athletes competing from around 120 countries, an expected one million spectators and more than one billion viewers worldwide. Thus, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be one of the top 10 sporting events on the planet.

Full list of supported events

1. Pedal Power: Discover More on 15 April 2023. Visit the Pedal Power website for more information on the event.

2. Grand Old Dukes/Gravelfoyle Festival of Cycling on 28 and 30 April 2023. Visit the Grand Old Dukes website for more information on the event.

3. Hoy on Hoy on 29 April 2023. Visit the Orkney Council website for more information on the event.

4. Power of the Bike Day at TweedLove Bike Festival on 30 April 2023. Visit the TweedLove website for more information on the event.

5. Muck N Mac from 5 to7 May 2023. Visit the Muc n' Mac website for more information on the event.

6. Gourock Highland Games on 14 May 2023. Visit the Inverclyde council website for more information on the event.

7. Fife Loves Cycling 'Cycleshows' - : Dirt Crit Mountain Bike experience - MTB trail based activity on 18 May, 10,14, and 25 June, 29 July 2023. Visit the Fife Council website for more information on the event.

8. CamGlen Cycling Festivals* on 20 May 2023 (Overtoun Park) and 21 May 2023 (Cambuslang Park). 

9. Strathclyde Park Cycle-Fest* on 26 May, 27 May and 28 May 2023.

10. West Lothian Cycle Circuit Grand Opening and fun day  on 27 May 2023. Visit the West Lothian Cycle Circuit website for more information on the event.

11. Pedal in The Park* on 10 June 2023. Visit the Falkirk Leisure and Culture website for more information on the event.

12. Family Cycling Fun Day @ The Circuit* on 11 June 2023.

13. Balloch Cycle Festival on 16 to18 June 2023.

14. Darvelo on 17 and18 June 2023. Visit the Discover Darvel website for more information on the event.

15. Family Festival of Cycling (East Renfrewshire) on 24 June 2023.

16. Cairngorms Cycle Festival on 24 June 2023. Visit the VisitCairngorms website for more information on the event.

17. Active Ness on 7th July 2023.

18. Women and Families Cycle Festival* on 8 July 2023. Visit the Women on Wheels website for more information on the event.

19. East Ayrshire Cycling Roadshow on 15 July 2023. Visit the Dean Castle Country Park website for more information on the event.

20. Milngavie Healthy Habits 2023/Healthy Habits Cycling on 22 July 2023. Visit the Milngavie website for more information on the event.

21. Oban & Kerrera Big Bike Weekend on 22 and 23 July 2023. Visit the Adventure Oban website for more information on the event.

22. ACSR Bike Extravaganza* on 23 July 2023. Visit the ACSR website for more information on the event.

23. Cycle Arts Festival from 26 July to 2 August 2023. Visit the Cycle Arts website for more information on the event.

24. Energy Sport and STEM Festival on 29 and 30 July 2023. Visit the Energy Festival website for more information on the event.

Events to also receive Cycling Scotland funding have an asterisk (*)

Further information and web addresses will be available in the coming weeks.

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

From 3 to13 August 2023, the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships will be hosted in Glasgow and across Scotland. It will be the single biggest cycling event in history, bringing together for the first time 13 existing UCI World Championships into one mega event.  

This historic and innovative event will welcome more than 8,000 amateur and elite cyclists from more than 120 countries and crown over 190 UCI World Champions across 13 UCI World Championships. This includes: BMX Freestyle Flatland; BMX Freestyle Park; BMX Racing; Gran Fondo; Indoor Cycling; Mountain Bike Cross-country; Mountain Bike Downhill; Mountain Bike Cross-country Marathon; Para-cycling Road; Para-cycling Track; Road; Track; Trials.  

The anticipated global TV audience will place the event in the top-10 most watched sporting events in the world, rivalling the Olympics and Commonwealth Games and placing Scotland on the world stage as a destination for elite cycling and cycle tourism.   

Currently the UCI stages annual UCI World Championships in each of its disciplines in different host cities around the world throughout the year. Starting with the inaugural event in 2023, the UCI Cycling Worlds will bring these championships together every four years, the year prior to the Olympics.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is more than just an event. It will be a catalyst for behavioural change across Scotland by giving everyone the opportunity to experience the freedom riding a bike can bring to their lives. By working in collaboration with cycling and wider partners, it will amplify and unify existing work and activity across health, transport, tourism and participation.  

The event will be delivered in collaboration between the UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport, British Cycling, Glasgow Life and VisitScotland with its EventScotland team through 2023 Cycling World Championships Ltd. The partnership is creating a blueprint for future editions by ensuring the inaugural event is authentic, innovative, and distinctive. For more information visit www.cyclingworldchamps.com.

Venues and Locations already announced include:  

  • BMX Freestyle Park (Glasgow Green, Glasgow)  
  • BMX Freestyle Flatland (Glasgow Green, Glasgow)  
  • BMX Racing (Glasgow BMX Centre, Glasgow) 
  • Gran Fondo (Perth and Kinross)  
  • Indoor (Emirates Arena, Glasgow)  
  • Mountain Bike Cross Country (Glentress)  
  • Mountain Bike Downhill (Fort William)  
  • Mountain Bike Marathon (Glentress)  
  • Para-cycling Road (Dumfries & Galloway)   
  • Para-cycling Track (Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Glasgow)  
  • Road (Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, Road Race Finish: George Square, Glasgow, Time Trial: Stirling)  
  • Track (Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Glasgow)  
  • Trials (Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow)  

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