Perth and Kinross will host one of the world’s biggest cycling events after councillors approved plans for the UCI World Cycling Championship Gran Fondo, which will take place on the 4th of August 2023.
The event will see thousands of cyclists take part in a road race, which will start and end at the North Inch in Perth and see them travel through Central and Highland Perthshire.
Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Convener Councillor Andrew Parrott said: “The Gran Fondo is sure to be a fantastic event for Perth and Kinross.
“It will be an amazing sight to see so many cyclists taking part and so many visitors coming to Perth and Kinross.
“We have a fantastic track record of delivering large-scale events and this will be another unforgettable event for cyclists and spectators alike.
“As we approach the event and Council Officers and the Organisers will be working as hard as possible to minimise the disruption associated with the necessary road closures. Organisers of the Gran Fondo and the Perth Show are also working together to make sure both events run smoothly and successfully.”
With Perth and Kinross Council’s Head of Environmental and Consumer Services Mark Butterworth adding: “This is a huge event that will showcase Perth and Kinross to the world.
“We’re excited to be hosting the Gran Fondo and delivering this once-in-a-lifetime event for Perth and Kinross.”
Councillors approved the routes at a special meeting of the Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee on Monday, with the Council supporting the event with funding worth a total of £280,000, with the event expected to deliver a £2.7million boost to the economy.
Trudy Lindblade, CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships said: “We are delighted that the Committee today gave the go ahead for the Gran Fondo Road Race to take place in Perth and Kinross.
“This event will provide a platform to showcase the region’s spectacular scenery to the thousands of cyclists and their families travelling to Scotland this August, as well as those global audiences who will watch on TV. We look forward to working with Perth & Kinross Council and local communities over the coming months to deliver a memorable event that everyone can be proud of and bring long lasting benefits to the area.”
In the report put to the Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee by Mark Butterworth, it was reported that alongside the World Championship event, there will be a separate mass participation Sportive to allow non-qualified cyclists to participate on the same route, without interfering with the championship athletes.
As well as the Gran Fondo a 160km route, Perth and Kinross will also host the shorter 85km Medio Fondo, with both requiring road closures that for a number of hours on the day, with the report stating “it is the intention that these will be kept as short as possible” with closures at the start of the route shorter than those at the end.
The report also says that alongside the events “a cycling expo event will be delivered on the North Inch as a focus for participants and engagement with the wider community, while a fan zone strategy across the entire championship is still to be finalised, there is an ambition that the Expo would offer a significant spectator experience with interactive cycling activity from Scottish Cycling.”
The full report presented to the Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee can be found at https://perth-and-kinross.cmis.uk.com/perth-and-kinross/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/3584/Committee/139/SelectedTab/Documents/Default.aspx
With more information on the UCI World Cycling Championship available at https://www.cyclingworldchamps.com/
