Spirit of Harrogate launches new ready to serve drinks brand
[Source: The Sports Consultancy] Harrogate-based premium drinks brand, Spirit of Harrogate, is today announcing the launch of ‘Solo’ – five ready to serve drinks – created for the UCI Road World Championships, taking place in Yorkshire this September.
Solo will be an Official Supplier of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships running from 22nd – 29th September, with the world’s best cyclists descending on Yorkshire for the week. Spectators can sample the range of refreshing tipples from the tournament’s multiple bar venues throughout the week, and from the Spirit of Harrogate experience store on Montpellier Parade. Solo will also be available to purchase in store after the races too.
Solo has been made using award-winning Slingsby Gin and includes Slingsby London Dry with Indian Tonic Water – a signature classic made with locally sourced botanicals. Attendees can also enjoy Slingsby Rhubarb Gin with Ginger Ale or Elderflower Tonic Water infused with the finest Yorkshire rhubarb or Slingsby Gooseberry Gin mixed with Mediterranean Tonic. Solo will also launch a ready to serve made using the Gin brand’s latest flavour variant Marmalade, complimented with Mediterranean tonic. All products are bottled at 8% ABV.
The sponsorship deal, which was concluded on behalf of the UCI by The Sports Consultancy (TSC), will see Solo benefit from multiple promotional opportunities over the seven days including on-course branding, branded content across the event’s social channels and advertisement in the official programme. The team will also be handing out branded giveaways throughout the duration of the event in the UCI Fan Zone, in their flagship store in the heart of Harrogate and as part of the 2-day publicity vehicle caravan on the final weekend.
Co-Founder of Spirit of Harrogate Mike Carthy comments:
“We’re delighted to be launching our first ready to serve drinks brand and thrilled that Solo will be the Official Supplier for such a prestigious sporting event. We can’t wait to welcome the thousands of attendees and world’s best cyclists to our hometown. I’ll certainly be there cheering on the sports men and women who are competing as they race through the heart of Harrogate – with a Solo in hand of course. Solo is something we’ve worked incredibly hard on and we can’t wait for visitors to trial our unique flavours during the event.”
Tag: Cycling
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Spirit of Harrogate launches new ready to serve drinks brand
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UCI and Zwift announce 2020 Cycling Esports World Championships
[Source: UCI] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zwift, a global online training and racing platform for athletes, for the governance and development of cycling esports as a new cycling discipline.
This MoU follows the integration of cycling esports into the UCI Constitution, which was approved by the Federation’s Congress in September 2018 in Innsbruck (Austria). The objective is two-fold: to establish requirements that guarantee the speciality meets the standards of sporting integrity and fairness necessary for all UCI-sanctioned disciplines, and to launch the inaugural UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in 2020, as well as qualification events for these Championships, on the Zwift platform.
The news follows the confirmation of Zwift as Official Supplier to the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire, Great Britain.
As part of the MoU, the UCI and Zwift will collaborate to ensure the sporting credibility of cycling esports events. This will include the establishment of a hardware programme that is reliable enough to be used in events sanctioned by the UCI, a performance verification programme that will validate a rider’s performance and ward against technological fraud, and a rider identification system, including height and weight. Moreover, different formats of racing, for individuals and teams, will be tested. The UCI Regulations will be updated accordingly.
On the sporting side, the UCI will organise the 2020 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships (on the Zwift platform). These will be held on a date and at a venue that are still to be confirmed. The UCI and Zwift have agreed that a maximum of 15 National Championships will be organised in select countries as well as Continental Championships; these competitions, organised on-site or remotely on-line, will act as qualification events for the new UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. The Zwift application will be the only programme used for all these events.
Following the first edition of the World Championships, the UCI will launch a bidding process to determine the provider with which it will collaborate for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships after 2020.
UCI President David Lappartient declared: “Cycling esports is a fantastic opportunity for the development of cycling. It is a new way of practising cycling that is expanding rapidly and enables more athletes, whether beginners or more experienced, to train and race regardless of what the weather is like and where they live. The Memorandum of Understanding between our Federation and Zwift is a decisive step towards the total integration of cycling esports by the UCI.”
Zwift’s Esports CEO Craig Edmondson added: “Earlier this year, we stated our ambition to develop an esports platform, but I think it’s much more than that. We are looking to establish a new approach to the sport. This partnership is a significant leap forward in that journey. We are at the very beginning of a long and exciting roadmap here at Zwift as we look to establish a new and innovative cycling discipline.”
About Zwift
Zwift is a fitness company born from gaming, that is dedicated to fitness and experienced in software and video game development. Combining that passion and deep understanding of the fitness world, Zwift is the first company to use massive multiplayer gaming technology to bring the outdoor experience indoors. Athletes from around the globe can train and compete with each other in rich, 3D-generated worlds simply by connecting their existing devices & hardware (e.g. cycle trainers, power meters, treadmills, heart rate monitors, etc) wirelessly via open industry standard ANT+ and BLE. From friendly competition, to racing and structured training programmes, Zwift is building a community of like-minded athletes united in the pursuit of a better social fitness experience.
About the Union Cycliste Internationale (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, as a healthy recreational activity, as 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. More information on www.uci.org. -
An event portfolio for an ever-changing world
Host City: Scotland will host the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023. Who were all the partners involved in securing this new event? Going forward, how important will partnership working be in creating and delivering this new event?
Paul Bush: The event is the vision of UCI President, David Lappartient, and we are extremely excited to be hosting the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023. We worked in collaboration with the Scottish Government, Glasgow Life, UK Sport and British Cycling to secure the event after the UCI announced its ambition to create this brand new cycling concept in 2018.
Collaboration will continue to be key amongst the current and future partners as we develop and deliver this event, especially as it will provide a visible focus to support the acceleration of a range of local and national policy initiatives across the areas such as of health, transport, sport and tourism.
Host City: Scotland has just successfully delivered The 2019 Solheim Cup, hailed the best-ever staged. How was it and what other major events has Scotland got on the horizon?
Paul Bush: I’m incredibly proud of what was delivered and could not have asked for a more thrilling finish! We set out four years ago to deliver an event that would take the Solheim Cup to the next level and Scotland has achieved that. Record crowds of more than 90,000 turned out to watch, making it the highest attended women’s golf event ever held in the UK.
We also set a new benchmark for accessibility and inclusion as well as the quality and scale of the infrastructure to support the event, including a dedicated family zone which significantly enhanced the event experience for parents bringing their children. It once again proved Scotland delivers on the international stage.
Looking ahead there’s lots to look forward to including the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup and the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships both in Glasgow this November and December respectively. Next year Scotland hosts the UEFA EURO 2020 and World Men’s Curling Championships in Glasgow, LEN Junior Championships in Aberdeen and the Women’s British Open at Troon. Beyond that there is The 150th Open at St Andrews in 2021, the Sprint World Orienteering Championships in Edinburgh in 2022 and the Orkney Island Games in 2023. Together with our annual portfolio of events and festivals, there’s a lot taking place in Scotland over the next few years.
Host City: What impact do you think the new P&J Live in Aberdeen will have on Scotland’s ability to host major events?
Paul Bush: Aberdeen’s brand-new events venue and arena, P&J Live, is going to have a big impact on Scotland’s events industry. It is a world-class venue and is the largest event complex in the North of Scotland with 48,000sqm of flexible event space and is expected to contribute an additional 4.5million visitors, £113 million of visitor spend and £63m net GVA to the Scottish economy.
Already the venue has attracted major artists and events, including most recently BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2019, which will be broadcast live to millions watching on BBC One. It will be a great showcase for the venue, Aberdeen and Scotland.
The VisitScotland Expo will also be held there next April. The two-day event is Scotland’s premier business to business travel trade event so again a great opportunity to showcase the venue and the region to key leisure buyers from all corners of the world.
Host City: Sports, business or cultural events – what is their relative importance to Scotland and how do you prioritise investment in each of these?
Paul Bush: All three types of events are equally important to us and it is not a question of prioritising investment in one type of event over another. We find taking a portfolio approach to events and festivals as outlined in our national events strategy works best for Scotland, our partners and the industry.
Taking this approach allows for a variety of large and small, fixed, recurring and one-off events to be identified and supported. It also ensures that over time a wide range of significant impacts can be delivered.
Host City: Scotland has hosted Host City since 2015. What are your expectations of Host City 2019 and its theme of “Innovate, Reformulate, Co-Create”?
Paul Bush: Scotland has a strong affinity with Host City and I’m delighted it’s returning to Glasgow for the 5th consecutive year. I’m expecting another lively two days of thought provoking debate and discussion as we delve into this year’s theme, which is extremely relevant to the events industry as we need to continue to evolve and innovate in order to stay relevant especially in this ever-changing, dynamic and at times, unpredictable world. -
UCI shares Host City’s philosophy of “Innovate, Reformulate, Co-Create”
Host City: What are your expectations of Host City 2019 and its theme of “Innovate, Reformulate, Co-Create”?
David Lappartient: For an International Federation such as ours, with its extremely varied and packed international calendar, Host City provides a meeting place where the organisers of major events and host cities, regions, and countries can come together. We are delighted to be playing a part this year, alongside the EBU.
The theme of this year’s event,”Innovate, Reformulate, Co-Create”, ties in perfectly with our philosophy. In line with our strategic roadmap, Agenda 2022, we are striving to increase the appeal of our sport, which could well involve changing or launching new formats. As well as better meeting the expectations of broadcasters and the public, these formats can, as part of our activities, more effectively respond to today’s key social issues, such as the promotion of gender equality, and make a contribution to a sustainable future.
Host City: What is the rationale and inspiration behind combining all the different cycling disciplines in one single UCI Cycling World Championships that will be hosted for the first time in Scotland in 2023?
David Lappartient: We want to bring all our best athletes together for a single event held at one venue every four years, in the year before the Olympics: the UCI Cycling World Championships, which will celebrate virtually all of our disciplines.
In 2023, more than 2,600 cyclists in 13 disciplines and representing 120 countries will fight it out for the legendary rainbow jersey. It will be an amazing sporting event for the athletes and a memorable festival of cycling for the people of Glasgow and Scotland and for visitors.
Host City: How important was partnership work in creating this new event? Who were the main players involved and how did you work together to achieve this outcome?
David Lappartient: There is no question that this mega event, which is without precedent in the history of our sport, presents us with a massive yet exciting challenge. The competitions will take place at venues both inside and outside the city, indoors and outdoors, including roads, which involves managing traffic.
And when it comes to hosting the athletes, national delegations, TV crews, media and the fans, it takes a great deal of coordination and a close partnership between the stakeholders – the UCI, the organisers, the host broadcaster, the local and national authorities, and many others besides.
Therefore, the expertise available amongst all the host partners in delivering major events of this nature was extremely attractive to the UCI as the event owner. The leadership of the Scottish Government and their attitude to being innovative and willingness to take on the challenge of the first edition of a new event has been vital to the success of the project.
Host City: We have seen how hosting major cycling events has driven a surge in participation in the sport in Yorkshire. Do you anticipate similar increase in Scotland following the championships there?
David Lappartient: Absolutely. Scotland is a hotbed of cycling that has produced some great champions. The likes of Graeme Obree, David Millar, Chris Hoy, Craig Maclean (now a coach at the UCI World Cycling Centre), Callum Skinner, Katie Archibald and her team pursuit colleague Neah Evans, Jack Carlin and Neil Flachie have all made history in our sport.
Glasgow, which is a regular destination for the UCI Track World Cup, receives regular praise for actively promoting elite cycling and cycling for all. In recognition of that and the work it does to encourage people of all ages to get out and ride, we awarded it the UCI Bike City Label in 2019. Our mega event will allow Glasgow and Scotland to move to the next level in the development of cycling as a means of transport, a health-enhancing activity, and a leisure pursuit.
Host City: There is a very interesting partnership between the UCI and Zwift, who are mapping UCI events onto their active esports platform. Can you tell me a bit about the benefits of this partnership to the UCI?
David Lappartient: Cycling Esports presents a wonderful opportunity to develop cycling. It is a new way of practising our fast-growing sport that enables more athletes of all levels to train and take part in competitions, regardless of the weather outside and where they live. It is also an engaging way of improving people’s health by encouraging them to cycle indoors whatever their surroundings, such as urban environments or areas where people cannot cycle due to the terrain.
In teaming up with Zwift, our Federation can reach out to a new and fast-growing community and increase the appeal of our sport by bringing this new discipline into the fold. In the meantime, it can also bring in the necessary safeguards to ensure that competitions are founded on integrity and credibility.
Come to Host City 2019 on 26-27 November to hear UCI President David Lappartient and Eurovision Sport’s Head of Cycling Frederic Sanz’ keynote Case in Point: “Co-creating the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships” -
Search begins for 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships CEO
[Source: EventScotland] Recruitment is underway for the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships along with four Independent Board Members.
The CEO will have overall executive responsibility for the Championships by leading a world-class team in the planning and delivery of the event. The role will require strong leadership experience, a multi-disciplinary track record of overseeing mega sporting events, outstanding stakeholder relationships, an understanding of operating within public sector organisations, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Four independent board members, including one to fulfil the role of Audit and Risk Committee Chair, are also being recruited to join the board alongside the nominated members of the event’s partner organisations. The successful candidates will ensure the highest level of governance and will support strategic decisions whilst also being part of this historic and innovative event.
Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “This is an exciting next step in the setting up of the organisation that will organise and deliver the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships here in Glasgow and Scotland. The Championships will be the biggest cycling event ever to take place, combining 13 existing individual cycling world championships into one mega event for the first time and needs a world-class leadership team to delivery our vision and ambition for the event. So, if you think you have what it takes to be part of the biggest cycling event in history then we want to hear from you.” -
Virtual British Cycling Race Series launched on Zwift
[Source: British Cycling] The British Cycling Race Series – an eight-week series of races and workouts on popular online training platform Zwift – has been designed for people to have fun and stay active during the global uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic.
Those wanting to pit their form against the best of British won’t have long to wait as group rides led by the Great Britain Cycling Team, including with women’s academy squad Team Breeze, are set to be introduced.
Great Britain Cycling Team women’s endurance academy coach, Emma Trott, said: “We’re in an entirely unique situation that means there’ll be no racing for a while, but it’s important that we try to find some sense of normality in all this. For us, that’s training and staying connected not just with each other, but the cycling community.
“Moving things online is a really fun way of keeping that connection and we’re all looking forward to people joining us over the next few weeks.”
All races are 30 minutes long and will be hosted on different courses, running from 24 March to 14 May.
To join a British Cycling Race Series virtual road race or time trial on Zwift, click here. Follow this link to join a workout. Visit the Zwift website to sign up for a seven-day trial. After your trial period ends Zwift costs £12.99 per month and is free for under-16s -
Bike power celebrated ahead of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
[Source: EventScotland] 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 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.” -
2023 UCI Cycling World Championships announce Non-Executive Director appointments
Rupert Dickinson, Alexandra Innes, David Hornby, Nick Peel and Susan Ahern all joined the 2023 Board in September, bringing with them a breadth of experience from across a range of specialisms and sectors including financial services and investment, consultancy, legal and legislative affairs, media, retail development and real estate. Rupert has also been appointed the Senior Independent Director and will be responsible for chairing the Audit and Risk Committee.
Five-times BMX and Track Cycling World Champion, Shanaze Reade, will also be joining the Board in October as a Co-Opted Board Member. Her years of experience competing at the international level will be hugely valuable to the group and the delivery of the Championships.
Commenting on the appointments, Paul Bush OBE, Chair of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “On behalf of the 2023 Board, I would like to congratulate and welcome our six new members. Their individual experience and expertise across a range of sectors and specialisms will be invaluable to the successful delivery of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow and across Scotland.
“The Championships will be a catalyst for change and progress in Scotland in making cycling part of the normal, everyday lives of people and the announcement of Shanaze and the Non-Executive Directors is a key milestone on this journey. I look forward to working with all them over the next three years.”
The Non-Executive Directors join the nominated Directors from each of principle funder and host partner organisations. They are:
• Paul Bush OBE (Chair), VisitScotland
• Billy Garrett, Glasgow Life
• Danielle Every, British Cycling
• Colin Edgar, Glasgow City Council
• Stewart Harris, sportscotland
• Steven Elworthy MBE, UK Sport
• Bettina Sizeland, Scottish Government
The announcement of the new board members comes as the recruitment process for the three senior positions of Director of Sport, Director of Operations and Director of Commercial, Marketing and Communications at the Championships commenced this week.
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and working closely with the UCI, each position will be responsible for devising and implementing the plans for their respective areas of responsibility and ensuring they meet the event’s policy ambitions. -
Imola wins bid to host rescheduled 2020 UCI Road World Championships
[Source: UCI] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is pleased to announce that it has awarded the organisation of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola. The world-renowned Italian city and its region Emilia-Romagna will host the event from 24 to 27 September.
The awarding of this event follows the cancellation on 12 August of the Aigle-Martigny 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Switzerland, which meant the UCI needed to find a new organiser very quickly.
The competition programme for the UCI Worlds has been adapted in view of the current world health situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic: only the races (road race and time trial) in the Elite categories will be contested this year. Indeed, the majority of the top athletes in the Elite Men and Women categories are already in Europe, as opposed to their younger counterparts (Juniors and Under 23) whose national delegations, in a significant number of cases, will not be able to travel to Italy due to travel restrictions imposed in numerous countries. Limiting the programme to the Elite categories means a large majority of young athletes will not to be unfairly prevented from having the possibility to participate in the competitions.
Although the start and finish of all the events will take place on the Imola automobile racing circuit, the routes proposed by the organising committee stand out due to their extremely challenging character: the men’s road race will be 259.2km with a total of nearly 5000m of climbing, while the length of the women’s race will be 144km with a cumulated 2750m of ascension. The circuit (28.8km) will be the same for the men (9 laps) and women (5 laps) and will include two difficult climbs (3km in total with an average gradient of 10% and sections reaching 14%). These characteristics will offer the riders a profile comparable to that of Aigle-Martigny (Switzerland) which will suit the punchers and climbers and should produce exciting and lively races.
The time trial circuit (to be covered once by both men and women), fairly flat, will measure 32km with 200m altitude difference, suiting the strongest specialists of the race against the clock.
A city situated some 40 kilometres from Bologna, Imola hosted the UCI Road World Championships in 1968, the year that saw victories go to the Italian Vittorio Adorni and the Netherlands’ Keetie van Oosten-Hage. The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari has also been the theatre of several Giro d’Italia stage finishes. The organising committee of the Imola 2020 UCI Road World Championships can therefore benefit from extensive experience in the organisation of international events and world-class facilities.
2020 UCI Road World Championships Programme:
– Thursday 24 September: Women Elite individual time trial
– Friday 25 September: Men Elite individual time trial
– Saturday 26 September: Women Elite road race
– Sunday 27 September: Men Elite road race.
UCI President David Lappartient declared: “I congratulate the Imola organising committee for the excellent quality of its bidding file which it succeeded in producing in a short lapse of time. I would also like to thank the three other candidates Peccioli (Italy), Alba Adriatica (Italy) and the Haute-Saône (France) who also sent solid files to the UCI. It was not an easy choice, but it goes to show that even in this difficult period that we are going through, the UCI World Championships are still very attractive for cities and their regions.
“Although the award of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola is excellent news, my thoughts also go to the Aigle-Martigny organising committee whom I sincerely thank for its commitment and the quality of our collaboration over the last two years.
“The award of the UCI Road World Championships in Italy this year is of great symbolic value for the UCI: in a country that suffered enormously from the Covid-19 pandemic but was able to confront it effectively and with courage, the staging of our leading annual event will, in its own way, be a sign of a return to normal in a region where the health situation is now under control.
“I am convinced that the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Imola will allow us all, despite the difficult current situation, to witness a great sporting festival. I invite you all to follow this event in Italy, true cycling territory, on one of the most challenging circuits in the history of the UCI Road World Championships. I look forward to watching these races which promise to be m -
2023 UCI Cycling World Championships appoint CEO
Taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland in August 2023, the Championships is set to be the biggest single cycling event in history, bringing together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines into one mega event, for the first time.
The Championships is more than just an event and will celebrate the unique power of the bike and all it can bring to our everyday lives, whether it’s physical and mental health benefits, easing congestion on the road to help the environment, or simply making it easier for people to get around.
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 moving forward.
Trudy’s strong background and experience working on complex large-scale major events, designed to support government ambitions to deliver social and economic change, makes her the ideal person for the job.
Currently the Head of Event Management at Visit Victoria, Trudy will bring a wealth of event experience to the position having spent more than 20 years leading, planning and delivering major events in Australia and around the world, working with government’s, local organising committees, event hosts and international and national sports federations in the process.
In particular, her work on cycling events spans over twelve years and includes senior roles at the 2010 UCI Road World Championships, the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships as well as Cycling Australia.
More recently she has spent over seven years working for one of the world’s leading events acquisition groups, Victorian Major Events Company (VMEC), now Visit Victoria, and was pivotal in the establishment of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in 2015, now the opening one-day race on the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women’s WorldTour calendars.
Trudy also has a strong cultural events background, taking over the reins of the all-night festival ‘White Night Melbourne’ in 2017 and overseeing the creation of supporting regional White Night events.
As CEO of the Championships, Trudy will have overall executive responsibility for the planning and delivery of the event. She will report directly to the Chair of Championships Board and will manage all the senior management positions including the Director of Sport, Director of Operations and Director of Commercial, Marketing and Communications currently being recruited. Trudy will take up her position on 26 October 2020 and will relocate to Glasgow with her family from Melbourne, Australia.
Paul Bush OBE, Chair of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “On behalf of all the partners, I would like to congratulate Trudy on her appointment as CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and we look forward to welcoming her to Scotland very soon. This is another key milestone on our journey to the Championships and concludes a global search, much of which was undertaken at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Trudy’s vast event experience, particularly in delivering both UCI and mass participation cycling events, makes her the ideal candidate to establish and lead the Championships team. We have a bold ambition to use the event as a catalyst for significant change and progress in Scotland, by continuing to transform the nation and make cycling part of people’s normal, everyday lives and Trudy is the right person to help us achieve this.”
Trudy Lindblade said: “Playing a leading role in such an innovative and unique event will be a wonderful opportunity. This is particularly so as the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be the single biggest global cycling event to date, and one that has transformational change at its core bringing longer term benefits to Scotland through the areas of health, transport, education, sustainability and tourism.
“I look forward to working with all Event Partners as well as local towns and regions to showcase Scotland’s world class event delivery and tourism credentials to the world through the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.”
Trudy’s appointment follows last week’s announcement of the five Non-Executive Directors and one Co-opted member to join the Championships Board of Directors.
Rupert Dickinson, Alexandra Innes, David Hornby, Nick Peel and Susan Ahern have all taken up their roles as Non-Executive Directors on the Board, while five-times BMX and Track Cycling World Champion, Shanaze Reade, will also be joining the Board this month as a Co-Opted Board Member.