Expectations surrounding the future legacy of the UCI Road World Championships have reached new highs as the sporting event cements itself as the biggest on UK soil this year, with hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the route and the action being beamed to a global TV audience of over 250 million.
The first time Great Britain has hosted the event since 1982, across nine days of racing around Yorkshire saw approximately 1,400 riders from a total from 90 countries compete for the rainbow jersey – one of the most historic and iconic prizes in the sport of cycling.
For the first time ever, the event has been paired with the largest ever funding injection to make it easier for people to get out and ride their bikes in their local communities – with the UK Government committing £15 million funding for new and improved cycling facilities across England.
National governing body British Cycling notes that this is the biggest government investment into community cycling facilities the country has seen in recent years, with the goal of turning inspiration into increased participation and the impact of the ‘Places to Ride’ programme already bearing fruit.
The Doncaster Cycle Track – a 1km-long, 6m-wide traffic-free circuit which includes a cobbled climb – was the first new facility to open, and played host to both the Junior Women’s and Under-23 Men’s Road Races starts during the championships. The facility is expected to provide 40,000 opportunities in the first year to riders of all ages and abilities.
Places to Ride has also introduced virtual cycling technology into 60 care homes in England, via a unique partnership with Norwegian start-up Motitech, to help older people – particularly those with dementia – enjoy the benefits of physical activity.
The Places to Ride programme is open for applications and will be delivered over the next two years through a unique partnership between British Cycling, Sport England and the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The programme will fund a range of community facilities for cycling – including large-scale multi-use venues through to cycle trails in parks, BMX tracks and ‘learn to ride’ areas.
Smaller requests are also welcome to provide organisations with access to bikes and equipment, all of which will help to transform communities.
Julie Harrington, Chief Executive of British Cycling, said “Hosting a home Road World Championships is a once in a generation opportunity and we must make every effort to capitalise on the buzz of enthusiasm felt, not only in Yorkshire, but across the whole country. Ever since we won the bid to host the championships back in 2016, we’ve been building robust plans to ensure it has a ripple effect which will enable thousands more people to embrace cycling in whichever way they choose.”
She continued, “Using major events to inspire greater participation has been the foundation of the success enjoyed by British Cycling over the last decade, with our membership growing 10-fold in that period. We’re confident that with our HSBC UK Go Ride and HSBC UK Ready Set Ride programmes designed to help teach and develop children’s cycling skills, our unique partnership with Playing Out, alongside the new Places to Ride facilities programme, we can engage a new audience with cycling and ensure that our vision becomes a reality.”
