Glentress to stage two mountain bike events at 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

Glentress will stage the mountain bike cross-country and cross-country marathon competitions at next year's UCI Cycling World Championships.

Most of the events are taking place in Glasgow but some are taking place elsewhere, and Glentress has been selected as the championships' ninth location in Scotland between August 3-13.

Glentress Forest – which is located just over 90km south-east of Glasgow, between Peebles and Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders – is the fourth venue announced outside Glasgow.

Dumfries and Galloway will host the para-cycling road competitions, Stirling is set to stage the road time trials and Fort William has been selected for mountain bike downhill.

Elena McGorum in action at Glentress, where the world's best will compete at next year's 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Picture: Jeff Holmes

With 13 existing UCI World Championships combined for the first time to create one mega event for the first time, organisers are predicting more than a million spectators.

Elena McGorum, who is from nearby Peebles and has cycled Glentress from a young age, is classed an up-and-coming cross-country rider.

She said: “I’m really excited. I have so many great memories of riding here so to think there is an opportunity to compete in a World Championships at Glentress is special. It’s not something we ever get the chance to do to compete alongside all the other cycling disciplines.”

Scottish rider Charlie Aldridge, was the 2019 men’s junior UCI mountain bike cross-country world champion, added: “Having the opportunity to compete in a World Championships in front of a home crowd would be an incredible experience.”