Scottish Borders to welcome 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships at Glentress Forest
Watch Chris Conway's video Report
An area in the Scottish Borders is to host the world's biggest ever cycling event next summer.
Glentress Forest, which sits in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders, has been named as one of nine current hosts for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
As part of the event, the renowned mountain biking location will hold the Mountain Bike Cross-country and Mountain Bike Cross-country Marathon in August next year.
It will be the first time Glentress Forest has staged an event of its size.
More than a million spectators are expected at the competition which takes place across 11 days from the 3 August to 13 August 2023.
It will also be broadcast on television globally, which is thought could bring an audience of around one billion, making it one of the world’s top ten sporting events.
While at Glentress, athletes will take on an off-road course featuring steep climbs and technical descents.
Amateur riders can get involved with the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds too as they can compete as part of a mass participation event.
The Glentress Forest has a good reputation in the mountain bike community as it is one of the Borders 7Stanes trail centres.
It is also an area where world-class riders like have developed.
Charlie Aldridge is a Scottish rider, who was the 2019 Men’s Junior UCI Mountain Bike Cross-country Olympic World Champion.
He said: “In mountain biking the UCI World Championships are seen as the pinnacle of the sport so I’m thrilled that the Mountain Bike Cross-country and Mountain Bike Cross-country Marathon are both coming to Glentress Forest.
"Having the opportunity to compete in a World Championships in front of a home crowd would be an incredible experience and it would be a dream come true to pull on a rainbow jersey."
Up and coming cyclist Elena McGorum, is from nearby Peebles and 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."
Glentress Forest, which is owned and managed by Foresty and Land Scotland, is the ninth location across Scotland to be confirmed as part of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
Thirteen sites will be hosting the Championships event, and are combining for the first time to create one mega event.
It is thought that more than 8,000 amateur and elite cyclists from more than 120 countries could visit during the course of the competitions.
Trudy Lindblade is the CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
She said: “Glentress Forest is known around the world for the quality of its trails and its challenging terrain, so it is a fitting venue for both the Mountain Bike Cross-country and Mountain Bike Cross-country Marathon as part of the first-ever combined UCI Cycling World Championships."
Councillor Euan Jardine, Leader of Scottish Borders Council, said: “Glentress has been a catalyst for change and growth over a number of years, bringing cyclists to the area, boosting tourism, investment and jobs, and inspiring more people to ride.
"The communities of the Tweed Valley and their support and enthusiasm has also been vital in making this such a special and unique place for cycling."
He continued: “Both the short and long term benefits of hosting the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championship will be significant for our local economy and that is why we are so determined to bring more events of this magnitude to the area.”
The 2023 UCI World championship will be the first event on Glentress' 45 miles of trails which are currently being updated to national and international race standards.
The Championships at Glentress Forest will be supported by Scottish Borders Council, Forestry and Land Scotland and South of Scotland Enterprise.
Listen to ITV News' What You Need To Know podcast: