Road

Want to watch the world’s best cyclists take on Scotland’s roads? Here’s everything you need to know about Road Racing.

Dates: 05 - 06, 08 - 13 August 2023

A German rider crests a steep hill

Overview

The rules of the road are simple: fastest wins.

But a rainbow jersey winning time comes down to more than just raw RPM. Pace setting, strategically timed attacks and gutsy breakaways will separate the race leaders from the pack on the high-speed hills, thrills and spills of Scotland’s most challenging roads.

How it works

The Road Race pits riders against each other in an all-out battle for supremacy of Scotland’s roads. 

Even though there’s plenty of riders to form the peloton - where you’ll see riders “drafting”, which means following the lead rider for an aerodynamic advantage. Mental toughness is mandatory and mistakes made can be immediately punished.

While this is a team sport, there’s only one rainbow jersey up for grabs - who will come out on top will be decided on the roads between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the Glasgow circuit.

 

In Individual Time Trial, riders set off one-by-one at regular intervals of 1-2 minutes. There’s nowhere to hide and no slipstreams to conserve energy in. Just the clock.

Aerodynamics are everything, so you’ll see futuristic bikes, helmets and skinsuits. With sheer speed being top priority, riders have to push the limit of safe racing lines as the twists, turns and tight corners could end a potentially medal winning run at any moment.

 

The Team Time Trial Mixed Relay sees squads of six - three women and three men - race a road circuit in turn. The men go first and race their lap as quickly as they can. The women can only go when the second man reaches them. The women push the pace and when the second woman crosses the finish line, the team has their time.

A single rider per team can drop out of each stage, so teams use this strategically by letting one rider lead the way to keep legs fresh for as long as they can. Communication, coordination and understanding of individual strengths will be key.

All events in this championships

Current UCI World Champions

2022 Season

Annemiek van Vleuten
NED

Annemiek van Vleuten

Women Elite - Road Race

Ellen van Dijk
NED

Ellen van Dijk

Women Elite - Individual Time Trial

Niamh Fisher Black
NZL

Niamh Fisher Black

Women U23 - Road Race

Vittoria Guazzini
ITA

Vittoria Guazzini

Women U23 - Individual Time Trial

Zoe Bäckstedt
GBR

Zoe Bäckstedt

Women Junior - Road Race

Zoe Bäckstedt
GBR

Zoe Bäckstedt

Women Junior - Individual Time Trial

Team Switzerland
SUI

Team Switzerland

Team Time Trial - Mixed Relay

Remco Evenepoel
BEL

Remco Evenepoel

Men Elite - Road Race

Tobias Foss
NOR

Tobias Foss

Men Elite - Individual Time Trial

Yevgeniy Fedorov
KAZ

Yevgeniy Fedorov

Men U23 - Road Race

Søren Wærenskjold
NOR

Søren Wærenskjold

Men U23 - Individual Time Trial

Emil Herzog
GER

Emil Herzog

Men Junior - Road Race

Joshua Tarling
GBR

Joshua Tarling

Men Junior - Individual Time Trial

Elisa Balsamo graphic, the rider is wrapped in a blue brushstroke

Fun Facts!

  • Road racing is arguably the most iconic cycle sport there is. Tens of millions of spectators turn up to events and even more around the world watch on TV and online.
  • The first officially recorded road race dates back to 1868 and was won by a British rider, James Moore.
  • Road racing has featured at every Olympic Games since its first edition in 1896.
  • The Mixed Team Relay is a relatively new event, debuting at the 2019 World Championships.