What to expect on day eleven of the champs
After ten full days of thrilling two-wheeled action in and around Scotland, we've got an amazing final day of competition lined up for you.
After ten full days of thrilling two-wheeled action in and around Scotland we’ve made it all the way to day eleven – the final day of the 2023 Cycling World Championships, which has seen 13 different cycling disciplines unite to challenge for 200 rainbow jerseys from Thursday 3 August and continuing to today, Sunday 13 August.
Twelve rainbow jerseys remain, and they will be awarded to riders across four disciplines on the final day of this unique Championships. While it’s been the first of its kind, we think it’s fair to say it’s been a roaring success, and the biggest cycling event in history will leave a lasting legacy with the memories of legendary performances, emotional victories and inspiration which has carried around Scotland and the world, as riders from over 130 countries have come together to celebrate the #PowerOfTheBike.
We’ve come this far, let’s not stop now – follow all the action on the final day of the Champs by keeping up-to-date with our socials, and reading our live blog which brings you all the news, sporting action and results throughout the day.
Here’s what you can watch on day eleven of the Championships.
Events to watch
ROAD
The final event of the Championships should be one of the most memorable, as the finest women’s road riders from around the world take on a 154.1km course from Loch Lomond to Glasgow in the hope of claiming the final coveted rainbow jersey of the event.
With an early climb to contend with in the shape of Crow Road, followed by six local laps around the notoriously tricky Glasgow city centre circuit, the winner will be truly worthy of the name World Champion, conquering the daunting ‘Mur de Montrose’ six times and hanging on all the way to the finish line on George Street, to write their names in the history books.
PARA-CYCLING ROAD
The final day of action in the Para-cycling Road programme features just one race, and this one should be a real spectacle. The Para-cycling Mixed Team Relay features teams of three riders, each taking it in turn to complete a street circuit in Glasgow City Centre. Coordination and communication between team members will be key as they attempt to be the first to get all three team members over the line to win the final para-cycling rainbow jersey.
If you’re around, the race is free to attend so head along to the roadside to show your support and cheer these amazing athletes round the course.
INDOOR CYCLING
The final day of the Indoor Cycling programme at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena will change the way you view bike handling forever, as the competitors in the Artistic Cycling and Cycle-ball disciplines take turn to wow the crowd with their dexterity, agility and balance.
Though they are grouped together, the two disciplines have very little in common other than the surface they are contested on, with cycle-ball most akin to a version of football on wheels, while artistic cycling far more closely resembles gymnastics, or synchronised swimming.
If you’ve missed the opening of these events you can get up to speed, or follow along live, with our beginner’s guides to artistic cycling and cycle ball.
BMX RACING
The final day of the Championships sees the fastest BMX riders in the world go head-to-head at the Glasgow BMX Centre as six rainbow jerseys are up for grabs in the finals of the BMX Racing.
Day eleven features the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the main event of the weekend, the finals of the men’s and women’s junior, under-23 and elite categories. So make sure you tune in to catch the high octane action taking place around the 400m track, where speed, racing strategy and bike handling skills will all play a part in determining who will raise their arms and take home the ultimate prize.
Athletes to watch
The women’s road race brings together the very best elite riders from the women’s World Tour peloton for the pinnacle in one-day racing – the chance to fight it out for the final rainbow jersey of the Championships. With over 200 riders from 74 nations lining up in Loch Lomond, it will be a nail-biting battle.
The Dutch team will draw the most attention as they are stacked with superstars, including last year’s champion Annemiek van Vleuten, and this year’s most successful rider Demi Vollering, who will go into the race as the favourite to win. She’ll have to face her trade teammate, Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky, if she wants to take glory on Glasgow's George Street, and with Kopecky in the form of her life and fresh from two titles on the track, it should be a closely matched contest.
British hopes rest on the shoulders of national champion Pfeiffer Georgi, a strong all-rounder who will be backed up by veteran Lizzie Deignan, and there will be strong competition from the likes of Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini and Elisa Balsamo, Germany’s Liane Lippert, and Australia’s Grace Brown. And don’t rule out team USA – Chloe Dygert has won Gold on the track and in the individual time trial, and she would love to add the road title to her haul in Glasgow.
On the BMX track, Great Britain will look to Olympic champion Beth Shriever to continue the strong form she’s shown so far this season, while on the men’s side, the French pair of Romain Mahieu and Jauris Daudet will look to take the honours for their nation.
In the indoor cycling, old foes Austria and Germany already sit first and second in League A, and are highly likely to resume their rivalry for the rainbow jersey, with Austria the victors in 2022, while Germany will look to exert their authority once again in artistic cycling, a sport that they have dominated in every category throughout the sport’s history.