What to expect on day nine of the champs
We're on Cloud 9, as day nine brings cycle-ball and artistic cycling to the Emirates Arena, plus a load of action from around the country.
With eight days of adrenaline-pumping action under our belts, you’d be forgiven for thinking that surely it’s not possible to squeeze any more disciplines into the mix? We’re here to tell you, it absolutely is!
It’s day nine of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, and with new events beginning and a stack more rainbow jerseys to be won, make sure you don’t pass up the opportunity to come along and watch for free in Dumfries & Galloway, Stirling and Glasgow.
This unique event, the first of its kind and the biggest cycling event in history, began on Thursday 3 August and continues until Sunday 13 August, featuring riders from over 130 countries across 13 different championships, with over 200 rainbow jerseys to be awarded throughout the Championships.
Don’t miss a moment of the action – make sure you’re following our socials, and check in with our live blog which is updated regularly all day, every day, with all the latest news, action and results.
Here’s what you can watch on day nine of the Championships.
Events to watch
MOUNTAIN BIKE CROSS-COUNTRY
Glentress Forest in the Scottish Borders has played host to four days of off-road action so far and day nine sees the turn of the men’s and women’s Under-23 riders take on the Cross-country Olympic course (XCO) in Peebles.
The course is 3.5km long, with 145m of ascent and plenty of twists, turns and drops to contend with along the way, and will provide a stern challenge to the riders looking to claim the coveted rainbow jersey. They will need a combination of bike handling skill, endurance and race strategy, if they are to come out on top.
ROAD
Day three of Individual Time Trials sees the men take on the clock in Stirling, on a course that begins and ends in the historic university city.
First up, the men’s juniors will take on a 22.8km Individual Time Trial, beginning at 10:00, and they will be followed at 14:35 by the elite men. With many of the competitors having raced in last Sunday’s Road Race, there may be some tired legs out on the 47.8km course, which features a number of challenges along the route, including an increasing amount of climbing. The final drag up to the line in Stirling may see the race won or lost – 800 metres long and averaging 5.5%, the second part of the climb is paved with cobbles, and after a sustained effort likely to take around an hour, it’s going to be a leg-snapper.
PARA-CYCLING ROAD
Day three of action in the Para-cycling Road programme sees the action shift from time trialling to road racing, with 14 rainbow jerseys for the taking on the roads of Dumfries & Galloway.
The first competitors to take to the course are the men and women in the handcycle and tricycle categories, with riders completing a distance of either 31.2km or 62.4km depending on category. It’s sure to be a spectacle of speed and endurance, and it’s free to attend so head along to the course to show your support for these amazing athletes.
TRIALS
If you’re looking for another free event to attend, look no further than the Trials on Glasgow Green.
On the third day of action in this dramatic event that showcases gravity-defying skill and control, there are two semi-finals taking place with the men’s elite 20” and men’s elite 26” both on the programme for the day.
No idea what Trials involves and want to know if it’s up your street? We’re here to help. Check out our beginners guide for all you need to know.
INDOOR CYCLING
If you think you’ve seen all this Championships has to offer, you’re in for a surprise on day nine of the action, as the Indoor Cycling programme kicks off over at Glasgow's Emirates Arena.
Both the cycle-ball and the artistic cycling disciplines kick off with qualifying rounds today, and for the uninitiated viewer we’ve got you covered with these beginner’s guides to two unique disciplines.
Artistic cycling is a simple enough concept: it’s basically gymnastics, on wheels. Having the skillset required to take part is another matter entirely. Riders compete as individuals, or in pairs or fours, and are required to complete a series of exercises within a set period, in time with the music of their choice. Expect to gasp in disbelief at the feats of strength, balance and control that these competitors are capable of.
This helpful video tells you all you need to know.
Cycle-ball may look more familiar – it’s basically football, on wheels – but with balance and dexterity required in addition to the usual game strategy, it takes passing and moving to the next level. Find out more here.
Athletes to watch
Attention will be focused on the Individual Time Trial course in Stirling, where the world’s fastest men against the clock will go head-to-head in search of the coveted rainbow stripes.
Reigning champion Filippo Ganna (Italy) has already won an ITT jersey at this Championships in the individual pursuit, but this time he’ll switch the boards of the track for the tarmac, in an attempt to defend his title. He will face challenges from the likes of Wout van Aert (Belgium) who will hope to go one better than his second place at last year’s time trial, and his second place at last Sunday’s Road Race; Van Aert’s countryman Remco Evenepoel, and Swiss specialist Stefan Küng, who won rainbows at the Mixed Team Time Trial on Wednesday.
In Indoor Cycling, there’s no doubt about which team will dominate the artistic discipline. Germany are reigning World Champions across the board, in all categories from men, women, individuals, pairs and mixed fours. Their neighbours Austria are the reigning champions in cycle-ball, and will hope to defend the jersey in an event where they are the top dogs.