UCI World Cycling Championships: Elite Road race is opportunity for Falkirk to showcase itself to world

As part of the UCI World Cycling Championships taking place next month, the Men’s Elite Road race while pass through the area on Sunday, August 6.

Around 150 competitors along with 60 support vehicles are expected to arrive around 10.30am. The 52km route through Falkirk Council area will be part of the 271km event which begins in Edinburgh and ends in the championship’s host city of Glasgow. It is anticipated riders will be on local roads for around 40 minutes.

Douglas Gardiner, the council’s head of environment and operations, said it was a “unique opportunity” for the area to showcase itself to a worldwide audience.

He said: “This event, which after the Olympic Games, is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, will be televised across the world and will put the Falkirk Council area firmly in the limelight to promote itself as a tourist destination. It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to showcase the district.”

While the route was determined by UCI officials, the council did have input and were able to say that with ongoing works around the Westfield area, it would be unsuitable to use the roads at the Kelpies. However, the Helix, Kelpies, Callendar House and Falkirk Wheel are all likely to feature in television coverage as broadcasters showcase the area cyclists are travelling through.

The elite cyclists will arrive in the area after crossing the Kincardine Bridge then travelling on the A905; A88 Bellsdyke Road; Kincardine Road, Carronshore; B902 Carron Road; Grahams Road, Falkirk; A803 Falkirk town centre; A803 Camelon Road, Falkirk; A803 Main Street, Camelon; A803 Glasgow Road, Camelon; A803 Falkirk Road to Bonnybridge; High Street, Bonnybridge; By-pass onto A872; A872 Denny Road, Dennyloanhead; A872 Glasgow Road, Denny; A883 Denny Cross, Stirling Street, Denny; A872 Nethermains Road, Denny; B818 through Stoneywood, Fankerton and Carronbridge; ending at the B818 council boundary.

Mr Gardiner added: “We have already held three engagement events for residents and will be putting out leaflets to householders living along the route giving further information. People will already have seen some signage on streets highlighting the event and you will see more in the lead up to the day itself.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to promote cycling. It may only be a one-day event here but we are confident that it will bring further interest in the sport and we will be looking to make the most of the legacy. It’s all about not just the short-term but the long-term gain for the area. And we are keen to promote cycling as a sustainable mode of transport for our residents.”

Throughout the time that the race uses local streets, the official said there would be rolling roadblocks, ensuring that roads are not closed for the longer than necessary.

He added that the council had been working closely with partner organisations, including the emergency services, to ensure that the race goes as smoothly as possible when it is in the area.

Full details can be found here