Glasgow, eh? Thanks!
The UCI World Championship week in Glasgow is coming to an end soon. This year's championship took place quite early, maybe a bit too early for my liking. Summer demands its share from cycling fans, and the World Championships have always been the highlight of the autumn season. But that's how it turned out – there's no doubt it has been a diverse experience. Uno-X always aims to be present during this week. We encounter many familiar faces, spend quality time with many of our leaders, and our riders should know that we are there to support them. Since Bergen 2017, the only interruption was in Imola due to its COVID restrictions.
I find it very positive that all cycling disciplines on wheels were brought together. In the long run, this convergence allows federations to coordinate and plan logistics even better. It's also fantastic that para-athletes get to experience being part of a unified championship. However, there is room for improvement in terms of fan experience. Glasgow became the central hub, with almost all supporters who traveled staying here. Ideally, each cycling discipline should have its events as close to Glasgow as possible. Particularly, MTB faced challenges. It had a long travel distance from Glasgow by car (90 – 120 minutes), and the train option was not feasible. Stirling was the opposite example, where the train was preferred because it was the most practical (and fastest).
Glasgow itself has seen a lot of discussion about the routes, but we can conclude that they were entertaining for both the audience and the TV viewers. The variability in course design from one World Championship to another is a positive aspect. Generally, the best cyclists tend to win in the end anyway, and we need engaging debates before, during, and after the event. Main events saw good audience participation, but not significantly more. Glasgow isn't particularly renowned as a cycling city. Cycling out of the city takes around 15 km, and the quality of the roads varies greatly. Cyclists don't have a very pleasant experience on these roads (my very subjective opinion after three rides this week), facing numerous close overtakes and shouting from passing vehicles. Additionally, I must mention that there is a noticeable amount of litter along the roadsides; I believe residents should take more pride in their city.
I had the chance to spend three evenings at the velodrome. It was an immensely entertaining live show, and we witnessed many medals being won by "our" athletes. Elinor secured two particularly special gold medals, Amalie achieved a fantastic silver, and in the 4000-meter race, Niklas, Carl-Frederik, and Lasse took the gold. Many ask me about my thoughts on the track. While I believe track cycling is fantastic entertainment and a great sport, Uno-X's primary focus is excelling on the road. Exceptional performance on the road allows us to consider supporting track cycling if it fits into our schedule. Elinor Barker, Amalie Dideriksen, and Carl-Frederik Bevort have all been good examples of this approach this year. However, we are primarily a road team and need our riders throughout the season, both for training and racing. Unfortunately, the track is also a weak commercial product. In both the World Championships and the Olympics, races are dominated by nations with strict branding limitations (commercial branding is practically absent). Furthermore, when considering other national commitments throughout the season, it doesn't hold much appeal for commercial interests. That's just the reality; track cycling falls under the purview of national federations and their supporters.
For Uno-X on the road, it wasn't the grandest performance. Søren delivered a very solid time trial, and Rasmus was only a technical mishap away from contending for a top-10 spot in the road race. Anniina did well with a 4th in the U23 ITT. Among the male U23 riders, Stian was a notable presence until he too was affected by the tricky streets of Glasgow.
By the way, the visit to Ibrox Stadium was an "alternative" highlight this week. Rangers faced Servette in the Champions League qualification, and Rangers' first home game of the year ended in a 2-1 victory. 50,000 passionate Scots who love their team. The stadium was within walking distance from the city center hotel, providing a great experience and a pleasant break in a busy cycling week.
After the World Championships, we have 6-8 incredibly important weeks ahead of us. The European Championships, Tour of Scandinavia, Tour of Denmark, and Arctic Race of Norway are all on the horizon. We have ambitions to perform well and collect points. As of now, the women's team is safely within the top 15 (considering license allocations for 2024 is uncertain). The men's team holds the crucial 3rd position among UCI ProTeams. This currently allows the men's team to plan for all the 1-day WorldTour races in 2024. We have made a plan to stay on this path, but it for sure won’t be easy.
We bid farewell to Glasgow – and look forward to Zurich in 2024!
