Cycling: Manx competitors begin campaigns at UCI World Championships

Several Island athletes competing over ten days in Scotland

Several Isle of Man competitors will begin their respective campaigns at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships from today (4 August).

The event is being held across Glasgow and other regions in Scotland from 3-13 August.

The first competition to involve Manx cyclists is the Gran Fondo events taking place in Perth throughout today (4 August).

Among those contesting the women's races are Lucy Mann and Emma Atkinson who're involved in the 19-24 class and the 45-49 class respectively.

In the men's events, Dave Cain will be taking part in the 35-40 section whilst Rob Sorby and Simon Harding are competing in the 45-50 category.

Elsewhere, Lizzie Holden and Manx resident, Ben Swift, are among the Island athletes involved in the elite competitions during the next nine days.

Holden - who was crowned elite women's British national time trial champion in June - will participate in the elite women's time trial at the championships as well as the elite women's road race which will be the finale to the championships next Sunday (13 August).

Meanwhile, Swift is part of the elite men's road race team - that contest will take place this Sunday (6 August) at 9.30am.

The Isle of Man will also have a competitor in the men's Under-23 with Max Walker part of the British squad - that race will be held on Saturday, 12 August from 11.30am.

This year's UCI World Cycling Championships are being carried out in a new format this year that combines the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships; UCI Track Cycling World Championships; UCI Gran Fondo WOrld Championships and the UCI Road World Championships.

Previously, the UCI Road World Championships have been held separately to the other competitions.