Glasgow to host 2013 British national road race championships, which include TT for first time

Glasgow has been announced as the host of the 2013 national road race championships, which will take place on Sunday 23 June, with most of the racing taking place in the centre of Scotland’s largest city. The event has also been combined for the first time with the national time trial championship, which will take place three days earlier on Thursday 20 June.

The courses to be used will be the same as those planned for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with the city beating off what British Cycling describes as “unprecedented interest from towns and cities throughout the country” to host the nationals.

Last year's road national championships in Ampleforth, Yorkshire, saw Ian Stannard win the men's race while Sharon Laws won the women's event. Alex Dowsett and Wendy Houvenaghel both successfully defended their titles at the national time trial championships in Leicestershire.

Jonny Clay, British Cycling’s Cycle Sport and Membership Director, commented: “In recent years we’ve seen our national road championships won by riders who between them have won numerous Olympic and World Championship medals, as well as the Tour de France.

“The stature of the event and the calibre of the riders who contest it have been reflected in the competition to host the race for 2013.

“We received some great applications and there were several bids that would each have provided a fantastic National Championships.

“We’d like to express our thanks to all those who bid for the event in 2013 and we hope to reward their enthusiasm by working with many of them to create other new events in the future”

Councillor Archie Graham, the Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council and the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games, commented: "There’s never been a more exciting time for cycling in Britain thanks to the outstanding performances of our cyclists at the London 2012 Olympic Games and last year's Tour de France.

“Glasgow is committed to the development of cycling at all levels as shown by our investment in the £113million Emirates Arena which includes the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

“Our desire to bring major events such as the 2013 National Road Championships to the city with events such as this and the recent UCI Track Cycling World Cup, which sold out in under half an hour, will help inspire the next generation of cyclists to fall in love with the sport."

British Cycling added that it would make more details of the 2013 national road race championships available in the next few weeks.