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The 2023 road worlds course in Glasgow is full of massive potholes and people are concerned

Local cyclist says event may be remembered for all the wrong reasons

The potsholes on roads in Glasgow Photo by: LiamMcReanan
February 15, 2023
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The UCI world championships are taking place in Glasgow from Aug. 3 to Aug. 13, but let’s hope they fix the roads before then. Local rider Liam McReanan posted several photos of the roads on the course and they look pretty rough. There are a whole bunch of potholes and a whole bunch of sections with shoddily fixed up pavement. Not exactly prime conditions for the world’s best.

The race for rainbow jerseys in Scotland is not limited to road. In 2019, the UCI announced that Scotland will host a combined world championships over a two-week period. That means road, cross country, downhill, track, BMX, indoor cycling, trials, gran fondo and paracycling disciplines will all take place in Northern Great Britain.

The course for the 2023 road worlds is fast, but not exactly made for sprinters. The 14.4-km technical downtown circuit in Glasgow has a few short climbs, and a slightly downhill finish. It will probably favour an all-rounder who has a good kick, or a rouleur who can solo away.

But for now, it looks like something you might want to ride your gravel bike on.

“U.K. has some of the worst roads in Western Europe,” McReanan tweeted. “The roads around Glasgow some of the worst in the U.K. These roads have been like this for years, decades. Kilometre after kilometre, the whole course is like this. Very dangerous in a peloton. Is there enough time/money to fix them?”