There is an element of back to the future about this year’s world cycling championships, which open in Glasgow on Thursday. The 10-day extravaganza, which runs the full gamut of disciplines from road racing to BMX freestyle and cycle ball, is being billed as the biggest ever cycle event.
It is an experiment, intended to be run every four years, in which more than 200 world titles in all the disciplines bar cyclo-cross are awarded in a relatively condensed schedule – simply getting a grip on what is happening and when is an exercise in itself – and whether it unites the cycling family as intended or proves too unwieldy to be effective remains to be seen.
