2021 UCI Track World Championships to move from Turkmenistan to Glasgow

Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov (R) gestures as he attends World Bicycle Day in Ashgabat on June 3, 2020
Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov (R) gestures as he attends World Bicycle Day in Ashgabat on June 3, 2020 (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

The 2021 UCI Track Cycling World Championships are set to be moved from the original location in Turkmenistan to Glasgow, Scotland. The sports governing body announced the relocation on Thursday in a post on Twitter but then deleted the message.

"New location! The 2021 UCI Track Cycling World Championships presented by Tissot will now take place in Glasgow. More info to come #Glasgow2021," published on the UCI Track Cycling's Twitter feed, but the post has now been removed.

The event was scheduled to be held in Turkmenistan between October 13-17, despite concerns about the authoritarian rule of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

The UCI later announced the cancellation of the Worlds "at the request of their organisers, as the health constraints and restrictions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic make it impossible to stage the event in the country" and stated "The UCI is currently in contact with several potential alternative organisers with a view to moving the event to another venue on the same dates. The name of the new host city will be communicated as soon as possible."

The relocation will be the second major shift after the European Track Championships in Belarus were cancelled after the country's government ordered the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to Lithuania in Minsk in order to detail an opposition journalist.

The UEC Championships were delayed until October but no new venue has been announce.

The UCI also announced the Track World Championships will be followed by the inaugural edition of the Track Champions League that will include six Saturday evenings of racing in November and early December.

The former Track World Cup has been renamed the Track Cycling Nations Cup and will be held between March and September, offering qualification points for the Track World Championships in October. There are four events this year in Newport, Hong Kong, Cali and Saint Petersburg.

The new series is designed to build the global profile of track cycling beyond the four-year Olympic cycle.

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.