KT Tunstall to perform at Opening Ceremony of UCI Cycling World Championships

A performance by the Scottish singer will welcome in the next 11 days of the cycling mega-event.

Author: Alice FaulknerPublished 2nd Aug 2023
Last updated 2nd Aug 2023

More than a million spectators are set to flow through Glasgow over the next 11 days, as the city gets set to host the biggest cycling event in history.

The UCI Cycling World Championships will kick off with an opening ceremony in George Square this evening, which will act as the official fan zone until August 13.

The ceremony will begin at 5pm this evening, and it will be hosted by Scottish Commonwealth Games silver medallist Charline Jones and cycling commentator and Glaswegian comedian Alan Anderson - before a performance by award-winning singer, KT Tunstall.

Organisers are promising an "exciting" line-up of activities, personalities, dance, and spoken word from both professional and local community-based organisations.

It is hoped the free event will "celebrate the power of the bike" and serve as the official welcome to thousands of amateur and elite cyclists from more than 120 countries in races across Scotland.

'Anticipation will be at its highest'

David Lappartient, UCI president, said: “The much-awaited UCI Cycling World Championships are upon us, and anticipation at the Opening Ceremony on 2nd August will be at its highest.

"The programme of music and family entertainment planned in George Square will be a fitting celebration on the eve of the biggest cycling event ever staged and will also kick off a full 11 days of activities planned at the official fan zone.”

'Ideal curtain raiser'

Chair Paul Bush OBE said: “The line-up of local and international artists for the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, including a headline performance from KT Tunstall, will be the ideal curtain raiser for 11 days of exhilarating cycling action in Glasgow and across Scotland.

“The Championships will provide the perfect stage to showcase Scotland once again as a world-class events destination while also delivering a real and last impact for cycling across the country.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved from our strategic partners to the host regions and the local community for all their support in bringing for this first of its kind global event to life.”

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