Gran Fondo: Cycling World Championship Perth and Dundee routes updated - including road closures

There have been some updates to the Gran Fondo route which will travel through Perth & Kinross on August 4. Image: 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

The UCI Cycling World Championships has rolled into Glasgow, bringing athletes and fans to Scotland for road races, BMX events, mountain biking and more.

There is plenty to keep cycling enthusiasts entertained including the 2023 UCI Gran Fondo in Perth on August 4. The Medio Fondo event will take place on Friday, while the Gran Fondo time trial will happen in Dundee on Monday August 7.

The routes for this event were initially revealed in June, however safety concerns have led organisers to make amendments.

But not to worry - from the exact Gran Fondo route to the Perth & Kinross and Dundee & Angus road closures, here is everything you need to know.

What is the Gran Fondo?

The Gran Fondo – which means “big race” in Italian – is a long-distance mass participation event which will travel through Perth, covering Aberfeldy, Pitlochry and more.

While the top 25 percent of riders from 27 qualifying events have earned the right to compete, it is open to amateur cyclists.

There are both Time Trials and mass start Road Races with riders of all ages working to grab medals or to beat their personal best.

Those taking part will experience the benefits of a professional race: closed roads, feed stations, live timing and results alongside rainbow jerseys awarded to all age group winners during a podium ceremony.

Who can take part in the Gran Fondo?

Women from the ages of 19 to 49 and men from 19 to 59 years old will race the Gran Fondo.

Women in the 50 and over age category will race the Medio Fondo alongside men aged 60 and above.

The course is no less challenging than its counterpart, with jerseys still available for those competing.

UCI Gran Fondo World Championships 2023 route

Covering 160km and climbing more than 1,600m, the route will take riders through some of Scotland’s most beautiful scenery.

Starting in Perth, the race will take off from the city’s Tay Street. They will ride up the River Tay before turning left onto Charlotte Street, past Perth Art Gallery and head to Methven and Glenalmond.

From there, the riders will go through the countryside, passing Sma’ Glen and Amulree towards Aberfeldy and Weem, then on to Tummel Bridge in the Tay Forest.

The UCI Cycling World Championships Gran Fondo route will end at Scone Palace.

The picturesque route will move past Munros along the shores of Loch Tummel and by the famous Queen’s View lookout to Pitlochry.

In an update to the original route, this section has been changed due to safety concerns and riders will now travel southbound into the town from Garry Bridge, before heading left up Larchwood Road then right onto Strathview Terrace onto the A924/West Moulin Road.

Riders will still then be led to Kirkmichael along the A924 before heading back towards Perth, travelling through Bridge of Cally, Blairgowrie, and Guildtown.

Instead of the original race finish in Perth city centre, the World Champions will now be crowned at Scone Palace; the Crowning site of Scottish Kings and the original home of the Stone of Destiny.

Medio Fondo route details

Also taking place on Friday August 4, the Medio Fondo race will climb 777m and cover 85.7km. Like the Gran Fondo, the race will start and finish in Perth.

Riders will follow the same course to Methven, but will head east at Buchanty, instead heading through Chapelhill.

The updated UCI Cycling World Championships Medio Fondo route will now also end at Scone Palace.

Since the initial announcement, the Medio Fondo will take a new route through Bankfoot. Heading from Prieston Road onto the B867 towards Waterloo, and riders will turn right on Pittensorn Road towards Murthly, before rejoining the original route on the B9099 towards Caputh.

From there riders will continue through Spittalfield on the A984, along the B947 toward Blairgowrie before heading down the A93 and following the same route as the Gran Fondo, ending their battle at Scone Palace.

Qualified riders in the Women 50+ and Men 60+ age categories will complete the Medio Fondo course.

Gran Fondo time trial route

Those taking part in the Gran Fondo time trial will see their race begin and end in Dundee on Monday August 7, with an event village to be set up at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc on Baldovie Road.

The city of discovery will challenge cyclists with a 22.8km route and 89m of climbing.

The Gran Fondo Time Trial will challenge cyclists in Dundee.

Starting in the east of Dundee at West Grange Road, riders will then head north-east on Arbroath Road, which is part of the A92, toward Arbroath before turning at Salmon’s Muir, two miles north of Carnoustie, and returning down the A92 to the Dundee finish line.

Another spectacular route, riders will experience the beautiful Angus scenery including Camustane Hill, near the Firth of Tay and Carnoustie with spectators zones by the start and finish line at the top of West Grange Road.

Gran Fondo 2023 Perth road closures

Covering both the Gran and Medio Fondo, Perth and Kinross Council have released the expected timings for road closures.

The Gran Fondo will take place on the same day as the Perth Show. As such, many of the road closures will be done in sections.

The updated road closure timings for the UCI Cycling World Championships Gran Fondo event on August 4.

The route will not only present a challenge to participants, but also travellers with many road closures earmarked.

Cyclists will set off from Perth and finish at Scone Palace, hopefully eliminating some travel concerns the original route presented by having large sections of Perth city centre closed all day.

August 4: Perth & Kinross Cycling World Championships road closure timings

• 8am–12pm: Section 1 covers Perth city centre beginning on Tay Street, Perth from South Street to Smeaton’s Bridge, along Charlotte Street then Atholl Street. Road closures were initially slated to last all day but will now run from 8am to 12pm.
• 9am–12.45pm: Section 2 covers Perth to Metheven. Barrack Street, Dunkeld Road and Crieff Road will be from 9am to 1pm.
• 9.15am–1.30pm: Section 3 covers Methven to the A822 Sma Glen. Road C409 Glenalmond will be closed from 9.15am to 1.30pm.
• 10.30am–2pm: Section 4 covers Buchanty to the A822 Milton Junction. A822 Sma Glen, B8063 Buchanty and A822 Milton Junction will be closed from 10.30am to 2pm.
• 10.45am–2.30pm: Section 5 covers A826 Strath Braan to Aberfeldy, which will be closed from 10.45am to 2.30pm.
• 11.15am–15.15pm: Section 6 covers B846 Aberfeldy to Tummel Bridge which will be closed from 11.15am to 15.15pm.
• 11.45am–4pm: Section 7 covers the B8019 Strathtummel which will be closed from 11.45am to 4pm.
• 12.15pm–4.15pm: Section 8 covers from the B8079 - A924 Faskally to Moulin, Pitlochry.
• 12.15pm–5pm: Section 9 covers the A924 Pitlochry to Kirkmichael, which will be closed from 12.15pm to 5pm.
• 12.45pm–5.15pm: Section 10 covers the A924 Kirkmichael to A93 Bridge of Cally which will be closed from 12.45pm to 5.15pm.
• 1pm–5.45pm: Section 11 covers from A93 Bridge of Cally to Blairgowrie which will be closed from 1pm to 5.45pm.
• 11.15am–6.15pm: Section 12 covers the A93 Blairgowrie to Guildtown which will be closed from 11.15am to 6.15pm.
• 11.30am–6.45pm: Section 13 covers the A93 Guildtown to Perth which will be closed from 11.30am to 6.45pm.
• 9.45am–1.15pm: Section 14 covers the B8063 Buchanty to Chapelhill, the U31 Little Glenshee, and the U32 Tullybelton to C408 Bankfoot. The road closures will run from 9.45am to 1.15pm.
• 10.30am–2.15pm: Section 15 covers the C408 Stewart Towers, B9099 Murthly, A984 Caputh to Lethendy and the B947 Essendy Road, with road closures from 10.30am to 2.15pm.

Dundee Cycling World Championships road closures

To stage the Dundee and Angus-based Gran Fondo Time Trials, both road closures and diversions will be in place.

The westbound A92 Arbroath to Dundee carriageway will be closed to all traffic from the Elliot Roundabout to just after the West Grange Roundabout, before the Panmurefield Roundabout, from 8pm on Sunday August 6 until Monday August 7 at 10pm.

The eastbound Dundee to Arbroath carriageway will remain open, with traffic management in place.

Though Angus Council have still to confirm specific details of the road diversions or any public transport impacts, they have released a map with the proposed diversion routes and closures.

A temporary 30mph speed limit is being suggested from where Baldovie Road meets the A92 Arbroath Road until Ethiebeaton Roundabout. Drivers could also be diverted from the A92 down Claypotts Road and onto the A930, through parts of Monifieth and Carnoustie, with some other traffic from the eastbound carriageway diverted to the road.

Another proposed route could divert drivers up the B978 Baldrovie Road, onto Drumsturdy Road and along the B961.

Download the 2023 UCI Gran Fondo World Championship GPS route

If you're not racing during the Cycling World Championships but would still like to get involved, the GPS files for the Gran Fondo, Medio Fondo and time trial are all available to download online.

You too could feel like royalty, crossing the Scone Palace finish line.