With less than two weeks until the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships begin in Perth, Scotland on Friday 4 August, the organizing team has announced several last minute changes to the original gran fondo and medio fondo routes, including finish location.

The UCI says the changes follow “consultation with event partners as part of ongoing event planning and development to ensure impacts are kept to a minimum across Perth city centre.” In other words, the UCI organizers never had full support from Perth citizens and businesses, forcing the finish/staging area to be relocated unexpectedly.

Now, after starting in Perth city centre both races will finish at the royal Scone Palace 4 kilometers north of the city. Google Maps Street View shows the final 1km run to the finish line takes place on a narrow road with several narrower bridges, but the last few hundred meters are dead straight with grass on both sides of the road – just in case things go awry sprinting.

The 160.3km gran fondo route starts as before in Perth on Tay Street, rolls up River Tay before turning left onto Charlotte Street, past Perth Art Gallery and then to Methven, Glenalmond and out to the shores of Loch Tummel.

Then to avoid disrupting Pitlochry city centre, the route changes after traveling south from Garry Bridge, turns left on Larchwood Road, then a quick 120 degree right turn onto Strathview Terrace and onto the A924 to start a long climb. Riders best stay alert, frosty and up front through this new section as it is a perfect place to attack with the field sure to string out.

The gran fondo route then continues to Kirkmichael before heading back south on A93 to Perth (via Bridge of Cally, Blairgowrie, and Guildtown). Eventually a sharp right turn onto Queen’s Drive will take racers 1km to Scone Palace and the finish banner.

Changes to the 85.7km medio fondo route for Women 50+ and Men 60+ begin after the original route leaves Methven. The new route turns east at Buchanty instead of going through Chapelhill. Then in Bankfoot riders leave Preston Road onto B867 towards Waterloo, right on Pittensorn Road towards Murthly, then back to the original B9099 route to Caputh, Spittalfield on A984, B947 to Blairgowrie and finally A93 south to the same finish as the gran fondo at Scone Palace.

Photo Credit: 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

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