In celebration of the UCI World Championships coming to Glasgow later this summer, the sport of the month for June is Cycling.
Now that summer has officially begun, why not get out and about and partake in cycling which is The Glasgow Guardian’s sport of the month for June. Glasgow University Cycling Club (GUCC) is running group rides throughout the summer period and is welcome to any students who are looking to meet some new faces or just enjoy the outdoors.
GUCC’s Club Captain Ben Heaney and Publicity Convenor Skye Balance describe the club as, “friendly, broad, and fun.” GUCC have a strong focus on making their club accessible and understand that not everyone will have access to a personal bike whilst at university. Therefore, GUCC offer a variety of bikes to rent for their various sessions during term time. GUCC have track, road, and mountain bikes available to rent with the aim of lowering any possible barriers that may prevent students from participating in the sport. This also provides the option of trying the variety of disciplines encompassed within cycling without spending lots of money on individual bikes.
GUCC has seen some excellent performances in BUCS this 2022/23 season. They competed in both BUCS Track and BUCS Downhill, which is the mountain biking competition. Eight athletes from GUCC competed at the track competition and had a fantastic overall performance with multiple top 10 finishes and a number of personal bests set. At BUCS Downhill, GUCC had six athletes competing and club member Henry Kerr came first overall.
The majority of the competitions GUCC partakes in are run by Scottish Student Sport (SSS). GUCC attended a number of events run by SSS this year including Cyclocross, Track Champs, Criterium, and Time Trial. This month GUCC will be attending the Downhill competition. “At the SSS events, we have had many top finishes and it’s been a great opportunity to promote the club as well as offer many members the opportunity for their first races,” Heaney and Balance commented. Moreover, back in March of this year, GUCC took second and third place at the Men’s Student Time Trial as well as first place in the team events. “SSS events are fantastic for those new to the sport who want to get their foot into racing as they cater to all abilities,” Heaney and Balance said.
GUCC also had a number of member successes outside of the club including Road Convenor Craig Paterson who won his first road race racing for his team Spokes. Paterson along with Race Convenor Finn McHenry completed Rás Mumhan in Ireland with McHenry also having raced in the Ardenne Challenge in Belgium.
Heaney and Balance stated that the best three aspects of GUCC are the range of cycling offered by the club, the fun atmosphere of the club, and the opportunities offered. “As a club, we cover all aspects of cycling, from mountain to track, to more relaxed casual rides, to the opportunity to get into racing. No matter what sort of rider you are, there is something in the club for you,” they said. “University is the time to try something new, and the club offers a range of opportunities for new and existing riders to try new experiences. The club allows for a great introduction to the world of racing. Events and competitions are usually great weekends away and can be a great fun way to break up the stress of term time. We all ride bikes because we enjoy it. Whilst racing and training are good, the enjoyment of cycling is about getting out there on your bike and having fun. That is why we always make sure to put fun first by having big social rides for both road and mountain, chill cafe rides, and amazing socials.”
With the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Championships coming to Glasgow in August, there’s no better way to prepare yourself for the event than giving cycling a go!
GUCC aren’t running any formal socials over the summer period but do get in contact with them via their social media channels if you’d like to join them on a group ride.
Instagram – glasgowunicycling
Facebook – University of Glasgow Cycling Club
Alternatively, if you’re an alumnus, GUCC also has an associates and alumni Facebook group which is open to anyone.
