MILLIONS of pounds are to be invested in a cultural programme to accompany the first ever UCI Cycling World Championships.

Glasgow will take centre stage in August 2023 as thousands of athletes and sport fans descend on the city for the historic competition.

Yesterday, Glasgow Life chair Councillor David McDonald announced a £3m programme would be created to run alongside the event in a bid to ensure community involvement among Glasgow's residents.

The Glasgow City Council depute leader said no official events schedule had been drawn up as yet but it was set to follow in the footsteps of the hugely successful Glasgow 2018 European Championship Games activities, which drew thousands to Glasgow Green and George Square last summer.

He said: "We will have more events in George Square and we're looking at how we can get people involved like the Go Live events in Glasgow Green.

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"We'll also be looking at how we can get individual communities involved and what other counties can bring in terms of their own communities to emphasise Glasgow as the culturally diverse city that it is."

Following the popularity of the European Championships and the 2014 Commonwealth Games, it is hoped the Scottish crowds will return to the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome and other venues across the city to cheer on the home team.

Glasgow-born Olympian and chair of UK Sport Dame Katherine Grainger said: "We have such confidence in Glasgow in being able to put on the best show.

"I know how incredible it is for that home crowd moment and competing in front of British, deafening roar of support and love and passion. For the athletes who haven't experienced that yet, you'll experience something like never before here...this whole place has a soul and style like nowhere else and I can't wait to show that to the world again."