BBC Online: Massive crowds due at bike event

A car share scheme and new cycleway have been created in a bid to cut congestion and pollution at a major mountain bike contest. About 40,000 people are expected to attend six days of competitions around Fort William, starting on Tuesday. It is the first time the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships will have been held in the UK.A training day for the 700 competitors, who represent 49 countries, will take place on Monday.

Organisers are asking spectators thinking about travelling to the event by car to visit the website www.liftshare.com and register their details to be matched with people willing to share the journey.

Park-and-rides will be available at Lochaber High School in Fort William and Spean Bridge, with a shuttle bus to and from the world championships village from Tuesday to Sunday.

A new cycleway has also been completed in time to allow spectators to travel by bike or on foot to the Nevis Range between Fort William, Torlundy and the event village.

Competitions will be held on courses at the Nevis Range ski area and Leanachan Forest.

Television broadcast

The championship is bigger than the world cup, which has previously been held five times at Fort William.

About 17,000 fans watched the action last year, when Britain’s Tracey Moseley and Rachel Atherton finished first and second in the women’s downhill competition.

A total of 580 elite riders competed at Aonach Mor, the Nevis Range and in the Leanachan Forest. BBC Sport will broadcast two one-hour TV programmes on the final weekend of the championships.