THE UCI Cycling World Championships were simply dazzling.

Over 11 days, a million people roared on competitors around Scotland. So many iconic sporting moments will be remembered on courses which were a stunning showcase of what Scotland has to offer.

It was wonderful to see the men's road race go over the Clackmannanshire Bridge and to see the Ochils on TV.

The "Power of the Bike" was the championship's headline and it lived up to all expectations, powering up tourism and getting unprecedented global coverage.

There was something special about the feel of all the events I attended. Thousands of avid cycling fans from across the world were brought together with huge numbers of folk who were just inspired by what was happening right on their doorstep.

Many visitors I spoke to said they will be coming back to Scotland again to explore our country.

But what will the long term legacy from the championships will be? Do major sporting events really encourage active healthy lifestyles?

Previous cycling championships around the world have seen the image of cycling improve and better elite sports facilities built.

However, that hasn't always translated into people getting on their bikes to head to work or the shops. Can the world championships leave a better legacy this time?

The Scottish Government has already established the £8million Cycling Facilities Fund that's putting in place some great projects on the ground.

Pump tracks around the country in particular are springing up, including in rural communities. Pump tracks are important facilities not just to learn to ride and develop bike handling skills, they are also good sociable spaces for young people to hang out.

An additional £1.4m has funded 42 community run events across Scotland that celebrate the Power of the Bike, helping councils push on with their cycle promotion work.

Meanwhile, another £3.9m has been targeted at programmes to help people access bikes, get skills training, set up community bikeshare schemes and target improvements for cycle facilities at railway stations.

However, creating a legacy will take more than short term funding, it's got to be part of a major shift in transport policy to make cycling accessible for everyone.

With Greens working in government, Scotland is now turning the corner, growing cycle investment to 10 per cent of the total transport budget.

Changes such as 20mph speed limits, a ban on pavement parking and even Low Emission Zones can help make our streets more friendly for walking, cycling and wheeling.

Councils now need to push on with their plans.

Maybe these championships have shown how our cities, towns and villages can be re-designed to put crowds of people and bikes first and turn the car into the guest, that would be a true lasting legacy.

We still have a long way to go to make Scotland a cycling nation, but the world champs has raised up the status of cycling, it's now up to all decision makers to seize the moment.