This time, it’s official: Haute-Savoie will host the world cycling championships in 2027. The decision was made this Thursday during the congress of the International Cycling Union, meeting in Wollongong (Australia) where the 2023 World Cup is held.
The application submitted by the Department and the French Cycling Federation, which had the favor of the votes of the UCI management committee, electing him by acclamation and unanimously on Tuesday against the Netherlands, will thus organize these “World Super Championships”, gathering every four years, the year before the Olympic Games Games, all cycling disciplines (19), from road to BMX through para-cycling, track and mountain bike. The competitions will take place over twelve days, from September 11 to 26, 2027.
The last time that France organized the World Cycling Championships was 22 years ago with the Plouay World Championships in 2000. They had already been organized in Haute-Savoie, in 1964 and in 1980, with victory at Sallanches by Bernard Hinaultpresent this Thursday in Wollongong.
“Imagine, in 1964, for the first world championships organized by Haute-Savoie, Eddy Merckx won the amateur title there. In 1980, it was the historic coronation of Bernard Hinault on these same paths. It would be great to see a new great champion write a page of legend on these roads”, enthuses Martial Saddier, the chairman of the county council.
While Sallanches and its famous Côte de Domancy will host the road races, a velodrome and BMX track will be built at Reignier-Esery to host the track races in particular. The rest of the venues for the seventeen competitions will be announced in the coming months.
After Wollongong in Australia where Julian Alaphilippe will dispute his title this Sunday, the road world championships will take place next year in Glasgow, before Zurich (Switzerland) in 2024, Kigali (Rwanda) in 2025 for the first World Championships on the African continent. The UCI also announced this Thursday that the race for the rainbow jersey will be held in Montreal (Canada) in 2026. One year before the great popular party announced in Haute-Savoie where more than a million spectators are expected.