The world’s best cyclists will converge on Wollongong NSW with the seaside city announced as the next host for the UCI Road World Championships 2022.
The eight-day, world-class cycling event will attract thousands of competitors, 30,000 spectators and 500 media outlets to the region as well as a viewing audience of more than 200 million people.
The UCI Road Championships will see junior, under-23 and elite male and female athletes compete across the Road Race, Individual and Team Trial events. The course itself yet to be announced.
NSW Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres heralded the announcement as a massive coup for tourism.
“More than one thousand competitors from more than 50 countries will compete and the event is expected to deliver $94 million to the NSW visitor economy,” Mr Ayres said.
The last time Australia (and the Southern Hemisphere) hosted the UCI Road World Championships was in Geelong, Victoria in 2010.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that cycling’s governing body, the UCI, chose Wollongong because of its spectacular views along NSW southern coast.
Local volunteers will also be key to the success of the event, with more than 1,500 opportunities expected to be on offer.
With the eyes of the world on Wollongong, Bicycle Network believes that the event presents an opportunity to fast-track any needed improvements to Wollongong’s cycling network and update their soon to be out-of-date bike plan.
Rather than waiting years for a cycling event to inspire the next generation of cyclists, the NSW Government can start acting now to make riding a bike more accessible and attractive way to get around and get active.
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