World Cycling Championship
Encyclopedia
The UCI Road World Championships, often referred to as the World Cycling Championships, is the annual world championship
for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale
(UCI). The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race
and individual time trial
. In addition, women's world championship events are held for the same events in the same manner ; under-23 world championship for cyclists under the age of 23 years old; junior world championships for cyclists under the age of 19 years old.
Both the road race and individual time trial events are competed by riders organized by national cycling team
s as opposed to commercially sponsored or trade teams, which is the standard in professional cycling.
in Germany
and was won by Alfredo Binda
, of Italy
. The recent years, the race is held towards the end of the European season, usually following the Vuelta a España
. The event can be held over either a relatively flat course which favors cycling sprinter
s or over a hilly course which favors more of a climbing specialist or all-round type of cyclist.
The elite men's race is usually won by riders on the UCI World Tour or its predecessors. However, in the past there were separate events for amateur riders, mainly from Eastern bloc
countries.
For men at the elite professional level, the World Cycling Championship, along with the Tour de France
, and the Giro d'Italia
, forms the Triple Crown of Cycling
.
(Belgium, 1928–29); Rik Van Steenbergen
(Belgium, 1956–57); Rik van Looy
(Belgium, 1960–61); Gianni Bugno
(Italy, 1991–92); Paolo Bettini
(Italy, 2006–07).
World championship
A world championship is the top achievement for any sport or contest. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best nation, team, individual in the world in a particular field. Certain sports do not have a world championship, instead...
for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI). The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
and individual time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
. In addition, women's world championship events are held for the same events in the same manner ; under-23 world championship for cyclists under the age of 23 years old; junior world championships for cyclists under the age of 19 years old.
- The winner of the UCI Road World Championships road race is considered the World Cycling Champion (or World Road Cycling Champion) and earns the right to wear the Rainbow JerseyRainbow jerseyThe Rainbow jersey is the distinctive jersey worn by the reigning world champion in a bicycle racing discipline. The jersey is predominantly white with five horizontal bands in the UCI colours around the chest. From the bottom up the colours are: green, yellow, black, red and blue; the same colours...
for a full year in road race or stage events. The event is a single 'mass start' road race, the winner being the first across the line at the completion of the full race distance.
- The winner of the UCI Road World Championships Time Trial is considered the World Time Trial Champion and earns the right to wear the Rainbow JerseyRainbow jerseyThe Rainbow jersey is the distinctive jersey worn by the reigning world champion in a bicycle racing discipline. The jersey is predominantly white with five horizontal bands in the UCI colours around the chest. From the bottom up the colours are: green, yellow, black, red and blue; the same colours...
for a full year in individual time trial (ITT) events or stages (for example, the prologue and ITT stages at the Tour de France or other stage racesStage (bicycle race)In sports, a stage, or leg, or heat, is a unit of a race which has been divided in several parts for the reason such as length of the distance to be covered, as in a multi-day event. Usually, such a race consists of "ordinary" stages, but sometimes stages are held as an individual time trial or a...
).
Both the road race and individual time trial events are competed by riders organized by national cycling team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
s as opposed to commercially sponsored or trade teams, which is the standard in professional cycling.
History
The first professional World Cycling Championship took place in 1927 at the NürburgringNürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and was won by Alfredo Binda
Alfredo Binda
Alfredo Binda was an Italian cyclist of the 1920s and 1930s, later trainer of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. Binda was the first multiple Giro d'Italia champion, securing five victories between 1925 and 1933 that redefined the way stage races were ridden...
, of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The recent years, the race is held towards the end of the European season, usually following the Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
. The event can be held over either a relatively flat course which favors cycling sprinter
Cycling sprinter
A cycling sprinter is a road bicycle racer or track racer who can finish a race very explosively by accelerating quickly to a high speed, often using the slipstream of another cyclist or group of cyclists tactically to conserve energy.-The road sprinter:...
s or over a hilly course which favors more of a climbing specialist or all-round type of cyclist.
The elite men's race is usually won by riders on the UCI World Tour or its predecessors. However, in the past there were separate events for amateur riders, mainly from Eastern bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
countries.
For men at the elite professional level, the World Cycling Championship, along with the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, and the Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
, forms the Triple Crown of Cycling
Triple Crown of Cycling
The Triple Crown of Cycling is considered the greatest achievement in cycling. Although more definitions for the term are used, mostly it means winning the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Road World Cycling Championship in one year, although occasionally a broader definition where one...
.
Medalists
Only five cyclists have successfully defended their title (three Belgians and two Italians): Georges RonsseGeorges Ronsse
Georges Ronsse was a two-time national cyclo-cross and two-time world champion road bicycle racer from Belgium, who raced between 1926 and 1938....
(Belgium, 1928–29); Rik Van Steenbergen
Rik Van Steenbergen
Rik Van Steenbergen was a Belgian racing cyclist, considered to be one of the best among the great number of successful Belgian cyclists.-Early life:...
(Belgium, 1956–57); Rik van Looy
Rik Van Looy
Henri van Looy is a Belgian former professional cyclist of the post-war period, nicknamed the King of the Classics or Emperor of Herentals...
(Belgium, 1960–61); Gianni Bugno
Gianni Bugno
Gianni Bugno is a former Italian professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bugno was a versatile rider, able to do well in different types of races. He won numerous stages in the Tour de France, and the Milan – San Remo classic in 1990...
(Italy, 1991–92); Paolo Bettini
Paolo Bettini
Paolo Bettini is an Italian former champion road racing cyclist, and the coach of the Italian national cycling team. Considered the best classics specialist of his generation, and probably one of the strongest of all times, he won gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics road race and in the 2006...
(Italy, 2006–07).
Multiple winners
| Wins | Name and country | Years | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1927, 1930, 1932 | Nürburgring Nürburgring The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about... , Liège Liège Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.... , Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... |
|
| 1949, 1956, 1957 | Copenhagen Copenhagen Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region... (2x), Waregem Waregem Waregem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality lies in the valley of the Leie River, between Kortrijk and Ghent. It is part of the arrondissement of Kortrijk and comprises the towns of Beveren, Desselgem, Sint-Eloois-Vijve and Waregem proper. On... |
||
| 1967, 1971, 1974 | Heerlen Heerlen Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen... , Mendrisio Mendrisio Mendrisio is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.Mendrisio is the seat of the Accademia di Architettura of the university of Italian speaking Switzerland .... , Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... |
||
| 1999, 2001, 2004 | Verona Verona Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona... , Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... , Verona Verona Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona... |
||
| 2 | 1928, 1929 | Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... , Zürich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... |
|
| 1948, 1950 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... , Moorslede Moorslede Moorslede is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Dadizele and Moorslede proper. On 1 January 2006, Moorslede had a total population of 10,618... |
||
| 1960, 1961 | Karl-Marx-Stadt, Bern | ||
| 1976, 1981 | Ostuni Ostuni Ostuni is a city and comune in the province of Brindisi , with a population of about 32,000 located about 8 km from the coast. Its main economic activities include tourism, attracted by its nearby pristine beaches, as well as a vibrant olive and grape agribusiness.- History :The region around... , Brno Brno Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District... |
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| 1983, 1989 | Altenrhein, Chambéry Chambéry Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry... |
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| 1991, 1992 | Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Benidorm Benidorm Benidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean.... |
||
| 2006, 2007 | Salzburg Salzburg -Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for... , Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... |
Medallists by nation
| 1 |  Belgium |
25 | 11 | 11 | 47 |
| 2 |  Italy |
19 | 20 | 16 | 55 |
| 3 |  Early Modern France |
8 | 11 | 15 | 34 |
| 4 |  Netherlands |
7 | 4 | 6 | 17 |
| 5 |  Spain |
5 | 5 | 9 | 19 |
| 6 |  Switzerland |
3 | 6 | 4 | 13 |
| 7 |  United States |
3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 |  Germany |
2 | 7 | 6 | 15 |
| 9 |  United Kingdom |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 |  Australia |
1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 11 |  Republic of Ireland |
1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 12 |  Latvia |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 |  Norway |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 |  Denmark |
0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 15 |  Russia |
0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 16 |  Luxembourg |
0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 17 |  Poland |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 |  Canada |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 |  Slovenia |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |