Great Britain is planning to stage the World Road Race Championships within the next decade, according to British Cycling president Brian Cookson.
- Mark Cavendish claimed World Championship gold in Copenhagen earlier this month
Mark Cavendish’s victory in Copenhagen, where Great Britain finished as the top nation with six medals, has added momentum to a campaign to bring the worlds back to these shores for the first time since Goodwood, Sussex, was host in 1982 .
“We will bid for the world road championships,” Cookson, who is also the newly elected president of the UCI road commission, told CyclingNews.
“It’s difficult in this country with the way the public sector is at the moment, but I think there are a number of places where we might do it successfully; maybe Wales, maybe Scotland, maybe London – I would think those places are the favourites. But we’re in very preliminary discussions with those people.”
And Cavendish soon threw his weight behind the campaign: “Great waking up to news that Britain will bid for World Road Champs. Also with Yorkshire to bid for TdF, cycling in Britain looks promising,” tweeted the Manx Missile.
Italy’s Giuseppe Saronni won men’s road race gold in Goodwood, ahead of future three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond and Classics specialist Sean Kelly, while Britian’s Mandy Jones won the women’s event.
“The last one was 1982, which is far too long ago,” Cookson added. “You need to plan six to eight years ahead with the UCI and other partners, and start raising awareness. But the fact Cav won this year has raised the profile and it increases the opportunity.”
With the growing reputation of the Tour of Britain, the London 2012 Olympic Games and Yorkshire’s bid to host the 2016 Tour de France’s Grand Départ, British Cycling are looking to seize upon a golden decade for the sport, potentially giving Cavendish another chance to win the world title.
“I certainly would like to think we can do it in the next ten years, and I think Cav will still be riding,” said Cookson.
He continued: “We are talking with them through our competition division. We’re also talking with UK Sport about our own role internationally and our strategy, and a world road race championship has always been on our agenda.”
Discuss Great Britain’s bid in this forum thread. Where should the race take place?
