Flanders are looking to host the 2021 UCI World Road Championships, which would mark the 100th anniversary of the first amateur World Championships, according to Sporza and the application must be received by June.

“Flanders is on course, but the World Championships has not been organised here since Zolder in 2002 and now we have the chance to get it to Flanders in the jubilee year 2021,” said Philippe Muyters, Flemish Minister for Sport,

According to the report, the minister has 3.5 million Euros ready to prepare the candidacy and next week, a consultation is planned with organizers Golazo and Flanders Classics. “They want to work together to realize this project,” said Muyters.

It is unclear at this stage where the Championships would be hosted and what courses would be used.

“The nice thing about the World Championships is that there are several disciplines, so we want to work with several host cities. For example, the time trial in one city and the road race somewhere else,” said Muyters.

A feasibility study has already been carried out and the result was already positive with available locations, accommodation and organizational skills in Flanders being taken into account.

“The economic impact of such a World Championships is considerable and is cautiously estimated at 30 million Euros,” says Muyters, “although we may be even more ambitious as a real cycling region.”

Flemish Minister-President Geert Bourgeois is also enthusiastic. “Organising the World Championships would be a great opportunity. Not only for the fans who get the chance to see the world’s best in action for several days in a row, but also for the image of Flanders in the world. The World Cycling Championships is one of those sporting events that really get to the screen everywhere in the smallest corners of the world.”

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