Yorkshire awaits UCI decision over hosting cycling World Championships

Mark Cavendish (centre) shakes hands with Alberto Contador (left) and Chris Froome at the start of of the first stage of the Tour de France in in Leeds. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

The management committee of the UCI, cycling’s world governing body, will meet in Doha during the 2016 Road World Championships, where a decision is expected on the hosts for the 2019 event.

And Yorkshire is optimistic of success, after in 2014 hosting the Tour de France Grand Depart and subsequently twice holding a three-day stage race in the region.

Rival bids come from Italy, Colombia, Germany and Canada. Some have not specified a year for staging the event - Yorkshire has - and could therefore still also be successful even if they miss out on 2019.

The UCI does not discuss the bidding or decision process, but would likely be keen to capitalise on Yorkshire’s recent successes in the sport.

The 2017 Road World Championships takes place in Bergen, Norway and the 2018 event is hosted by Innsbruck-Tirol, Austria, with 2019 the next available event.

Yorkshire’s formal bid - submitted by national governing body British Cycling and made in partnership with Welcome to Yorkshire, funding body UK Sport and the Government - was announced in August by Prime Minister Theresa May.

Racing would take place in all four counties, Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Sir Gary Verity has said, with decisions over the race routes for the week-long event to be made in conjunction with the UCI, if the bid is successful.

The 2014 Tour began in Leeds, with another stage start in York and finishes in Harrogate and Sheffield.

British Cycling had long insisted a Road World Championships bid would not necessarily mean Yorkshire being hosts as the region is already an established cycling hub.

But Government support, led by then chancellor George Osborne, pushed the bid through.

There would be another reason to celebrate a successful bid to bring the elite competition to Yorkshire.

British Cycling negotiated a £15 million package of nationwide investment alongside the bid, to further develop cycling facilities and grow participation.

This funding, subject to the bid being won, will provide for 27 purpose-built cycle-sport facilities across the disciplines.

Many of these would be closed road circuits - for riding away from motor vehicles - but there would also be outdoor velodromes, BMX tracks and mountain bike trails.