India to Host Cycling World Championships for First Time 

India will host the Road Cycling World Championships for the first time in 2032 after Pune was awarded the event on Wednesday.

Pune, a city of about seven million people located around 160 kilometres from Mumbai, defeated the Dutch city of Groningen in a vote at the International Cycling Union (UCI) congress in Montreal.

Groningen was awarded the 2034 edition following the vote, which was held during this year’s ongoing championships.

UCI President David Lappartient said both cities had presented strong bids and that the outcome provided a suitable arrangement for the two organisers.

“There were two very good, solid bids and I think we have found a good solution for both organizers,” David Lappartient said. 

India’s selection comes as the country prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and pursues ambitions to stage the 2036 Olympics.

The Road Cycling World Championships were held exclusively in Europe for decades before Montreal became the first North American host in 1974.

Japan became the first Asian country to stage the championships in 1990, followed by Doha in 2016 and Abu Dhabi, which is scheduled to host the 2028 edition.

Rwanda made history last year as the first African country to host the event.