In 2019, the world’s best cyclo-cross riders will be racing for medals in Denmark at the island of Fyn in the city of Bogense. That is sure after this weekend’s World Championships in Luxembourg. Here, the Union Cycliste Internationale announced Denmark as host for the World Championships in 2019 and the World Cup in 2017.
The two events add to an impressive list of international championships in Fyn over the coming years in terms of World Cup Star Boat, BWF Yonex Denmark Open in badminton and no less than four World Championships in triathlon.
”I am very happy with the way cyclo-cross has flourished in the last few years. The awarding of the 2019 UCI World Championships to Bogense, in Denmark, a first for this country in nearly 20 years, is a sign of the internationalisation of our discipline. I congratulate this major cycling nation for being awarded this event and look forward to it organising a round of the 2017-2018 Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup,” said Brian Cookson, the President of UCI, after today’s meeting in Luxembourg.
And there is also great enthusiasm in the Danish camp:
“It’s great that the Cyclo-Cross World Championships will be held in Denmark in 2019. Our talented riders will have an epic home ground and the sport will be a showcase both in Denmark and internationally. In cooperation with North Funen Business and Tourism Association, Sport Event Fyn and Sport Event Denmark, we will work very hard to take these championships to a higher level”, says the chairman of the Danish Cycling Federation, Henrik Jess Jensen.
In addition, Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark adds:
“The World Championships and the World Cup will be a great stepping stone in the Danish cycling event portfolio. Denmark has a strong brand within cycling events. Copenhagen was for instance UCI’s first Bike City ever. Denmark has staged the UCI Road World Championships both for professionals in 2011 and amateurs in 2015, multiple world cups in track cycling, a lane-VM, several BMX World Cups, a BMX World Championships, UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships and the start of the Giro d’Italia. This year we are staging the UEC Road European Championships and Denmark is bidding for a Tour de France grand depart. With the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championship in 2019, the Danish Cycling Federation, North Funen Business and Tourism Association, Sport Event Fyn and ourselves maintain our proud Danish tradition of cycling events”.
Already at the end of 2017, the UCI has chosen to award a World Cup in Cyclo-cross to Fyn which is to act as a test event for the World Championships in 2019.
In Denmark, everyone loves cycling. The 2011 UCI Road World Championships in Copenhagen represented the previous culmination of this love, including Copenhagen being nominated the first UCI Bike City. This honorable title entailed a special Danish focus on developing interest and enthusiasm for cycling at all levels throughout the country.
Now, Denmark will take the Danish passion for cycling to the next level. The Danish Cycling Federation and its partners want to build on the lessons and results experienced from Bike City Copenhagen and cycling events staged in Denmark since then.
FACTS:
When: 2th and 3th of February 2019
Where: Bogense, Fyn, Denmark