Cycling-India's Pune to host 2032 road world championships

Pune will host the 2032 ​cycling Road World Championships, ​governing body UCI ‌said on ​Wednesday, marking the first time the competition will take place in India. The city, ‌located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, hosted the Pune Grand Tour in January, which was spread across 437 kilometres and ‌four stages, featuring around 170 riders from 35 countries, including ‌12 locals.

The race, won by New Zealander Luke Mudgway, was the first-ever, multi-stage road race in India - a UCI 2.2 classified international cycling ⁠event - ​and was a ⁠significant step for the sport in the country. Pune was bidding to host ⁠the world championships against Groningen and the Drenthe region of the ​Netherlands, which were awarded the 2034 edition of the competition.

"For ⁠the first time ever, we will be in India, the country in ⁠the ​world with the most important population. We know how strong cycling is now in (Pune)," President David Lappartient said ⁠in an address at the UCI Congress in Montreal. "As we received ⁠two wonderful ⁠bids, the UCI management committee decided to reward not only one, but two road world championships."