Weekender: Launch date announced for UCI Road World Championships Official Sportive

The 2019 UCI Road World Championships Official Sportive is set to be launched on 22 September in Harrogate.

This will be the first time in 37 years that the World Championships will be hosted in the UK.

Set through the Yorkshire Dales, the official sportive will start and finish in Harrogate and take 5,000 cyclists through large sections of the UCI World Championships professional courses.

The Mixed Relay Team Time Trial will follow on from the sportive, which is also departing from Harrogate. Upon finishing, every participant will get a specially designed medal.

The event will comprise three routes (long 145km; medium 98km; short 72km).

Nick Rusling, CEO of Human Race, said: “The UK’s reputation for cycling has grown and grown and nothing says it better than the UCI World Championships. We are really excited to be able to offer this once in a lifetime event to the cycling world.

“We always strive to offer memorable and unique experiences here at Human Race and it doesn’t get much more unique than this.”

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, added: “The UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire this year will be one of those ‘where were you when’ moments so to be one of the 5,000 amateur cyclists taking part in the official sportive, riding on the same roads as the professionals, in front of massive crowds will be will be an unforgettable experience.”