New Zealand will host arguably its biggest ever cycling event with a UCI Track World Cup to be staged here in December, it has been announced by Cycling New Zealand.
The World Cup will be held in this country for the first time, to be staged at the Avantidrome in Cambridge on 4-6 December.
There are three UCI World Cup events which are the key qualifiers for the World Championships, which next year will be the vital qualifying event and shakedown for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“For cycling fans and sporting public, this is a fantastic opportunity to see our riders take on the best from around the world in a vital world cup where teams will be coming in real force,” said Cycling New Zealand CEO, Andrew Matheson.
“From a competitive viewpoint, this is a unique chance for our riders to compete in their key world cup on their home track with home-country support and without the rigours of significant overseas travel.
“To be able to take this event on in our home base here at the Avantidrome is enormous for our riders and staff, our fans, the people of Cambridge and for New Zealand.”
The opportunity to host a World Cup has come about with the support and lead from Sport New Zealand and Cycling New Zealand.
“2015 is already a huge year for New Zealand sport and adding this World Cup on our shores in December will help to cap it off,” said Sport New Zealand CEO, Peter Miskimmin.
“Sport New Zealand invested in the construction of the Avantidrome as a world-class facility with a view to hosting world-class events, and we’re delighted that this will come to fruition so soon after its opening,”
The World Cup is likely to attract up to 1000 competitors, staff, officials and media from over 40 countries.
It will be the biggest track cycling event staged in this country following the Junior Track World Championships in Wanganui in 1983 and Invercargill in 2012 and follows the successful staging of the UCI BMX World Championships in Auckland in 2013.
The other World Cup venues for the November and January events are still to be finalised with February’s World Championships in London next year.
CAPTION: The Avantidrome in Cambridge, to host the UCI Track World Cup in December.
Photo courtesy Dianne Manson