New Delhi: India has won the bid to host the UCI Road World Championship in Pune as the global cycling event heads to India for the first time.
The historic bid was a joint effort by the Government of Maharashtra and the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), and the Government of India provided support to put Pune and Maharashtra on the global cycling map.
The decision was confirmed during the UCI Congress in Montreal, Canada, after Pune’s final candidature presentation to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The Maharashtra government’s senior delegation was present in Montreal to pitch Pune for the candidature.
The delegation comprised Ranjit Singh Deol, Principal Secretary, School Education and Sports Department; Deepak Singla, Commissioner, Sports and Youth Services; Rajesh Deshmukh, Secretary to the Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister, Government of Maharashtra; Jitendra Dudi, District Collector, Pune; Maninder Pal Singh, Secretary General, Cycling Federation of India; and Onkar Singh, Former Secretary General, Asian Cycling Confederation.
Pune and the Netherlands’ Groningen/Drenthe were in a two-horse race for the candidature after Colombia and Mexico were eliminated. A three-member UCI inspection team visited Pune from September 4–6 to assess key venues and proposed race infrastructure, including Balewadi Stadium and the Pune University circuit.
Both the finalists presented their bids in Montreal during the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, ahead of the final announcement at the UCI Congress. Jitendra Dudi, District Collector, Pune, and Maninder Pal Singh, Secretary General, Cycling Federation of India, presented Pune’s candidature, where the preparedness and long-term plans to host the 2032 UCI Road World Championships were outlined.
The UCI Road World Championship is a renowned cycling world event. The 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali saw 734 riders representing 113 countries, and two million spectators were attracted, which generated a cumulative television audience of nearly 300 million viewers worldwide.
For India, this gives the nation an opportunity to bring the global cycling community to the country while creating a long-term platform for athlete development, infrastructure, participation and sporting expertise. This also falls in line with India’s continuous interest in hosting global events, with the ambition to host the 2036 Olympics, on top of the priority.
A UCI delegation recently visited India for a recce of Pune as part of the candidature process. It assessed the proposed race infrastructure, venues, accommodation, start and finish locations, race routes and operational arrangements, including the Balewadi Sports Complex, Savitribai Phule Pune University and proposed official hotels and event venues.
David Lappartient, President, Union Cycliste Internationale, spoke on the development. “The report on the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour presented to the UCI Management Committee by the delegation led by Pune District Collector Mr Jitendra Dudi is extremely encouraging. Cycling continues to develop in new territories where it has the potential to become a leading sport. India is a country where our sport has a bright future, thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of key stakeholders,” Lappartient said.
Jitendra Dudi, District Collector, Pune, called this a defining moment for Pune. “This is a defining moment for Pune and the result of a shared vision between the Government of Maharashtra and the Cycling Federation of India. Hosting the UCI Road World Championships is not simply about hosting a cycling race; it places Pune and India on one of international cycling’s most visible annual stages, bringing together elite sport, mass public participation, global broadcasting, tourism, economic impact and destination branding. More importantly, it gives Pune the opportunity to strengthen its identity as a global city and leave a lasting legacy for cycling and sport in India,” he said.
Maninder Pal Singh, Secretary General, Cycling Federation of India, reflected on India winning the bid. “For Indian cycling, this is an opportunity to move from participation to performance and from hosting international races to becoming a part of cycling’s global conversation.
“The years leading to 2032 will be about creating stronger pathways for our athletes, coaches and technical officials, bringing international expertise into India and giving our riders greater exposure to the highest standards of the sport. The Cycling Federation of India is committed to using this opportunity to build an ecosystem that can compete with the best in the world,” he said.
(IANS)
