When he returns home he will have to quarantine for two weeks, but Stu Taggart would not have missed this meeting in the center of Leuven for anything in the world.The CEO of the next Wollongong World Championships he was evidently proud to be able to tell the story of the enterprise he had intended will help revive the tourist economy of his city after the pandemicIn a year, give or take a day, the world championship will be in the thick of its Australian competitions, in the state of New South Wales. The Australian city that will host it has 300 inhabitants, lies 90 kilometers south of Sydney and is divided between the ocean and the hills.
«Cycling – said Taggart – offers the world the opportunity to see beautiful places every year and It's an honor to think that all of this will be in our city next year.Cycling there naturally connects the coast with the hinterland and represents a sustainable future. The world of sport fondly remembers the atmosphere of the Sydney 2000 Olympics and it is on hospitality that we want to focusLiving off tourism, we've had a strong impact from Covid and the World Cup will come at the right time."
Back to normal
At the presentation, which took place last night in the elegant and lively centre of Leuven, Also present were David Lappartient and Peter Van den Abeele, who evaluates the routes on behalf of the UCI.
"Cycling in Australia," said the UCI president, "is literally exploding. And hoping for the return to normality that Belgium is experiencing these days, I believe it will be a memorable event. I remind everyone that in January, it was not possible to admit spectators to the cyclo-cross world championships in Ostend., while now the streets are full of fans, with the only precaution of the masks. I spoke to the Australian Minister of Sport a few days ago and he assured me that by September 2022 everything will be perfect.Every time cycling lands in Australia, you experience exceptional days."
The same time trial
The route, therefore, and the program, which will see, as this year, the elite time trials at the start, the mixed relay on Wednesday, the rest day on Thursday and then the road races.
«The first feature that I feel like revealing – said Van den Abeele – is that The men's time trial will be as long as the women's for the first time, covering a distance of approximately 35 kilometresThey will take exactly the same path. We will have departures and arrivals from the beach, with a flat time trial course similar to the one in Flanders. The professional road race, on the other hand, will have a long opening lap that includes a rideable climb. The circuit will be technical and not entirely flat., but still easier than the one we will race on here in Belgium."
Wollongong's streets connect the ocean with the hills of the interior The races will start from the beach and if you look closely, you'll be spoiled for choice. Cycling in Australia is experiencing a huge boom, and the World Championships will make it take off. Wollongong is located approximately 90 kilometres south of Sydney, in New South Wales.
Wollongong's streets connect the ocean with the hills of the interior The races will start from the beach and if you look closely, you'll be spoiled for choice. Cycling in Australia is experiencing a huge boom, and the World Championships will make it take off. Wollongong is located approximately 90 kilometres south of Sydney, in New South Wales.
More Matthews than Ewan
A World Championship for sprinters, in short? It might seem obvious to think of a course designed for Caleb Ewan, but here it was Stu Taggart who took the floor.
“It will be a fast course,” he said, “but not for sprinters. Rather than Caleb Ewan, who could be comfortable there, I would rather think of riders like Michael Matthews».
Strange coincidence, given that Matthews himself won the under-23 race at the 2010 World Championships in Geelong, which on the road were won by Thor Hushovd. They were the first World Cups of Paolo Bettini on the Italian flagship, a few months after Ballerini's deathBetto repeatedly urged Pozzato to take the final corner in the lead of that race, characterized by the attacks of Nibali and Visconti. But Pippo took it too far behind. And despite an exceptional comeback, a sign that he probably had the best legs of the bunch, he "only" finished fourth.
Good for us
"It's going to be a huge party," Stu Taggart concluded, "and you'll be putting our hospitality to the test. We've developed the best possible route, but We are confident that we can offer an unforgettable reception platform for you all.We were afraid we wouldn't be able to do it, but vaccinations are progressing strongly and even if up to now my country has been reluctant to open its borders to prevent contagion, for next September you will find all the doors open».
What else can we say, especially when we have such fast players as Viviani, Nizzolo, Colbrelli, Trentin, Cimolai and Modolo? Thanks for the introduction, Mr. Taggart., we will certainly see you next year.
