Pune Pune will host the 2032 UCI Road World Championships after India’s bid was approved by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) at its Congress in Montreal on Thursday. It will mark the country’s first tryst with cycling’s flagship road event.
The candidature was jointly pursued by the Government of Maharashtra and Cycling Federation of India (CFI) with support from the Government of India. Pune’s bid emerged victorious in a two-way contest against Groningen/Drenthe of the Netherlands while Colombia and Mexico were eliminated during the process.
A three-member UCI inspection team had visited Pune from September 4 to 6 to assess the proposed venues and race infrastructure, including the Balewadi Sports Complex and Savitribai Phule Pune University circuit. The presentation was made at the UCI Congress by Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi and CFI secretary general Maninder Pal Singh.
Pune’s candidature was also strengthened by its experience of hosting the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, a UCI 2.2 stage race. “This is a defining moment for Pune and the result of a shared vision between the Government of Maharashtra and CFI,” Dudi said. “Hosting the championships is not simply about hosting a cycling race; it places Pune and India on one of international cycling’s most visible annual stages.”
The Road World Championships are among the sport’s premier events, with the 2025 edition in Kigali attracting 734 riders from 113 countries and around two million spectators.
The organisers envisage the 2032 championships as more than a one-off event, with plans to strengthen grassroots participation, athlete development, coaching, technical expertise and infrastructure. The bid also projects the event as a platform to promote women’s and youth cycling and sports tourism.
Maninder said the opportunity would help Indian cycling “move from participation to performance” and build stronger pathways for athletes, coaches and technical officials.
Published – September 24, 2026 06:50 pm IST
