Trentino will host the 2031 UCI Cycling World Championships, a massive multi-discipline event that will bring together elite, master, paracycling, and junior competitors, according to statements made at the Festival dello Sport in Trento and detailed by regional authorities.
Trentino Prepares for the 2031 UCI Cycling World Championships
The 2031 edition follows the inaugural championships in Glasgow in 2023. Ufficio Stampa della Provincia autonoma di Trento reported that the event is projected to draw over 10,000 athletes to the region, putting more than 200 rainbow jerseys up for competition.
UCI President David Lappartient highlighted the region’s proven organizational capacity during the opening night of the Festival dello Sport at the Teatro Sociale. Lappartient noted that Trentino’s prior experience hosting high-profile cycling events—including mountain bike world championships in Val di Sole and multiple Giro d’Italia stages—made it an ideal candidate.
“The first idea was from 2017, to aggregate all the 5 disciplines,” Lappartient said. “After the election, I thought, why not open it to all? In the next edition, in Savoy, the disciplines will be 20. And we think that events of this kind must be made in lands of cycling, and Trentino certainly is.”
Provincial Infrastructure and Logistics for the Mega-Event
Maurizio Fugatti, president of the Autonomous Province of Trento, emphasized that the successful bid builds on the region’s long-standing sporting identity. Fugatti pointed to upcoming regional milestones, including the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games, as key preparation for the logistical demands of 2031.
Ufficio Stampa della Provincia autonoma di Trento noted that the organizational framework aims to distribute events across the territory while maintaining Trento as the central logistics hub. During the presentation, Trentino Marketing unveiled an early draft of the official event logo, featuring four distinct oval shapes forming the silhouette of a cyclist.
Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) President Cordiano Dagnoni endorsed the selection, stating that the name “Supermondiale” originated in Italy and that the region guarantees elite organizational quality. Italian Minister for Sport Andrea Abodi added via video message that the five-year runway provides essential planning time, including infrastructure developments such as the Spresiano velodrome.
Cycling Legends Reflect on Historic World Championships
The festival presentation brought together a roster of cycling champions, including Francesco Moser, Bernard Hinault, Alessandro Ballan, Gianni Bugno, Sonny Colbrelli, Maurizio Fondriest, and Paola Pezzo. The gathering bridged generations of world champions to mark the upcoming milestone.
Francesco Moser recalled his victory at the 1977 World Championships in San Cristóbal, Venezuela, where he won despite puncturing a tire while leading. Bernard Hinault, who claimed the rainbow jersey in 1980 during what competitors describe as one of the most grueling editions in history with 6,000 meters of climbing, joined Moser on stage to recount their historic rivalries.
Alessandro Ballan, the last Italian rider to win a world championship in 2008 in Varese, spoke alongside regional sports officials including CONI Trento President Paola Mora and CIP President Mario Giunio De Sanctis about the enduring significance of wearing the rainbow jersey on home soil.
Provincial authorities also dedicated a portion of the event to remembering local athletes Matteo Lorenzi, Sara Piffer, and Adele Cobelli, announcing plans to direct regional investments toward expanding bicycle lanes and infrastructure to enhance road safety ahead of the championships.
