Sept 24 (Reuters) - Pune will host the 2032 cycling Road World Championships, governing body UCI said on Wednesday, marking the first time the competition will take place in India.
The city, located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, hosted the Pune Grand Tour in January, which was spread across 437 kilometres and four stages, featuring around 170 riders from 35 countries, including 12 locals.
The race, won by New Zealander Luke Mudgway, was the first-ever, multi-stage road race in India - a UCI 2.2 classified international cycling event - and was a significant step for the sport in the country.
Pune was bidding to host the world championships against Groningen and the Drenthe region of the Netherlands, which were awarded the 2034 edition of the competition.
"For the first time ever, we will be in India, the country in the world with the most important population. We know how strong cycling is now in (Pune)," President David Lappartient said in an address at the UCI Congress in Montreal.
"As we received two wonderful bids, the UCI management committee decided to reward not only one, but two road world championships."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
