World Championships Road Cycling
The world championships are cycling races and time trials, organized by the UCI on a yearly basis.
The first edition took place in 1921, but only amateurs could participate. The first world championship for professional cyclists (men) was held in 1927. For women, the first professional world championship was organized in 1958. The races are one-day races.
Since 1994 the world championship time trial is organized separately. The world championships are organized for the following categories : Elite (formerly professionals), promises (formerly amateurs) and ladies.
The competition takes place in the autumn, not long after the Vuelta (Tour of Spain).
The time trial takes place a few days earlier, in the same region as the road race.
Teams per Country:
In contrast to (almost) all other cycling races, the riders do not participate under their cycling teams, but participate in teams per country. Which sometimes results in the fact that riders from different countries help each other, or that cyclists of one country ride against each other.
Number of participants:
The number of participants per country are determined in function of the UCI ranking :
- The 10 highest ranked cycling countries may delegate nine riders.
- For other countries, there is a ranking according to each continent which provides, depending upon the position, six, three or one place.
- The winner of the previous year can always participate and so confers his country an additional place at the start.
- Trial : two cyclists per country can participate at the trial.
This country team selection also counts for the juniors, promises, girl juniors and ladies at the world championships. These teams are smaller than the elite teams. Between 2005 and 2010, the world championships for juniors (boys and girls) were held at a different moment and place than the other championships.
Location:
The location of the world championships changes every year. Usually the organization opts for a slightly hilly course, similar to the classics courses. Hence, it often happens that classic cyclists become world champion.
The course is traditionally composed of a large number of laps and the length is usually around 250 kilometers (155 mi).
Rainbow Jersey :
The world champion can wear the rainbow jersey during 1 year when he takes part in a competition, unless he has the leader's jersey in a road race, which then has priority to be worn. The world champion Time Trial will also get a rainbow jersey but he can only wear it during time trials. World Champions can weaer the rest of their career rainbow straps under their sleeves.
World Champions road cycling elite men:
Year Place Winner
1927 Nürburgring, De Alfredo Binda - IT
1928 Budapest, Hu Georges Ronsse - BE
1929 Zurich, CH Georges Ronsse - BE
1930 Liège, BE Alfredo Binda - IT
1931 Copenhagen, DK Learco Guerra - IT
1932 Rome, IT Alfredo Binda - IT
1933 Montlhery, Fr Georges Speicher - FR
1934 Leipzig , De Karel Kaers - BE
1935 Floreffe, BE Jean Aerts - BE
1936 Bern, CH Antonin Magne - FR
1937 Copenhagen, DK Eloi Meulenberg - BE
1938 Valkenburg, NL Marcel Kint - BE
from 1939 till 1945 no World Championships because of World War II
1946 Zurich, CH Hansknecht - CH
1947 Reims, FR Theo Middelkamp - NL
1948 Valkenburg, NL Briek Schotte - BE
1949 Copenhagen, DK Rik Van Steenbergen - BE
1950 Moorslede, BE Briek Schotte - BE
1951 Varese, It Ferdi Kübler - CH
1952 Luxembourg, LU Heinz Müller - DE
1953 Lugano, CH Fausto Coppi - IT
1954 Solingen, DE Louison Bobet - FR
1955 Frascati, IT Stan Ockers - BE
1956 Copenhagen, DK Rik Van Steenbergen - BE
1957 Waregem, BE Rik Van Steenbergen - BE
1958 Reims, FR Ercole Baldini - IT
1959 Zandvoort, NL Andre Darrigade - FR
1960 Karl-Marx-Stadt, DE Rik Van Looy - BE
1961 Bern, CH Rik Van Looy - BE
1962 Salò Garda, It Jean Stablinski - FR
1963 Ronse, BE Benoni Beheyt - BE
1964 Sallanches, FR Jan Janssen - NL
1965 San Sebastian, ES Tom Simpson - UK
1966 Nürburgring, DE Rudi Altig - DE
1967 Heerlen, NL Eddy Merckx - BE
1968 Imola, IT Vittorio Adorni - IT
1969 Zolder, BE Harm Ottenbros - NL
1970 Leicester, UK Jean-Pierre Monseré - BE
1971 Mendrisio, CH Eddy Merckx - BE
1972 Gap, FR Marino Basso - IT
1973 Barcelona, ES Felice Gimondi - IT
1974 Montreal, CAN Eddy Merckx - BE
1975 Yvoir, BE Hennie Kuiper - NL
1976 Ostuni, IT Freddy Maertens - BE
1977 San Cristobal, VE Francesco Moser - IT
1978 Nürburgring, DE Gerrie Knetemann - NL
1979 Valkenburg, NL Jan Raas - NL
1980 Sallanches, FR Bernard Hinault - FR
1981 Prague, CZ Freddy Maertens - BE
1982 Goodwood, UK Giuseppe Saronni - IT
1983 Altenrhein, CH Greg LeMond - USA
1984 Barcelona, ES Claude Criquielion - BE
1985 Giavera del Montello, IT Joop Zoetemelk - NL
1986 Colorado Springs, USA Moreno Argentin - IT
1987 Villach, AT Stephen Roche - IE
1988 Ronse, BE Maurizio Fondriest - IT
1989 Chambery, FR Greg LeMond - USA
1990 Utsunomiya, JP Rudy Dhaenens - BE
1991 Stuttgart, DE Gianni Bugno - IT
1992 Benidorm, Es Gianni Bugno - It
1993 Oslo, NO Lance Armstrong - USA
1994 Agrigento, IT Luc Leblanc - FR
1995 Duitama, CO Abraham Olano - ES
1996 Lugano, CH Johan Museeuw - BE
1997 San Sebastian ES Laurent Brochard - FR
1998 Valkenburg, NL Oscar Camenzind - CH
1999 Verona, IT Óscar Freire - ES
2000 Plouay, FR Romans Vainsteins - LV
2001 Lisbon, PT Óscar Freire - ES
2002 Zolder and Hasselt, BE Mario Cipollini - IT
2003 Hamilton, CA Igor Astarloa - ES
2004 Verona, IT Óscar Freire - ES
2005 Madrid, ES Tom Boonen - BE
2006 Salzburg, AT Paolo Bettini - IT
2007 Stuttgart, DE Paolo Bettini - IT
2008 Varese, IT Alessandro Ballan - IT
2009 Mendrisio, CH Cadel Evans - AU
2010 Melbourne and Geelong, AU Thor Hushovd - NO
2011 Copenhagen, DK Mark Cavendish - UK
2012 Valkenburg, NL Philippe Gilbert (BE)
2013 Firenze IT Rui Costa (POR)
2014 Ponferrada ES Michal Kwiatkowski (PL)
2015 Richmond USA Peter Sagan (CZ)
