Ballarat could be hosting the 2025 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Gran Fondo World Championships.
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The leading amateur road cycling event, expected to attract more than 3200 international and interstate competitors and crew, is coming to regional Victoria. But it is not known where.
A state government press release on Sunday afternoon said the location is still to be determined for the three-day September 2025 event.
"Victoria knows how to stage global sporting events better than anyone and it's fantastic that these championships are headed here in 2025," Tourism, Sport and Major Events Minister Martin Pakula said in a statement.
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"It will be a great event and a tremendous opportunity to promote our state's cycling tourism offerings to the world."
It will be just the third time in the event's history it will be staged outside of Europe.
The championships, expected to inject almost $10 million into the state's economy which will still be badly needed long after the crippling COVID-19 pandemic, consists of road race, time trial and team relay events for qualified male and female riders competing across multiple age groups.
Cycling Australia chief executive Steve Drake's said: "The UCI Gran Fondo World Championships provide an incredible opportunity for cyclists of all ages to compete for a chance at the World Champion rainbow jersey. "We look forward to hosting a fantastic event in Victoria that will welcome riders from all over the world."
The event will build on regional Victoria's premier cycling events including Ballarat's Road National Championships, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and Amy's Great Ocean Road Gran Fondo.
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