Published: September 24, 2026 at 12:10 pm
Pune has won the bid to host the UCI Road World Championships 2032, bringing cycling’s global showcase to India for the first time and marking a landmark moment for Maharashtra and the country’s sporting ambitions.
The historic bid was a joint effort by the government of Maharashtra and the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), with the support of the government of India, built around a shared vision to establish Pune as a global cycling destination and create a lasting legacy for cycling across the district, Maharashtra and India.
The decision was announced at the UCI Congress in Montréal, Canada, following Pune’s final candidature presentation to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). A senior delegation from the government of Maharashtra was present in Montréal to champion Pune’s candidature.
The candidature process culminated in a two-horse race between Pune, India, and Groningen/Drenthe, Netherlands, after Colombia and Mexico were eliminated on. Pune’s bid gained momentum following a three-member UCI inspection team’s September 4–6 visit, which assessed key venues and proposed race infrastructure, including Balewadi Stadium and the Pune University circuit.
Both finalists presented their bids in Montréal during the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, ahead of the final announcement at the UCI Congress. Pune’s candidature was formally presented by Jitendra Dudi, district collector, Pune; and Maninder Pal Singh, secretary general, Cycling Federation of India, who outlined the city’s vision, preparedness and long-term plans to host the 2032 UCI Road World Championships.
Pune gets a global platform
This win will bring the world’s leading road cyclists to India and give Pune and Maharashtra an unprecedented global platform to showcase their sporting capabilities, infrastructure, landscapes, culture and growing cycling ecosystem.
The UCI Road World Championships are among the most prestigious events in the international cycling calendar, bringing together the world’s leading riders to compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys. The scale of the Championship is demonstrated by its recent editions.
The 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali brought together 734 riders representing 113 countries, attracted around two million spectators and generated a cumulative television audience of nearly 300 million viewers worldwide. The event also featured 308 media representatives from five continents.
For India, the win represents an opportunity to bring the global cycling community to the country while creating a long-term platform for athlete development, infrastructure, participation and sporting expertise. India’s candidature was built around its large cycling base, growing grassroots movement, established UCI event-hosting experience and ambition to develop a stronger grassroots-to-elite pathway for the sport.
Pune’s successful bid builds on a growing track record of international sporting events and, most significantly, the experience gained through the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, a UCI 2.2 stage race that has established the city’s capability to deliver international road cycling. The bid envisages this experience being strengthened year-on-year, giving Pune six years of Grand Tour experience by the time the World Championships arrive in 2032.
David Lappartient, president, Union Cycliste Internationale, said: “The report on the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour presented to the UCI management committee by the delegation led by Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi is extremely encouraging. Cycling continues to develop in new territories where it has the potential to become a leading sport. India is a country where our sport has a bright future, thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of key stakeholders.”
A global championship moving across continents
Pune’s selection places India within a distinguished sequence of international destinations that have hosted cycling’s flagship road championship. In the last five editions, the UCI Road World Championships have travelled from Wollongong, Australia (2022), Glasgow and Scotland (2023), Zurich, Switzerland (2024), Kigali, Rwanda (2025) and Montréal, Canada (2026).
The championship’s global footprint will continue to expand in the years ahead. The 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships will take place in Haute-Savoie, France, while the UCI Road World Championships will be hosted by Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 2028; Denmark in 2029; Brussels, Belgium, in 2030; and Trentino, Italy, in 2031, before arriving in Pune in 2032.
Pune’s selection therefore represents more than India joining the global road cycling calendar. It marks the sport’s continued expansion into new geographies and gives India the opportunity to build its own identity within the international cycling ecosystem.
Pune’s vision extends beyond the race
Pune’s vision for 2032 extends beyond hosting the Championship, with an ambition to establish the city as India’s definitive cycling district, build a lasting culture of cycling and racing, develop world-class infrastructure and attract global tourists, businesses and opportunities.
The Championship will be a ‘people’s race’, encouraging communities to engage with, understand and participate in cycling. The candidature projects up to 2.5 million spectators, while the proposed routes will showcase Pune’s forts, ghats, farms, heritage and pilgrimage sites, bringing the city’s story to global audiences.
“For Indian cycling, this is an opportunity to move from participation to performance and from hosting international races to becoming a part of cycling’s global conversation. The years leading to 2032 will be about creating stronger pathways for our athletes, coaches and technical officials, bringing international expertise into India and giving our riders greater exposure to the highest standards of the sport. The Cycling Federation of India is committed to using this opportunity to build an ecosystem that can compete with the best in the world,” said Maninder Pal Singh.
The ambition is to leave behind more young cyclists, stronger athlete pathways, greater participation by women and a safer, more sustainable cycling culture long after the final rider crosses the finish line.
For Pune and Maharashtra, hosting the UCI Road World Championships will provide an opportunity to develop experience in managing a complex international championship involving athletes, teams, technical officials, broadcasters, spectators and global stakeholders. The Championship can also contribute to the development of race infrastructure, sports administration, volunteer networks, technical expertise, athlete pathways and event-management capabilities.
With 2032 preceding the proposed 2036 Olympic Games by four years, the World Championships will be an important milestone in demonstrating India’s capacity to plan and deliver a major global sporting event, while creating capabilities and infrastructure that can continue to serve Indian sport beyond the Championship.
Road to 2032 begins today
With Pune’s successful bid, the years to 2032 will focus on translating the vision into a world-class Championship and a lasting legacy for Indian cycling. The focus will be on infrastructure, race routes, athlete and talent development, technical capabilities, community participation, sustainability and the creation of an ecosystem capable of welcoming athletes, teams, officials, media and spectators from across the world.
The UCI Road World Championships will give India a global stage to showcase its sporting ambition, cycling talent and growing capabilities, with Pune at the heart of this landmark journey.
India is ready. Pune is preparing. The road to 2032 begins today.
