Remarkably, it will be the first time that the Worlds will take place in Tuscany, one of the heartlands of Italian cycling. While the finish in Florence will provide a spectacular centrepiece to the event, nearby towns of Lucca, Montecatini Terme and Pistoia will also host part of the week of racing.
“By the end of February, the Italian government will confer the status of Major event to the competition,” yesterday the head of Tuscany’s budget department, Riccardo Nencini, has announced.
Having withdrawn the candidacy of Rome for the 2020 Olympic games, the world road championships will be the only worldwide sporting event in Italy over the next 15 years.