Road World Cycling Championships

[burt]

The event will be held in Richmond from September 17th thru September 27th, 2015.

[burt]

Richmond and the City of Muscat in Oman on the Arabian Peninsula were the two finalists to host the 2015 Road World Cycling Championships. In Copenhagen yesterday it was announced that Oman had withdrawn its bid and Richmond was proclaimed the host city for the event.

From yesterday's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...ven-ar-1323747/

[burt]

The Road World Cycling Championships have not been held in an American City since 1986 when Colorado Springs hosted the event.

The "Related" box in the following story lists host cities since the year 2000.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...ip--ar-1327793/

[Oaktowntwinz]

This is huge. The mayor and the group responsible for making this happen deserve commendations. There is an article in the Copenhagen news about the prestige in hosting this event. Also, foreign press give this event much more attention than national press. Regardless, this type of event gives Richmond an opportunity to showcase itself to a global audience.

On a side note, Burt, you deserve to be commended, as well, for your efforts at keeping this forum alive. Just wanted to acknowledge you.

[burt]

Thanks, Oaktowntwinz. It's because I'm 84 years old, live in New York City and am retired with lots of free time. Besides, I love my old home town.

It gives me immense pleasure to report on Richmond goings-on, although it obviously won't last much longer.

Meanwhile, Richmond hosting the cycling championships is going to be one big event. I hope I'm around to participate (as a spectator, of course.)

.

[burt]

Here's a report on Yahoo about Richmond's selection.

http://news.yahoo.co...-152922336.html

[burt]

Here's another one from CBS8 in San Diego about Richmond getting the championships.

http://www.cbs8.com/...redirected=true

[burt]

I'm not about to let this dog rest.

Here's a video from Channel 12 in Richmond about the Cycling event.

Scroll to the video. This one is from NBC12 in Richmond:

http://www.nbc12.com...ng-championship

[burt]

Though not crucial to the RWCC, it is hoped the Capital Trail between Virginia's original capital in Williamsburg and the present vibrant capital in Richmond will be completed for use by cyclists and pedestrians before the 2015 event.

[burt]

Here's commentary and video from Richmond's CBS6. The reporter interviews the Mayor's spokesperson:

http://www.wtvr.com/...0,3990857.story

[Icetera]

Does anyone have an idea of Richmond's hotel capacity? Losing the Jackson Place hotels is going to hurt when we need to lodge 450k people.

[burt]

Does anyone have an idea of Richmond's hotel capacity? Losing the Jackson Place hotels is going to hurt when we need to lodge 450k people.

There are over 16,000 rooms in Greater Richmond.

I bet a quarter there'll be some new hotels built in the next four years -- even if the South Carolina company pulled out of the Jackson Ward deal (which they did before the Championships were announced.)

[burt]

2.2% of Richmonders commute to work on bikes. That figure is higher than in any other Virginia city.

In fact, among 375 cities reporting, Richmond ranks 42nd nationally.

That seems appropriate for a city that will host The Road World Cycling Championships in 2015.

Incidentally, "Road World Cycling Championships" sounds awkward to my ears. Why isn't it "World Road Cycling Championships?"

http://www.vabike.or...bike-commuting/

[burt]

As this League of American Bicyclists release suggests, Richmond will have to do a lot of work in the four years before the World Cyclists Championships bring throngs of visitors to the city in 2015.

And Richmond is not noted for its speedy actions. Witness the studies and delays that have put ballparks, arenas and other issues on the back burner.

And the state of the city's streets is deplorable.

Maybe hosting a truly BIG event will translate talk into action.

http://www.bikeleagu...ly-communities/

[Icetera]

As this League of American Bicyclists release suggests, Richmond will have to do a lot of work in the four years before the World Cyclists Championships bring throngs of visitors to the city in 2015. And Richmond is not noted for its speedy actions. Witness the studies and delays that have put ballparks, arenas and other issues on the back burner. And the state of the city's streets is deplorable. Maybe hosting a truly BIG event will translate talk into action. http://www.bikeleagu...ly-communities/

But..but..but..they just repainted the stop bars in the Museum District....over the existing potholes.

[burt]

The Governor and The Mayor will be among those celebrating tomorrow (Wednesday 9/28/11) beginning at 10AM in open spaces at The James Center. The rally has been organized to ballyhood Richmond's selection as the site of the 2015 Road World Cycling Championships.

From today's RVANews:

http://rvanews.com/n...-tomorrow/51272

[burt]

Financial backing guaranteed by the State and City for the cycling event in 2015.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...-bi-ar-1343477/

[burt]

Things are going on behind the scenes to prepare Richmond for the UCI Road World Championship Race coming to town in September, 2015. As many as 450,000 people could descend on Central Virginia for the event and fill every hotel room within 75 miles.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...ess-ar-1619098/

[burt]

Here's a story by Phil Riggan in today's Richmond dot com about the Road World Championships:

http://www2.richmond...ond-ar-1617880/

[burt]

Ralph White and Phil Riggan are probably the most knowledgeable people in Richmond when it comes to the James River in Richmond.

With The World Cycling Championship looming in the future, more and more information is being revealed about river cycling trails.

This one about the North Bank Trail by Phil in today's Richmond dot com has some great pictures:

http://www2.richmond...ank-ar-1829458/

[burt]

Former General Manager of Kings Dominion comes out of retirement to head Richmond 2015.

I hope he can organize the arts and entertainment leaders to coordinate activities during the World Cycling Championships as well as other groups and sponsors.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...015-ar-1841415/

[burt]

Gerrit Middag, the marketing and events director of the Swiss based Union Cycliste Internationale, was in Richmond this week and liked what he saw.

Almost half a million people are expected to visit Richmond for nine days in September of 2015 for the World Road Cycling Championships.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/business/2012/may/26/tdbiz01-richmond-2015-faces-major-deadlines-ar-1943921/

[burt]

Gerrit Middag, the marketing and events director of the Swiss based Union Cycliste Internationale, was in Richmond this week and liked what he saw.

Almost half a million people are expected to visit Richmond for nine days in September of 2015 for the World Road Cycling Championships.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...nes-ar-1943921/

Completion of the bike trail between Virginia's old capital of Williamsburg and its current capital at Richmond is anticipated to be completed in 2014 -- about a year before the big international bike race in September of 2015.

From a recent RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...egm-ar-1940942/

[burt]

Could regional differences impair the 2015 World Road Cycling Championships?

Henrico, particularly, is feeling left out of the planning.

World television coverage and various sponsorships are expected to absorb costs guaranteed by localities. Financial benefits should be in the millions from an estimated 450,000 attendees and global exposure for the region.

Field trials could involve Williamsburg, Fredericksburg and Charlottesville, but the main events would be in Greater Richmond.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...sin-ar-2074542/

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

All of Richmond knows (especially Style Weekly in this case) that to host a biking event that will draw half a million people, your city probably would want to be bike-friendly. With the recent (and very much sad) deaths of bicyclists by cars, this topic has skyrocketed forward and now, Style gives us 36 ways (yes, 36 ) to improve our city before 2015.

http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/pedaling-forward/Content?oid=1750533