Cairns secures 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

In another major event coup for Tropical North Queensland, Cairns will host the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey welcomed the overnight news that Cycling Australia had secured the event.

The championships will draw a global television audience and thousands of professional riders from 45 countries to compete for the coveted Championship title in Tropical North Queensland.

“This is fantastic for Cairns, coming just weeks after the region secured rounds of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cups for 2014 and 2016,” Minister Stuckey said.

“In 2017, Cairns will provide a unique and unforgettable experience for competitors and spectators alike, in an exceptional tropical setting.

“The region last hosted the World Championships in 1996, becoming the first ever Southern Hemisphere location for the event.”

The Minister also highlighted that mountain biking was a Commonwealth Games sport.

“To have secured yet another prestigious mountain biking event in the lead up to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games showcases Queensland as a premier sporting event destination.”

Ms Stuckey said the mountain bike championships and two world cups announced for Cairns over the past few weeks supported the State Government’s goal of doubling annual overnight visitor expenditure to $30 billion by 2020.

UCI President Pat McQuaid made the announcement in Norway overnight.

“The UCI is delighted that the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships will be held on the iconic Smithfield course in Cairns,” Mr McQuaid said.

“We’re certain that athletes from around the globe will relish competing in this beautiful tropical location and we thank Cycling Australia and the Queensland Government for their hard work and commitment.”

Cycling Australia President Klaus Mueller echoed McQuaid’s sentiments.

“Cycling Australia is thrilled that Cairns has secured this landmark event,” Mr Mueller said.

“We thank the UCI, Tourism and Events Queensland and the State Government for turning an ambitious vision into reality.

“We look forward to welcoming the world’s best athletes to battle it out in Cairns in 2017.”

The 2017 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships strongly supports the destination positioning of ‘Cairns – Adventurous by Nature’ and supports the Newman Government’s priority to increase the accessibility of Queensland’s National Parks for recreational and event use.

Hundreds of national and international media are expected to attend the event, resulting in global coverage of Cairns and Queensland.

The UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships was bid for and secured by Cycling Australia with the support of the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ).

TEQ worked in partnership with Cairns Regional Council, Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing, James Cook University and Tourism Tropical North Queensland.

[ENDS] 14 June 2013

Media Enquires:
Minister’s Office – James O’Loan, 0439 291 268
Tourism and Events Queensland – (07) 3535 5020
Cycling Australia - 0421 317 708