2016 UCI Para Road World Cup

January 23, 2016

6-8 May 2016

Date: Friday 6 to Sunday 8 May 2016
Province: KwaZulu-Natal
Location: Pietermaritzburg

Contact persons: Dr Mike Burns mburns@csir.co.za (for Para-cycling only)

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UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup HIghlights Package

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About

Whereas in 2015 Pietermaritzburg played host to the final leg of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup season, the first leg of the 2016 season will be staged in the city and the same routes and venues will be used for the 2016 edition. This event allows athletes to start their final preparations for the 2016 Para Olympic Games in Rio and will also be a final warm up event for the organisers and Cycling SA before the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships are staged here in 2017.

The event in 2016 in Pietermaritzburg will be staged from 6-8 May with the team relay competition taking place on the afternoon of Friday 6 May, the time trial competitions taking place on Saturday 7 May followed by the road races on the Sunday 8 May.

Who can take part

For South Africans: Although a National Team has been selected, there is no limit on the number of independent racers that can enter and compete in the Pietermaritzburg opening leg of the UCI Road World Cup Series. For those riders wanting to take the opportunity of participating in a World Cup event on home soil, please note the registration process:

The first step is to get a UCI International Racing Licence through Cycling SA (contact Tarryn Duncan tarryn@cyclingsa.com);
Then, once online registration for the World Cup opens (which is usually about one month before the event), the office (Prudence Pietersen events@cyclingsa.com) will put through the registration on the rider’s behalf;
The rider’s registration is confirmed once they have paid their accreditation fee;
Riders will need to be present for classification if an international panel has not previously classified them;
It is important for riders to keep an eye on the link to the Pietermaritzburg World Cup on the UCI website (www.uci.ch) in order to check when the classification schedule is online – this is normally a day or two before the racing starts. Those riders who don’t have an international classification will need to be present for official classification at the official Race Permanence;
Liaise with the SA Team Management regarding receipt of race numbers, timing chips, etc. following the Team Manager’s and Confirmation of Starters meetings – check the UCI website (www.uci.ch);
Generally keep abreast of the programme and other important matters by monitoring the event website here: https://www.cyclingsa.com/2016-uci-para-road-world-cup/.

Event schedule

Competition Programme for Para-cycling Races (below):

Schedule for Junior Selection Race:

Participants need to compete in all 3 events i.e.: Criterium, Time Trial and Road Race

Friday 6 May 2016

Registration closes at 14:00 (from 12:00)
Women Criterium starts at 15:00 – 30 mins 1 lap (1km circuit);
Men at 15:40 – 45 mins + 1 lap (1km circuit)

Para-cycling Relay Race at 16:30

Saturday 7 May 2016

Time Trial for all Junior Men and Women from 10:50 to 13:45 (actual start times will be confirmed after registration on Friday)
Distance 30km (Men) 18km (Women)

Sunday 8 May 2016

Road Race for Junior Men and Women from 11:30
6km loop – Men compete in 130km; Women 80km

The Time Trial and Road Races will be live streamed, no following vehicles are allowed as the circuit is only six kilometres in length for Road Race. A Tech Zone will be positioned on the climb on College Road.

Entries are open, to process your entry, visit: https://entries.cyclingsa.com/events/5981-junior-road-selection-event.

Traffic Management

Date: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 May 2016
Time: start – TBA // finish – TBA
Venue: Alexandra Park and surrounding roads
Participants: entries TBC
Spectators: Open to the public
No. of marshals: TBC
No. of bike marshals: TBC

Please be aware that the 2016 UCI Para Cycling Road World Cup will take place in Pietermaritzburg on the 7 & 8 May 2016. The route will utilise the following roads in your area:

PARK DRIVE
COLLEGE ROAD
TOPHAM ROAD
FRENCH ROAD
ALEXANDRA ROAD
CHIEF ALBERT LETHULI

Background: Since 2009 Msunduzi has been designated the UCI Bike City for Africa. Msunduzi has been chosen to host the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup for 2015 and 2016 and the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championship for 2017.

The races start at 8am each day and will be completed by 4pm. Portions of all of these roads will be fenced off and closed to traffic for the protection of the disabled athletes as well as other road users and we do apologise for the inconvenience caused but we have also tried to ensure that whilst the traffic flow in the area may be impacted, we have come up with a traffic management plan together with the traffic department that still allows traffic to flow.

The way the traffic system will work for these two days are as follows:

Park Drive – FULL ROAD CLOSURE – no access from 06:00-17:00
College Road – one lane open with managed traffic flow with stop/go system in both directions
Topham Road – one lane open with traffic flow towards French Road only
French Road – one lane open with managed traffic flow with stop/go system in both directions
Alexandra Road – single lane traffic flow in both directions
Chief Albert Lethuli – single lane traffic flow into town

Traffic marshals on motorbikes will be positioned in each of the roads and will patrol these roads so as to assist all residents to be able to exit and access the area safely and as quickly as possible.

Download the road closure pamphlet here

Routes – distances, profiles and maps

All races in the 2016 edition of the event in Pietermaritzburg will take place in Pietermaritzburg itself using Alexander Park as the central event headquarters.

Route description

The event is a lap course of 6km with its start/finish point being in Park Drive outside The Oval Cricket Stadium. Participants race on Park Drive towards College Road (with the flow) turn left into College Road, (with the flow) turn right into Topham Road (with the flow) left into French Road (with the flow), left into Alexandra Road (with the flow), left into Alan Paton Avenue (with the flow / left lane only), left into Park Drive (the whole road).

The team relay route will also be in Pietermaritzburg and will be staged using the roads within Alexander Park itself.

Route map and profile – Time Trial and Road Race

Route map and profile – Team Relay

Road Closure Notice

Downloads

Entry lists

Start Lists

Results

Sunday

Saturday

Friday

Team Relay Results

Venue

2015 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup Pietermaritzburg

Full Race Results

Nations Rankings

Photo Gallery

The host nation – South Africa

A sense of pride in what we have achieved in our country in its short democratic history after its tumultuous past is evident in all South African do on the international stage. Since April 1995 when all people in the country could cast their vote for the first time, South Africa has made immense leaps and strides both internally and internationally.

The country on the tip of Africa is the political and economic powerhouse of the Continent and has played host to a number of large international sporting events amongst the largest being the IRB Rugby and ICC Cricket World Cups and the country also recently played host to the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, the largest sports event on the planet, from 11 June – 11 July 2010.

Although we are justifiably proud of the eventing capacity and capabilities evident in the country, we are also proud of what our country has to offer all visitors that grace our shores. Friendly people, sea, mountains, wildlife, cultural experiences, wide open spaces and masses of sky all make a visit to the country a memorable one.

For more information on what you can see and do whilst here in South Africa, please check out www.southafrica.net.

The host city – Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg is the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal, one of nine provinces in the country, and is situated on the east coast of the country, 85km from the coastal city of Durban, the largest and busiest harbour in the Southern Hemisphere. Today’s Pietermaritzburg is a vibrant, busy city ready to embrace the future, but still retains links to the historical past that has seen some of the most important aspects of South African history unfold on its doorstep.

KwaZulu-Natal has a long and proud cultural heritage and is the birthplace and home of the Zulu Nation and is blessed with outstanding natural beauty and cultural diversity. The region has two World Heritage sites within easy driving distance of Pietermaritzburg and for more information on the region of KwaZulu-Natal, go to the Tourism KZN website at www.zulu.org.za.

The city is blessed with great weather, especially in the summer months, when it is hot but without the humidity of the coast. The 2010 UCI BMX World Championships will be staged during the winter months in the region which should ensure that there will be no rain to interrupt proceedings as KZN and the majority of the country enjoys summer rainfall. The temperature can be cool in the evenings and nights, but are traditionally around the 20 – 25 Degree Celsius range during the day.

The terrain for all forms of cycling is excellent but especially for mountain biking with a vast number of trails that can be ridden all year round and as it is the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains, one of the province’s World Heritage sites, the terrain is excellent for the sport.

For more information on Pietermaritzburg and all that it has to offer, please go to www.pmbtourism.co.za.

Accommodation options

Pietermaritzburg and surrounds is blessed with a large variety of accommodation options to suit most if not all needs of teams and individuals. There are a number of hotels ranging from 2 stars to 4 star grades within the city as well as an extensive mix of Bed and Breakfast establishments and Guest Houses.

Click here to view a full list of recommended accommodation venues.

Accommodation venues will also be able to assist any riders and families that would like to come to the region for an extended time period in the lead up to the event for training in the area or who would like to stay on after the event.

Official vehicle partner

The organisers are proud to announce that once again Europcar will be involved in the event as the official vehicle partner. Details of the benefits that will apply to teams and riders will appear on the official website when finalised but in the interim, all queries can be sent to Deirdre Deetlefs and her email address is deirdre.deetlefs@europcar.co.za.

Please note that although Pietermaritzburg is quite a compact city, it is advisable for teams and riders to arrange for the use of a vehicle whilst at the event in order to get around.