A great finish of the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Roskilde

Four days of racing at the absolutely highest international level was what the approx- 400 riders from 45 countries gave the spectators at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Roskilde, and from all sides there is great joy over a very successful event .

Sunday the weather again turned out great for the riders in Roskilde, and the beautiful late summer weather attracted many spectators from the houses along the route. This created an impressive backdrop for the last road race in the C class, the T class for tricycles, the tandem riders (B) and finally the Team Relay for handbikes (H).

Successful championships

Four-day bicycle race is now over and from all sides, there is great consensus that these largest Road World Championships in Para-cycling ever have been a great success, both for para-cycling and for the disabled sport, in general, as well as for Denmark as an event nation and for Roskilde as a sports city.

The President of the UCI Commissaires Panel Randall Shafer, praises the conduct of the races:

– I think Roskilde was very prepared for the event . It turned out very well and the organisation did so many things to improve any situation that needed improvement. Besides we saw a beautiful community and, of course, we had fantastic weather during the entire event, so I am very pleased and would love to come back.

Also the riders take a great experience with them back home, he thinks:

– I think they take home the feeling that they deserve the World Championships, and that they were given great World Championships. I believe that everybody appreciates the fact that they get to come to Denmark and compete at the highest level, and that the organization professional as well, says Randall Shafer.

At Sport Event Denmark , Chief Executive Lars Lundov is also happy about the successful event:

– The World Championships in para-cycling are over, and in Sport Event Denmark we are very satisfied with the event, which was very successful. The 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships were the biggest within the disability sport ever in Denmark and also the largest World Championships in para-cycling history. The many good experiences the National Paralympic Committee Denmark has gained last week in Roskilde, Sport Event Denmark can take with us into the next major international championships, we have in Denmark. Next week it all starts again with the 2011 UCI Road World Championships in Copenhagen and Rudersdal, and in the autumn holiday there is a fan of big, spectacular events such as Denmark Open Premier Super Series in badminton, World Cup Trampoline and World Cup Dressage as well as the European Goalball Championships, says Lars Lundov. Sport Event Denmark is the national event organization and has supported the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships both financially and with advice both before and during the championship.

Great local support in the City of Roskilde

Both citizens in Roskilde and Roskilde Municipality supported the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships on several fronts , and their support has also been a decisive factor for the event's success. The Mayor of the host city, Joy Mogensen, is very satisfied:

- We have many reasons to be happy now that the World Championships are over. With a record number of happy athletes, national and international press attention and full houses at our hotels, we have once again come across with the message that in Roskilde we are willing and able to host large international events, says the Mayor of Roskilde.

In the National Paralympic Committee Denmark, Vice President John Petersson, who himself lives in Roskilde Municipality, is seeing future perspectives in the experience gained from the staging of the event.

– It's been an incredible experience, both athletically and organizationally, and it has give n us a lot of experience in National Paralympic Committee Denmark that we can use when staging other championships in the future. Indeed, it is our strategy to attract more major championships to Denmark.

– It has also meant a lot to the city. There has been much attention on the World Championships, and I've been around on the route today and seen how the families gather outside. Roskilde is of course in a way not just put on the map of Denmark, but also on the world map, so I'm glad that it all happened here in Roskilde, he smiles.

Find all results and stories, video clips and press photos for free download at the official website www.paracycling2011.dk

For more information, contact: ea@sporteventdenmark.com.

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