University of Richmond Joins Richmond 2015 Partnership Lineup

Richmond 2015, the organizer of the 2015 UCI Road World Championships, announced today that the University of Richmond will join its team of major partners for the nine-day cycling event to be held in Richmond this September.

As part of the partnership, the University of Richmond will host the official start of the Men’s Elite Road Race on Sept. 27, the final day of competition. The start will wind through the University’s picturesque campus before working its way toward historic Monument Avenue and the 10-mile circuit that will be used for all road races throughout the competition.

"We are very excited to welcome the University of Richmond as a partner and to have the opportunity to showcase the University to the world by starting the final race on its campus," said Wilson Flohr, CEO of Richmond 2015. "The University has long been a leader in international education; we are grateful for its involvement in the largest international event to come to Richmond."

Added University of Richmond President Edward L. Ayers: "We see this international event as an outstanding opportunity to welcome not only the Richmond community, but also the world to our beautiful campus. International education, both in the form of Richmond welcoming students from dozens of international countries and our students studying abroad, is a cornerstone of our liberal arts education."

The Men’s Elite Road Race will leave the University of Richmond campus by way of Boatwright Drive before traveling south on Three Chopt Road to Cary Street Road and through Carytown, one of Richmond’s eclectic shopping districts. The peloton then will enter the road circuit at Monument Avenue by way of Boulevard.

In addition, the University of Richmond will host the UCI Gala, the World Championships’ most important social event that is attended by the UCI and Richmond 2015 and their respective guests. The event, which will attract up to 500 guests, is a celebration of the culmination of the week-long competition.

The University of Richmond’s international program sends more than 60 percent of undergraduates to study abroad with university support, while bringing international students from more than 75 countries to study on campus. The university’s Office for International Education has relationships with nearly 80 institutions outside the United States, enabling its students to study abroad for the same cost as attending the university.

The Road World Championships will feature more than 1,000 of the world’s top cyclists from more than 70 countries.

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