Canberra defers 2008 MTB World's bid

After months of negotiation with the UCI, Canberra Off-Road Cyclists (CORC) and APIS Consulting, who form the provisional organising committee for the 2008 UCI World Mountain Bike and Trials Championships bid, have decided to defer the bid to 2009. The ACT Government, Cycling Australia and Mountain Bike Australia have been informed of this decision.

The UCI recently announced that the 2008 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships would be held between 16-22 June 2008. However, the Canberra bid had always been based on holding the 2008 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in early September 2008. This was in line with the dates of every such championship since 2001, though the 2000 world's was held in June to avoid a clash with that year's Olympic Games.

The UCI is concerned about its ability to satisfactorily promote the World Championships in an Olympic year and to allow the riders to effectively peak twice in the year. The June dates chosen by the UCI effectively precludes hosting the event in Canberra, as June is in the in the middle of the Australian winter, which means cold weather and also the shortest days of the year in terms of daylight hours available to competitors.

The venue for the 2008 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships is likely to be announced in July from the remaining northern hemisphere contenders of Canada, Italy and the Czech Republic.

The UCI has accepted the deferral of the Canberra bid to 2009 at no additional cost to the Australian organisers. A decision for hosting the 2009 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships will be made at either the September 2006 or January 2007 meetings of the UCI management committee.

The UCI has set the dates for the 2009 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships as September 1-6, a more suitable time of year for such an event in Canberra.