UCI trims junior events from 2021 World Cyclocross Championships program
Elite and under-23 world championship events will go on as planned, albeit ‘behind closed doors.’
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The UCI announced Friday that it would take a pass on staging the junior events at the 2021 world cyclocross championships.
The junior’s race for the rainbow jersey was to be part of the January 30-31 racing weekend in Osten, Belgium.
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Due to current travel restrictions imposed in an attempt to stem the spread of COVID-19, the international governing body for cycling determined the best course of action was to host the elite and under-23 events but hold off hosting the junior men’s and junior women’s segments of the racing program.
While World Cup events and national cyclocross championships have been successfully staged in several European nations recently, Belgian officials are cautious about the upcoming international event, according to a UCI statement.
https://twitter.com/UCI_CX/status/1349990424971194368
The Belgian hosts announced in early December 2020 that the world championship event would be run behind closed doors to help ensure the health and safety of those involved.
Racers who have been named to their respective countries’ teams have already been racing in Europe.
Clara Honsinger who was named to Team USA last week for the 2021 UCI world cyclocross championships will co-lead with Katie Compton a small squad representing the United States. Honsinger has been on a tear this season, on — or right near — the podium in several WorldCup events.
Madigan Munro of Boulder, Colorado, who was third in the first-ever world junior championship event in 2020, will race for a podium position in the under-23 event.