2021 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships Time Trial Course Starts in Pale

The UCI Gran Fondo World Championships who take place from 6-10 October in Istocno Sarajevo, the eastern part of the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Qualified riders will get their invite very soon so they can start planning their trip and accommodation

Riders who qualified for last year's World Championships in Vancouver who have been cancelled because of Covid-19 will also be invited for this year's worlds together with the qualifiers that are taking place now. Nobody has received the official UCI invitation yet as the registration platform hasn't been activated yet, but will get their invite very soon so they can start planning their trip and accommodation.

What can riders expect in Bosnia?

Organizer Vladimir Kuvalja stated "The event's weekend starts on wednesday with a time trial in Pale, a town 23km away from the start of the road races and team relay. The start is in the city center and riders can expect a back-and-forth loop to a turning point halfway on one major road. The first part goes slightly up for the first 6.6km to a point which is 140m above the starting point. It's never very steep and riders can use a TT bike, but you need power to keep your speed. There is also a well illuminated tunnel of 600m who has to be done in both directions. A part of the tunnel in the middle will have new lights that will be fixed by the time of the qualifier event. The turning point is after exactly 10km. The way back is again through the tunnel to have a final last 6km slightly going down towards the finish. Start and finish point are 300m apart in the cozy center of Pale. The podium ceremony is next to the finish line."

How will traffic be arranged to the start as the main road is used for the time trial?

"If you stay in Istocno Sarajevo, you can reach Pale without problems as there is an entry to the centre prior to the roads that are used during the time trial. Riders lodging in Jahorina at the finish of the road races where registration and briefings are taking place can benefit from a shuttle bus service to the time trial location. The trip from Jahorina to Pale is only 13km and can also be done on the bike as warmup prior to the start of the time trial."

What time is the first start?

"We will communicate that later as it depends on the number of participants in the time trial, but we will make sure that there are small intervals between the different age groups and a big pause at noon to allow traffic to pass. As in previous World Championships, riders will start from old to young with women starting first, followed by men."

Is the course technical?

"No, you only have one turn after a few hundred meters and one 180-degrees turn at the halfway point. Just before the finish, you have two turns to the right with the last one 300 meter before the finish. The road is wide open and riders stick to the right side of the road. The road will also be split in two by cones."

The website can be visited via https://istocnosarajevo2021.com