Brussels bids to host 2030 World Cycling Championships

The City of Brussels wants to host the 2030 World Cycling Championships and is due to officially announce its candidacy at a press conference on Wednesday. The successful 2021 edition in Flanders will undoubtedly have inspired the capital.

Almost two years ago, more than 1 million visitors attended the championships in Flanders, according to statistics from consultant EY. One in 10 visitors came from abroad, mainly from the Netherlands, followed by France, the UK and Germany.

Visitors stayed an average of 4.5 nights in Flanders and spent almost 36 million euros during their stay on accommodation, food and drink, transport and other costs. This resulted in an "economic boost" of 27.4 million euros for the Flemish economy.

Besides those economic benefits, Brussels is aiming for a major "reputation and social impact" with its World Cup candidacy. In 2021, 208 million TV viewers from 113 countries tuned in for the competition, along with millions of social media users.

^{Belgian world champion Remco Evenepoel on the balcony of Brussels city hall © BELGA PHOTO POOL LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ}