Wollongong's new status as a Bike City isn't just about the best - it's also for the rest.
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In the early hours of Friday morning the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) awarded coveted Bike City recognition to Wollongong.
While the city will host the UCI Road World Cycling Championships next year, Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the Bike City honour wasn't solely for the best cyclists.
"It's not just about the elite, the specialists in that space," Cr Bradbery said.
"It's about recognising cycling as a lifestyle opportunity and facilitating it not only for leisure but for active transport and that's what we want to head towards."
The honour came Wollongong's way in part because in 2022 it will host the UCI Road World Cycling Championships, an event Cr Bradbery said would be a boost for the city.
"We're anticipating thousands of visitors but the audience will reach out in the tens of millions around the world," he said.
"So it means that Wollongong will be the focus of attention in September 2022 but putting the infrastructure around that, all the opportunities that go with that the recognition of the Bike City label come together in the interest of not only the lifestyle here but also the local economy."
Wollongong 2022 Chair Dean Dalla Valle said he had ridden the road course, which remains a secret at this stage. He added that it was expected a public event would be held so that amateur cyclists could try the course.
Mr Dalla Valle highlighted the importance of the September 2022 event.
"When the race is on we expect hundreds of millions of people to watch this race," he said.
"I don't think we've actually told people enough how big this event is.
"It's really in the top 10 sporting events in the world. This will be the single biggest event Wollongong has ever hosted. We want to work with community and we want to continue work with the council to make this a real success for all of us."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
