2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk
The 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships took place in Minsk on 20-24 February.
Track cycling world championships have been regularly held since 1893. Every year the tournament brings together about 500 world’s best track cyclists.
Belarus was the host of the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
In January 2012 Minsk was named host of the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships at the session of the Board of Directors of the International Cycling Union (UCI) in Belgium.
UCI specialists and representatives of about 100 countries partaking in the voting praised Belarus’ successes in developing cycling sport, remarkable achievements of Belarusian athletes, state support and the conditions for holding high-profile sports events in Belarus.
There is a world-class velodrome in Minsk. In 2009 Minsk Arena played host to the UEC Track Cycling European Championships. Partaking in the competition were 400 athletes from 30 countries.
In March 2012 President of the International Cycling Union Pat McQuaid paid a visit to Belarus. He inspected Minsk Arena and the velodrome, got familiar with the products of Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Factory, met with Belarus President and head of the National Olympic Committee Alexander Lukashenko.
Minsk Arena velodrome
The 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships was held at the velodrome of the Minsk Arena multifunctional sports and entertainment complex. This modern facility is one of the largest complexes both in Belarus and in Europe.
The Minsk Arena velodrome is Belarus’ first facility catering for training and competition at all levels of indoor sports and meets all international standards.
The Belarusian cycling track is one of the best tracks in the world. It is based on the monolithic reinforced concrete slab; the cycling track floor is made of Siberian spruce.
The cycling track is 250m long, 7.5m wide and 5m high. Two curves of the track have a slope angle of 41 degrees.
The velodrome seats up to 2,000 spectators.
The central part of the cycling track can be used for badminton, table tennis, futsal, basketball, and volleyball.
2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships schedule
Belarus played host for the Olympic-type world forum for the first time. Partaking in the competitions were world’s best riders from 35 countries.
“You will Win in Minsk”, the slogan of the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.
Attending the opening ceremony of the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and UCI President Pat McQuaid.
The five-day schedule of the tournament included 19 medal events (ten men’s events and nine women’s events): team and individual pursuit, sprint and team sprint, 1km time trial for men and 500m time trial for women, scratch race, keirin, points race, madison and omnium.
Champions and prize winners of the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Great Britain topped the medal tally with 5 gold, 2 silver and 2 bonze medals. Germany was second (3, 3, 2) and Australia third (2, 2, 4).
All in all, 21 out of 35 participating countries won medals in Minsk.
2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships TV broadcast
Being one of the most popular sports events, the Track Cycling World Championships got extensive coverage in mass media.
Ten TV channels provided live coverage of the event in Minsk, and 25 stations offered taped broadcast.
Total live airtime reached 100 hours. The TV audience was estimated at up 100 million worldwide.
Over 300 reporters representing various mass media outlets were accredited for the event.
About 25,000 cycling fans attended the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in person at Minsk Arena.
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