Pune bids for Cycling Road World Championships 2032, state cabinet approves Rs 36.5 lakh fee

In a bid to host the UCI Road World Championships 2032, the state cabinet of Maharashtra has approved a submission letter to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and a bid fee of Rs 36.5 lakh. This follows the success of the Pune Grand Tour 2026, which is considered India's biggest international cycling race to date. District Collector Jitendra Dudi revealed that the UCI presented the opportunity of hosting the championship during a meeting in Desenzano del Garda, Italy.

The district will present the Maharashtra government's bid to the UCI on September 22, with the final decision expected on September 23. Successfully hosting the event will showcase Maharashtra to an audience of 250-300 million people and generate economic value over Rs 330 crore. The Maharashtra government has expressed support for organizing the championship, building on the success of the Pune Grand Tour 2026, and now plans to establish a Western Ghats Cycling Corridor and secure the 'UCI City Label' for Pune.