The professional is a one-day cycling event organised by the
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), and is a single 'massed start' road race, the winner being the first across the line at the completion of the full race distance.
The event can be held over either a relatively flat course which favors
Sprinters (such as 2005 champion
Tom Boonen ), or over a hilly course (as planned for Salzburg 2006) which favors more of a
Climbing Specialist or
All-round type of cyclist.
The victor earns the right to wear the
Rainbow Jersey for a full year. Unlike other UCI-sanctioned races, the World Cycling Championship is competed for by nationality, not by commercial
Cycling Team s. The race is usually held towards the end of the European season, usually following the
Vuelta A España .
There are also world cycling championships for
Track Cycling and
Individual Time Trial (ITT) disciplines, among others.
The , an ITT event, is usually held on the same week and at the same venue as the road race. The winner of this event also earns the right to wear a slightly different rainbow jersey in ITT events for a full year.
The World Cycling Championship, along with the
Tour De France and the
Giro D'Italia , forms the
Triple Crown Of Cycling .
The first professional World Cycling Championship took place in
1927 at the
Nürburgring in
Germany and was won by
Alfredo Binda , of
Italy .
Only four cyclists have successfully defended their title (three Belgians and one Italian):
Georges Ronsse (Belgium, 1928-29);
Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium, 1956-57);
Rik Van Looy (Belgium, 1960-61);
Gianni Bugno (Italy, 1991-92).
†
David Millar won the race, but later confessed having used Epogen .
Therefore the UCI decided to grant the title to second-placed Rogers.
# Belgium , 29 wins
# Italy , 26 wins
# France , 16 wins
# Japan , 11 wins
# Netherlands , 9 wins
# Australia , 8 wins
# Spain , 5 wins
# United States , 4 wins
# Switzerland , 3 wins
# Federal Republic Of Germany , 6 wins
# United Kingdom , Ireland , Latvia & Denmark , 1 win
Note: This Cycling World Championship country-wins list shown here represent only the above three major cycling disciplines
