Pune, Oct 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Pune Grand Tour has been upgraded from UCI 2.2 to UCI 2.1. The upgrade comes shortly after Pune was awarded the 2032 UCI Road World Championships at the UCI Congress in Montreal, Canada, where the city was confirmed as the first Indian host of cycling’s premier road championships.
The second edition of the Pune Grand Tour will take place from January 26–31, 2027, featuring six stages across Pune and the wider district, with the higher UCI classification expected to bring a stronger international field and a higher level of competition to the city.
Moving from UCI 2.2 to 2.1 means the race moves from Class 2 to Class 1 on the UCI international road racing calendar. For riders and teams, the higher classification means more UCI ranking points are at stake and creates an opportunity for stronger international participation.
The upgrade followed the successful inaugural edition of the Pune Grand Tour in January 2026, which brought together 29 teams and 171 riders from 35 countries. The race also drew an estimated 2.5 million spectators along its routes.
The 2027 edition will take riders across some of Pune and Maharashtra's most distinctive landscapes. The six-stage route will connect Mulshi and Hinjewadi, Baramati and Saswad, Junnar and Rajgurunagar, Alandi and Lonavala-Khandala, Lonavala and Hinjewadi, and PCMC and Balgandharva Rangmandir, combining urban roads, rural stretches, historic locations and the challenging terrain of the Western Ghats.
David Lappartient, President, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), said, “The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour is an important platform for the development of road cycling in India. Moving to UCI 2.1 reflects the progress the race has made and will provide an opportunity to bring a stronger level of international competition to Pune. A race of this scale gives riders greater exposure to international racing, while helping teams, officials and organisers gain valuable experience at a higher level. It also allows Pune to showcase its roads, landscapes and cycling culture to a wider international audience as it prepares to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032.”
Pune will host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032, marking the first time the world's premier road cycling championships will be held in India. The Grand Tour will provide a regular platform for international racing in the years leading up to the championships, while helping build experience across riders, officials, organisers and the wider cycling ecosystem.
Jitendra Dudi, District Collector, Pune, said, “The upgrade to UCI 2.1 is an important milestone for the Pune Grand Tour and for cycling in India. With Pune set to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032, every edition of the Grand Tour will be an important step in building our cycling ecosystem.”
Maninder Pal Singh, Secretary General, Cycling Federation of India, said, “The upgrade of the Pune Grand Tour to UCI 2.1 reflects the growing stature of the race and the increasing opportunities for Indian riders to compete alongside some of the best cyclists from around the world.
"With Pune set to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032, races such as the Grand Tour will play an important role in building the competitive experience, organisational capabilities and wider cycling ecosystem needed to prepare for that global event."
—IANS
bc/vi
Source: IANS
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