UCI Urban Cycling World Championships get under way in Abu Dhabi

The 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships kicked off in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday with Spain, France, and Germany taking home the medals in the mixed team trials event. The event is running from December 17 to 22 in Abu Dhabi.

The action began in a newly constructed arena, featuring five purpose-built sections. A total of 37 riders from eight nations – Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Czechia, Italy, and Slovakia – tackled five very different sections under the warm sun on Abu Dhabi’s iconic Corniche beach.

Each nation fielded a team of at least three riders, who could race in any order their team chose.

Spain emerged victorious, claiming their sixth consecutive win in the mixed team trials. The nation showcased the depth and talent of their riders, though the victory came after a fierce and closely contested battle. Spain was one of six nations that fielded the maximum of five riders – one for each section, with Slovakia and Italy fielding fewer riders (four and three, respectively).

Spain's team included Men Junior 26” rider Ferran Gonzalo Vaquer, 2021 UCI World Champion Vera Barón, Men Elite 20” Eloi Palau Pinyana (the 2022 UCI World Champion), 18-year-old Men Junior 20” Victor Perez Zamora, and Julen Sáenz de Ormijana, the 2021 UCI Trials World Championships silver medalist in Vic, Catalonia (Spain).

After three sections, the standings were extremely tight, with Spain and Italy both on 510 points, closely followed by France with 500 points.

The Women Elite and Men Elite finals in trials will be held on Saturday, December 21, following qualification rounds on Wednesday and Thursday. The next rainbow jerseys in trials will be awarded in the Men Junior categories on Friday, December 20.