2021 UCI Road World Championships - All in One Guide

The 2021 UCI Road World Championships will see the world’s best on the road battle it out across several events for the title of World Champion and the coveted rainbow jersey in Flanders, Belgium.

The 94th edition of the UCI Road World Championships begins Sunday, September 19 with the Elite Men’s Individual Time Trial. That will be the first of 11 events, concluding with the Elite Women’s and Elite Men’s Road Races the following weekend.

A team of 20 Australian athletes will contest four events at the championships, including Tour de France stage-winners Michael Matthews and Caleb Ewan, in-form sprinter Chloe Hosking, and Tokyo Olympians Lucas Plapp, Amanda Spratt and Tiffany Cromwell.

Catch all the racing from the UCI Road World Championships on SBS On Demand and SBS Viceland. Click here for the full schedule.

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Under-23 Men

Australia has five athletes competing in the Under-23 men’s events, with Lucas Plapp (VIC) and Carter Turnbull (VIC) taking on the 30.30-kilometre Individual Time Trial.

Plapp comes into the event as the Australian Elite Men’s ITT Champion after grabbing gold in Ballarat earlier this year. Turnbull will compete as the current Australian Under-23 Men’s Champion. Together, they form a strong duo ready to tackle the flat course starting along the shore in Knokke-Heist before winding down towards the picturesque city of Bruges.

Click here for the full course breakdown.

In the Under-23 Men’s Road Race, Jarrad Drizners (SA), Jensen Plowright (VIC) and Alastair Mackellar (QLD) will tackle the 160.90-kilometre course from Antwerp to Leuven.

Drizners and Plowright will wear the green and gold again after a brutal Tour de l’Avenir, where Plowright finished second on Stage 4. MacKellar, the youngest of the trio, joins the team in Belgium after a strong year with Israel Cycling Academy, recently finishing second in Stage 6 of the Volta a Portugal.

Click here for the full course breakdown

Key Dates

Monday, 20 September

Men's Under 23 Individual Time Trial + Award Ceremony

18:30 - 21:10 (AEST) - Live streaming to SBS On Demand

Friday, 24 September

Men's U23 Road Race + Award Ceremony

21:15 - 02:00 (AEST) - Live streaming to SBS On Demand

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Elite Women Road Race

Seven Australian riders will contest the 157-kilometre women's road race which begins in Antwerp before taking in multiple passes of several tricky circuits around the town of Leuven.

Chloe Hosking (ACT), fresh from recent wins at the Tour of Norway and Tour de l’Ardeche, will line up alongside Olympians Tiffany Cromwell (SA) and Amanda Spratt (NSW) as the experienced riders in the squad. Joining them will be Sarah Roy (NSW), Lauretta Hanson (VIC), and Jessica Allen (WA) in a well-balanced team.

Brodie Chapman (VIC) has withdrawn due to injury and Rachel Neylan (NSW) has been added to the team.

Click here for the full course breakdown.

Key Date

Saturday September 25

Women's Elite Road Race + Award Ceremony

The Elite Men’s Road Race will cover 268 kilometres, starting from Antwerp before heading southeast towards Leuven and finishing on the sloping Geldenaaksevest.

Michael Matthews (ACT) crossed the line seventh at last year’s World Championships in Italy and will have his eyes firmly set on another strong performance. Caleb Ewan (NSW) has had a successful year, taking out two stages in the Giro d’Italia and, more recently, a stage of the Benelux Tour.

Joining this fast-finishing duo are Harry Sweeny (QLD), Luke Durbridge (WA), Miles Scotson (SA), Nicholas Schultz (QLD), Robert Stannard (NSW) and Nathan Haas (ACT).

Click here for the full course breakdown.

Key Date

Sunday September 26

Men's Elite Road Race + Award Ceremony

18:15 - 01:20 (AEST) - Live streaming to SBS On Demand before SBS VICELAND LIVE at 21:30

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Key Links

• Flanders Website
• SBS On Demand Guide