It's just 100 days before the world's best cyclists descend on the South Coast, and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.
The 2022 UCI Road World Championships are being held in Wollongong from September 18 to 25, and organisers are assembling 1500 volunteers to ensure the event runs smoothly.
They'll be involved in areas including sport services, event support, media and broadcast operations, people operations, transport and fleet services, and welcome and hosting.
This is set to be one of the biggest sporting events the region has ever seen, with about 300,000 expected to line the streets along the routes during the racing, and the event expected to be watched by about 300 million people worldwide.
They'll be keeping a close eye on 1,000 competitors from more than 70 counties competing in 11 races across three disciplines - Individual Time Trials, a Team Time Trial Mixed Relay and Road Races.
UCI President David Lappartient said cycling's international governing body was excited to return to the Southern Hemisphere with its leading annual event.
“Staging the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong, provides us with a wonderful opportunity to continue to grow interest in cycling globally,” Mr Lappartient said.
“The athletes, fans and officials are very excited about coming to the UCI Bike City of Wollongong, experiencing the challenging courses and taking in the Australian culture and enthusiasm for cycling.”
Wollongong 2022 Chair Dean Dalla Valle said excitement and anticipation about the event was increasing among the local community.
“As local riders and visitors are getting out to try the course, there’s a real eagerness for September and the UCI Road World Championships to arrive,” he said.
“Interest grew significantly following the recent success of Australian riders including Jai Hindley on the UCI World Tour, and we hope to see our green and gold riders on the podium in Wollongong.
“Wollongong 2022, Wollongong City Council and our partners are working hard to ensure the world sees the very best of our city, and their Wollongong experience encourages advocacy and return visitation" Mr Dalla Valle said.
“Whether you are planning to come and cheer from the sidelines or you want to be involved behind the scenes, now is the time to book your accommodation and complete your volunteer application.”
NSW Tourism and Sport Minister Stuart Ayres said the action-packed event would play an important role in the recovery of the visitor economy.
“The 2022 UCI Road World Championships are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of spectators, tens of thousands of visitors and millions in visitor expenditure for the state,” he said.
“As the first of our major international sporting events under the 10 World Cups in 10 Years initiative to take place since the onset of the pandemic, this celebration of cycling in Wollongong will lead the way to turbocharge our NSW visitor economy once more."
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said the city was preparing in earnest for the event.
“As the only UCI Bike City in the Southern Hemisphere we’re already making a lot of progress toward implementing our Cycling Strategy 2030 to make bike riding a natural part of everyday life here in Wollongong,” he said.
“Our Wollongong City Council team is focused on ensuring the city puts on an unforgettable show for all visitors – from athletes and officials to spectators as well as an awesome event experience for our residents.
"The event-related infrastructure works to facilitate a safe, world-class event are well underway and making great progress.”
More information on the championships, including how to volunteer, are available at www.wollongong2022.com.au
Images: Wollongong 2022
