It’s five years off, and we don’t yet have the event, but Durango is once again fired up to host the 40th Union Cicliste Internationale Mountain Bike World Championships in August 2030 (Herald, Nov. 28). Bike enthusiasts, longtime residents and business owners will remember the energy around the inaugural 1990 world mountain biking championships.
They will also remember the standing room only crowds at Fort Lewis College’s Ray Dennison Memorial Stadium during opening ceremonies when the flags of 32 countries flew high. The 2030 event organizers anticipate the participation of 55 countries, 800 athletes and 10,000 spectators. Organizers plan to submit a letter of intent this month, a bid application in January and will have to wait until June 2025 to learn if it is accepted.
The city of Durango is a critical partner helping first with a letter of support, which City Council enthusiastically and unanimously provided on Tuesday night. Future funding, staff and city services also are among the commitments that would be needed to support the event.
La Plata County, and would-be venue hosts Purgatory Resort/Mountain Capital Partners and FLC, would be asked to step up again, as would local nonprofits, community and business groups. The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic would oversee a local organizing committee.
Visit Durango and the IHBC have pledged the $20,000 application fee. If accepted, two other UCI events would take place in 2028 and 2029 leading up to the 2030 event.
There is so much positive energy around cycling events in Durango, it’s not much of an ask, especially with the 1990 event putting Durango on the map for mountain biking, with other cycling events following close behind, notably the IHBC, which celebrates its 53rd year in 2025. Locals IHBC registration night kicks off from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Mountain Bike Specialists.
The 1990 World Championships are credited with launching the development of Durango’s cycling community as, of course, are MBS owners Patti and the late Ed Zink who put the first bid together.
Durango’s Ned Overend and Greg Herbold medaled in the 1990 event, and with others have gone on to build successful cycling and Olympic careers thanks in part to Durango’s embrace of mountain biking and road cycling, and organizations like Durango Trails, and Durango Devo, that steward our world-class trail system and develop young athletes.
It’s definitely an effort to bid for and host this event, so thanks to all who are involved. It also feels like a homecoming and thank you, with the community and economic benefits a 2030 event in Durango would surely see.
Fingers and pedals crossed.
