Benidorm will enjoy once again the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in 2025

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has revealed this Friday the calendar for the next edition of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup and Benidorm will once again be, for the third consecutive year, the scene of one of the stages of this championship. Specifically, the city will be a stop for the most prestigious tournament in the winter speciality of cycling on January 19, 2025, a privileged date on the calendar as it makes it a decisive test for the outcome of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup which will have the presence of the best specialists.

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, has been “enormously satisfied” with this announcement, which he described as “fantastic news for Benidorm, the Costa Blanca and the Valencian Community, because in the end we are talking about cyclocross in Spain and a which will, without a doubt, be a great event for the winter.” The first mayor has also considered that the choice of Benidorm as the venue again is "quite a reward and recognition for a firm commitment that the City Council once made to host this event, which has already accumulated two editions that have been synonymous with success,” highlighted Mayor Toni Pérez.

The first edition of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup – Benidorm Costa Blanca was held on January 22, 2023, which was followed this year by the test held on January 21. In both cases, this sporting event became “a real party.” Not in vain, last year more than 15,000 fans came from all over Spain and Europe to witness some intense and exciting races, with the Belgian Wout van Aert and the Dutch Fem van Empel winning the Elite male and female categories, respectively. Likewise, the massive influx of public and participants filled and provided an atmosphere in the streets of Benidorm throughout the week.

“Three years ago, people thought we were crazy for organizing a cyclocross in Benidorm,” recalls Pascual Momparler, head of Momparler Cycling and the UCI Cyclocross World Cup – Benidorm Costa Blanca. “Now we have shown the world that Benidorm, the Costa Blanca and the Valencian Community are the best possible places to celebrate a World Cup. It will be our third year enjoying an event with races of all categories and with the best cyclists in the world. This continuity is a success for our entire team; a success for all the fans who have not hesitated to be there and support us so that the event succeeds; and a success for the institutions of Benidorm and the Costa Blanca, which demonstrate that they can host world-class events to promote the deseasonalization of tourism.”

For his part, Toni Pérez has pointed out that, "with this confirmation by the International Cycling Union, Benidorm is already beginning to put its efforts into making this third edition a success like the one that has been achieved in the two previous editions." Likewise, the mayor added that "beyond a huge sporting event", this test "is also a great event for the promotion of the city and a great attraction for visitors during the days of celebration, in countries mainly Central Europeans and the United Kingdom.

The mayor recalled that the celebration of the Cyclocross World Cup reflects the "great commitment to that important segment of tourism such as sports tourism, through a top-level event with a marked international character", also recalling that “what we have experienced in the two editions held to date in Benidorm has also been a tangible demonstration that our city is a first-class enclave to celebrate this type of event with all the guarantees.”

Finally, he thanked the UCI again for the “trust” of the UCI in the city and announced that, “from now on, we will continue working on the celebration of this third edition on January 19, 2025, with great enthusiasm and affection as we have been doing until now.”