# 2016 UCI Road World Championships

The 2016 UCI Road World Championships took place in Doha, Qatar, in October 2016. The championships was moved from the traditional September to October to avoid extreme hot and blustery weather. The event consisted of a road race, a team time trial and a time trial for elite men and women and a road race and a time trial for men under-23, junior men and junior women. It was the 89th Road World Championships and the first time that Qatar and the Middle East hosted the championships.

## Bidding

Qatar was announced as the host during the 2012 UCI Road World Championships in the Netherlands. Norway also made a bid but was unsuccessful. Norway will now be the host of the 2017 UCI Road World Championships.

## UCI WorldTeam boycott of team time trial

In August 2016 the AIGCP approved a motion for all UCI WorldTeams to boycott the time trial event, due to the UCI insisting that WorldTeams should compete in the event as a requirement of granting a WorldTeam licence without providing a participation allowance to teams, as is the case with other UCI World Tour races. It was reported that the UCI Professional Continental teams attending the AIGCP General Assembly also supported the motion. The UCI expressed disappointment with the move and stated that it "continued to expect excellent participation in this year's UCI Road World Championships Team Time Trial".

## Schedule

All times are in Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3).
| Date | Timings | Timings | Event | Distance | Distance |
| Team time trial events ||||||
| 9 October | 14:10 | 15:15 | Women's teams | 40 km (25 mi) | 40 km (25 mi) |
| 9 October | 15:20 | 16:40 | Men's teams | 40 km (25 mi) | 40 km (25 mi) |
| Individual time trial events ||||||
| 10 October | 09:30 | 10:40 | Junior women | 13.7 km (8.5 mi) | 13.7 km (8.5 mi) |
| 10 October | 11:30 | 15:50 | Under-23 men | 28.9 km (18.0 mi) | 28.9 km (18.0 mi) |
| 11 October | 09:00 | 12:30 | Junior men | 28.9 km (18.0 mi) | 28.9 km (18.0 mi) |
| 11 October | 13:30 | 16:45 | Elite women | 28.9 km (18.0 mi) | 28.9 km (18.0 mi) |
| 12 October | 13:45 | 16:05 | Elite men | 40.0 km (24.9 mi) | 40.0 km (24.9 mi) |
| Road race events | Road race events | Road race events | Road race events | Road race events | Laps | Laps | Laps | Laps | Laps |
| 13 October | 12:00 | 15:55 | Under-23 men | 165.7 km (103.0 mi) | 10 |
| 14 October | 08:30 | 10:30 | Junior women | 74.5 km (46.3 mi) | 4 |
| 14 October | 13:15 | 16:30 | Junior men | 135.3 km (84.1 mi) | 8 |
| 15 October | 12:45 | 16:20 | Elite women | 134.1 km (83.3 mi) | 7 |
| 16 October | 10:30 | 16:35 | Elite men | 257.3 km (159.9 mi) | 7 |

## Courses

The races primarily started and finished in the capital city of Doha, the home base for the Tour of Qatar. The initial plans were to have a flat time trial circuit 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), with the men riding it four times, and a larger flat circuit of around 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) for the road race. However, UCI sport and technical director Philippe Chevallier stated in June 2013 that the courses did not meet the requirements for a world championship and it had been decided to construct a hilly purpose-built course, like had been done for the 1980 Summer Olympics. Despite this, in February 2014 Sheikh Khalid Bin Ali Al Thani, the president of the Qatar Cycling Federation, said that the organisers would not create a purpose-built course for the World Championships due to a lack of time.
The route for the Worlds road races was presented in February 2015, which was made up of a loop of 80 kilometres (50 miles) through the desert and a finishing circuit in Doha city centre, including 1.2 kilometres (0.75 miles) of cobblestones. The finishing circuit of 15.2 kilometres (9.4 miles) on The Pearl Island was used for a stage of February's Tour of Qatar: riders noted that the course was highly technical, going through 24 roundabouts, with stage winner Alexander Kristoff comparing it to a criterium. However it was also noted that the lack of long straight sections meant that the effect of the crosswinds frequently occurring in Qatar would be significantly lessened, reducing the race's unpredictability.
Subsequently, in August 2016 it was reported that the UCI had made changes to the course, increasing the amount of riding through the desert to 151 kilometres (94 miles) and reducing the number of laps of the finishing circuit from eleven down to seven. The start of the men's race was also moved to the Aspire Zone, with the riders heading out northwards towards Al Khor and returning to Doha. The women started from the Qatar Foundation in Education City, and completed seven laps of the finishing circuit, with a total race distance of 134.1 kilometres (83.3 miles).

## Events summary
### Elite events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| Men's Events |||||||
| Men's road race details | Peter Sagan (SVK) | 5h 40' 43" | Mark Cavendish (GBR) | s.t. | Tom Boonen (BEL) | s.t. |
| Men's time trial details | Tony Martin (GER) | 44' 42.99" | Vasil Kiryienka (BLR) | + 45.05" | Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP) | + 1' 10.91" |
| Men's team time trial details | Etixx–Quick-Step | 42' 32.39" | BMC Racing Team | + 11.69" | Orica–BikeExchange | + 37.12" |
| Men's team time trial details | Bob Jungels (LUX) Marcel Kittel (GER) Yves Lampaert (BEL) Tony Martin (GER) Niki Terpstra (NED) Julien Vermote (BEL) | 42' 32.39" | Rohan Dennis (AUS) Stefan Küng (SUI) Daniel Oss (ITA) Taylor Phinney (USA) Manuel Quinziato (ITA) Joey Rosskopf (USA) | + 11.69" | Luke Durbridge (AUS) Alex Edmondson (AUS) Michael Hepburn (AUS) Daryl Impey (RSA) Michael Matthews (AUS) Svein Tuft (CAN) | + 37.12" |
| Women's Events |||||||
| Women's road race details | Amalie Dideriksen (DEN) | 3h 10' 27" | Kirsten Wild (NED) | s.t. | Lotta Lepistö (FIN) | s.t. |
| Women's time trial details | Amber Neben (USA) | 36' 37.04" | Ellen van Dijk (NED) | + 5.99" | Katrin Garfoot (AUS) | + 8.32" |
| Women's team time trial details | Boels–Dolmans | 48' 41.62" | Canyon–SRAM | + 48.24" | Cervélo–Bigla Pro Cycling | + 1' 56.47" |
| Women's team time trial details | Chantal Blaak (NED) Karol-Ann Canuel (CAN) Lizzie Deignan (GBR) Christine Majerus (LUX) Evelyn Stevens (USA) Ellen van Dijk (NED) | 48' 41.62" | Alena Amialiusik (BLR) Hannah Barnes (GBR) Lisa Brennauer (GER) Elena Cecchini (ITA) Mieke Kröger (GER) Trixi Worrack (GER) | + 48.24" | Ciara Horne (GBR) Lisa Klein (GER) Lotta Lepistö (FIN) Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Joëlle Numainville (CAN) Stephanie Pohl (GER) | + 1' 56.47" |

### Under-23 events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| Men's Under-23 Events |||||||
| Men's under-23 road race details | Kristoffer Halvorsen (NOR) | 3h 40' 53" | Pascal Ackermann (GER) | s.t. | Jakub Mareczko (ITA) | s.t. |
| Men's under-23 time trial details | Marco Mathis (GER) | 34' 08.09" | Maximilian Schachmann (GER) | + 18.63" | Miles Scotson (AUS) | + 37.98" |

### Junior events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| Men's Juniors Events |||||||
| Men's junior road race details | Jakob Egholm (DEN) | 2h 58' 19" | Niklas Märkl (GER) | + 7" | Reto Müller (SUI) | + 7" |
| Men's junior time trial details | Brandon McNulty (USA) | 34' 42.29" | Mikkel Bjerg (DEN) | + 35.18" | Ian Garrison (USA) | + 53.08" |
| Women's Juniors Events |||||||
| Women's junior road race details | Elisa Balsamo (ITA) | 1h 53' 04" | Skylar Schneider (USA) | s.t. | Susanne Andersen (NOR) | s.t. |
| Women's junior time trial details | Karlijn Swinkels (NED) | 18' 21.77" | Lisa Morzenti (ITA) | + 7.35" | Juliette Labous (FRA) | + 21.35" |

## Medal table

| Place | Nation | | | | Total |
| 1 | Germany | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | United States | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Denmark | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Belgium | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Norway | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 8 | Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Belarus | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Great Britain | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Australia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Finland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | France | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Spain | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 12 | 12 | 12 | 36 |

## Broadcasting
### Live coverage

* Austria: ORF Sport +
* Belgium: Canvas, Eén, La Deux
* Brazil: SporTV, SporTV 2
* Brunei: Astro SuperSport 2
* Canada: RDS, RDS2
* China: LeSports
* Czech Republic: ČT Sport
* Denmark: TV 2 Sport, (Internet: TV2 Play)
* Estonia: Viasat Sport Baltic
* France: beIN Sports 2, France 3
* Germany: Eurosport 1
* Hungary: Sport1, Sport2
* India: Sony SIX
* Ireland: Eurosport
* Israel: Sport 2
* Italy: Rai Sport 1
* Japan: Speed Channel, NHK BS1
* Latvia: Viasat Sport Baltic
* Lithuania: Viasat Sport Baltic
* Malaysia: Astro SuperSport 2
* MENA (Pan Middle-East): beIN Sports, Alkass
* Netherlands: NPO 1
* New Zealand: Sky Sport
* Norway: TV 2, TV 2 Sportskanalen
* PAN Africa: SuperSport
* Portugal: RTP 2, (Internet: RTP Play)
* Russia: Arena/Planeta
* Slovakia: Dvojka
* Spain: Teledeporte
* Sweden: TV3 Sport, TV10
* Switzerland: RSI La 2, RTS Deux, SRF zwei
* Turkey: NTV Spor
* United Kingdom: BBC Red Button, Eurosport
* United States: Universal HD, (Internet: liveextra.nbcsports.com)
* Worldwide internet: tv.uci.ch

### Other TV partners

* Polsat Sport Extra (Poland)
* Sport Klub (Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia)
* Sportsnet One (Canada)
* SBS (Australia)
* TDN (Mexico)
* DirecTV (PAN America)
* RCN Televisión (Colombia)
Sources