Verona-Bardolino Bid for 2004 Cycling World Championships Receives UCI Praise
Full marks awarded. The country, logistics, facilities, and the course proposed by Bardolino for the 2004 Cycling World Championships thrilled Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Vice President Agostino Omini and Dominique Raymond, Secretary General and World Championships Coordinator.
After recognizing the financial commitment signed Monday evening by Teofilo Sanson in the evocative Loggia Rambaldi (attended by Verona’s top political and economic representatives), the two spent the entire Tuesday morning touring the Lacustrine Centre.
Omini and Raymond, accompanied by Battista Cailotto and Raffaello Carlesso, technical consultants for the Verona organizing committee, and Mayor Armando Ferrari with assessor Aristide Avanzini, admired and assessed the efficiency of the candidature.
Strengths and Architectural Highlights
“If Bardolino wanted to make an impact, they did so with full marks,” states Cailotto with satisfaction.
In addition to the quality of the proposed route and the effective logistical solutions offered, what particularly impressed UCI delegates was the finish zone for the five individual time trial stages.
“Madame Dominique was speechless admiring the Church of San Severo, located right at the finish line. An architectural element that alone enhances any television image.
And if it is combined with a global event like the Cycling World Championships, it’s easy to imagine the specific weight that the entire footage acquires,”
Locations and Strategic Sites
Aside from the aesthetics and panoramas that accompany the entire circuit, which starts from Bardolino and winds through the inland areas, the lakeside town has revealed additional winning features.
First, Villa Carrara Bottagisio, a prestigious venue ideally suited for the press room, ready to host hundreds of journalists from around the world.
“Moreover, easily accessible by public transport from lungolago Preite,” comments Cailotto, who, together with UCI delegates, identified Bocciofila, a structure just outside the town, as the ideal site for setting up the secretariat responsible for issuing passes and accreditation.
In front of Villa Serena, media vans would be stationed, while across from the public gardens, space would be allocated for the VIP village and stands.
The start line for all five time trial events would be located along lungolago Lenotti.
Innovative Projects and Installation Points
A completely new idea compared to previously viewed routes and locations by UCI delegates (including Charlie Mottet, who was also on Garda Lake in January) is the intention to transform the Gritti Hotel into the main headquarters for the Verona and Bardolino World Championships.
“We visited and spoke with the owners of this beautiful lake-front structure. There’s no doubt: it’s the ideal place to establish the general headquarters.
This would be a significant achievement for Bardolino because for over ten days, the eyes of the world would be focused on this town.”
Cailotto concludes, “Now we await the private sector’s economic proposal.”
Competition and Conclusions
Now, for the dream of hosting the World Championships to become reality, all that remains is to cross our fingers.
The bid from the Garda area in partnership with Verona must beat competition from Ireland, where the World Championship races have never been held, Germany, Spain, and Italian centers such as Cuneo, Imola, and Caneva.
The final decision, expected by October 8 during the Lisbon World Championships, ultimately lies with the Union Cycliste Internationale and its president Hein Verbruggen, who has never hidden his enthusiasm for the beauty of the course and the organizational level demonstrated by Verona during the 1999 World Championships.