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Thursday, September 24, 2009 Big changes planned for world championships by Conal Andrews at 10:38 AM EST   comments Categories: Pro Cycling, World Championships   The UCI is set to reverse the decision taken several years ago to downsize the number of events at the world championships, with the governing body now looking to create what its president Pat McQuaid says will be an ‘annual cycling festival’ at the Worlds. Starting in 2012, the competitions will begin with a men and women’s trade team time trial, which will also feature squads from the Pro Continental level and Asia. The reinvention of the schedule will also see the junior men and women’s time trial and road races return after a four year change in dates. "We want to create an annual cycling festival for the whole cycling family ... we also want to take advantage of new technologies that are available, and to create a mass 'cyclo-sportive' ride in which the public can take part," McQuaid was quoted by AFP. The programme would be a week long, up from the current Wednesday – Sunday timeslot, and the intention is that it would attract more on-site visitors and TV viewers. McQuaid said one goal of the team time trial is to enhance the globalisation of cycling, and that a qualifying system still needs to be determined. The venues for some other world championships were finalised, namely three of those to be held in 2011. The BMX contest will take place in Copenhagen, the masters cyclo-cross in Mol in Beglium, and the road para-cycling in Roskilde in Denmark. The UCI Management Committee also approved the following calendars: • 2010 Road International Calendar; • 2010-2011 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (provisional calendar); • 2010 UCI Mountain Bike International Calendar; • 2010 UCI Cycling for All International Calendar; • 2010 UCI Indoor Cycling International Calendar; • 2010 UCI Para-cycling International Calendar. They will be published soon on its website.       comments Follow @Pro_Cycling Tweet Subscribe via RSS or daily email Contact the editor about this article Related Articles Details of year long, three million Swiss franc investigation into doping, Armstrong and the UCI unveiled by the CIRC Budget of three million Swiss Francs reported for Cycling Independent Reform Commission UCI announces its past will be investigated by new Cycling Independent Reform Commission UCI: Independent Commission announcement to come within a week Video: Brian Cookson says restoring credibility of cycling is most important priority Europcar confirmed in 2014 WorldTour as UCI announces final teams Lotto-Belisol receives confirmation of 2014 WorldTour registration