Upcoming UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Huntsville, Ala. Expected to Set Record

390 athletes from 50 countries registered, putting this on track to be the largest non-European UCI Para cycling Road World Championships in history

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (August 11, 2026) – Our community is quickly approaching the 2026 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, which will be held over Labor Day weekend, September 4-7 in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park. Athletes will begin to arrive in the Rocket City in two weeks.

The Union Cycliste International (UCI) is the world governing body for cycling and is overseeing the races. The annual Championships are usually held in European cities, and this is only the second time they have been held in the United States. With 390 athletes registered from 49 countries, the UCI says this is the largest non-European UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in history and is also on track to be the largest ever in para cycling history!

“We are thrilled to see the interest from so many international teams as they prepare to come to the Rocket City,” said Todd Fraser, UCI’s Para Cycling Manager. “Huntsville set the bar high with the round of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup they hosted in 2023, and we look forward to a fantastic four days of racing next month with the world’s best in the sport.”

The 2026 UCI World Championships will be the fifth para cycling competition that Huntsville has hosted. The athletes who are coming have competed in three rounds of the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup this year (in Thailand, Belgium, and Italy) and the first team will arrive August 25, with more arriving the weekend of August 29-30. The UCI World Championships in Huntsville will also count towards qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.

“These athletes are the best of the best in para cycling,” said Erin Koshut, Executive Director of Cummings Research Park. “Many are Paralympians who won medals in Tokyo and Paris and are now setting their sights on LA ’28. Team USA will be here as well! They will be staying in our local hotels, eating in restaurants and we encourage you to say hello and welcome them. They are friendly and love the Rocket City and our Southern hospitality.”

TRAFFIC SAFETY NOTE: Athletes will be training on our local roads in and around Cummings Research Park from August 26 through September 3.  Some are staying near the race course but others will be riding in from different parts of the community. Please be cautious as you drive and give the cyclists room. Some are on handcycles that are low to the ground. Please share this safety message with your co-workers, family, and friends.

All are welcome at the races from September 4-7. No tickets are needed.  Time trials are Friday and Saturday, September 4-5, and road races are Sunday and Monday, September 6-7.  Spectators are welcome any day, but we especially encourage the public to come and spectate on the road race days.

VOLUNTEER NOTE: Volunteers are still needed to help as course marshals, especially on Sunday and Monday. Anyone who works more than one shift will be entered in a drawing for prizes. To sign up, click HERE.

Countries Registered: