Races are September 4-7, 2026 in Cummings Research Park, Huntsville, Alabama
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – We are quickly approaching the 2026 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, which will be held in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park over Labor Day weekend, September 4-7.
The Rocket City will welcome approximately 350 to 400 elite para-cyclists from about 40 countries who are hoping to earn a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games. This is the fifth paracycling competition the Huntsville community has hosted, and it will be the largest and most prestigious. The athletes have competed in three UCI Para-cycling Road World Cups this year (in Thailand, Belgium, and Italy) and countries are planning their trips here. They will be staying in our local hotels, eating in restaurants and we encourage you to say hello and welcome them. Team USA will be here too – here’s the roster! Nine of the athletes are U.S. Veterans.
The races are FREE to attend — no tickets are needed. Individual Time Trials will be September 4-5 and Road Races will be September 6-7. We especially encourage the public to come out for the Road Races, including the Handcycle Relay that will close out the final day of racing, September 7. Medal ceremonies are also open to the public all four days and give you a great chance to congratulate the victors! Learn more about the event at huntsvilleparaworlds.com.
A specific ask from race organizers: We are actively signing up volunteers to help with the event, but we need to fill about 500 more volunteer shifts to ensure a safe and successful event. The main position we need to fill is for course marshals.
Course marshals are positioned around the race course and keep it clear as the cyclists race by. For example, they make sure no spectators cross the road, or they pick up debris that might fly into the road by accident, etc. They also alert sector captains of any issues. You do not need prior cycling experience, and we will hold a brief training session ahead of the event. You will also get a t-shirt and a meal if your shift falls during lunchtime. Volunteers must be 16 or older, but if you’re a parent with younger children, they are welcome to come and be a spectator!
Here is our volunteer signup link. A fun note — anyone who signs up for more than one shift and completes these will be entered in a drawing for prizes. Your name will be entered equal to the number of shifts you take! (Two shifts = two entries; three shifts = three entries, and so on.) There are additional volunteer positions listed on the signup link as well.
As our team actively works to recruit volunteers, we are speaking with different civic groups and companies about this opportunity. If you are part of a group that volunteers (such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Scouting America, a church group, etc.) please share the word with them about the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships. If you are interested in having someone talk with your group, please email [email protected] and we will try to schedule something.
In Para-cycling, athletes compete on different types of cycles depending on their disability or impairment. As you see in the pictures below, some use handcycles, others use tall tricycles, some ride bicycles and others compete in pairs on tandem cycles. The person on the back has a visual impairment and the person in front is sighted.
These races are a wonderful opportunity for us to welcome the world to Huntsville, and we invite all to join us over Labor Day weekend, September 4-7. Explorer Boulevard, the main loop in Cummings Research Park, will be closed on race days, but during the week ahead of the races (August 31 through September 3), cyclists will be training on the roads with traffic. We urge you to drive with caution, especially in and around CRP. We will share updated safety messaging closer to the races.
For more information, please contact:
Erin Koshut, Event Lead
[email protected]
Claire Aiello, Marketing Support
[email protected]
Kay Campbell, Volunteer Coordinator
[email protected]
