The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Experience Fayetteville have announced Walmart as Title Partner of the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, which will take place in Fayetteville Jan. 28-30, 2022.
Founded in 1900 in Paris, France, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms, for all people: as a competitive sport, a healthy recreational activity, a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the nine cycling disciplines: road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials, indoor cycling and cycling esports. Five of these are featured on the Olympic Games program (road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle), two in the Paralympic Games (road and track) and four in the Youth Olympic Games (road, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle).
UCI President David Lappartient said, “We are delighted and proud that the 2022 edition of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, the discipline’s annual flagship event, can count on the support of Walmart, the largest retailer in the world. The arrival of an economic player of this stature is testimony not only to the discipline’s appeal but also, more broadly, to that of cycling, whose societal benefits are increasingly being recognized.”
Next year’s staging of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in the USA will be only the second time the country has hosted the event in its 72-year history.
Some 300 cyclists representing 25 nations will be competing for UCI World Championship titles in Men and Women Elite, Men and Women Under 23, Men and Women Juniors, and Team Relay events – with the latter being included for the first time.
Kim Tunick, Senior Director, Brand Experiences and Partnerships at Walmart said, “We are proud to be the Title Partner of the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships that will be held in Northwest Arkansas, where our company was founded nearly 60 years ago. This sponsorship demonstrates our commitment to the community and promoting healthy and active lifestyles for our customers and associates. We are excited to be a partner for this world-class event.”
Experience Fayetteville is the destination marketing organization for the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas and the local organizing committee for the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. It is responsible for marketing the city to visitors and achieving a positive economic impact through tourism. It is the first point of contact for convention and meeting planners, sports tournament coordinators, tour operators and leisure travelers. Experience Fayetteville oversees the visitors bureau and Experience Fayetteville Visitors Center, Fayetteville Town Center and the historic Walker Stone House.
Molly Rawn, CEO of Experience Fayetteville, the local host for the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships said, “We are very pleased to have Walmart as a valuable partner in bringing the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships to Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas, and greatly appreciate their support. With the world-class venue and course that has been built, we anticipate hosting many more exciting cycling events in the area in the years ahead.”
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