Less than 365 days before France hosts the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc. Cycling fans, spectators, athletes and local authorities gathered this Saturday in Sallanches – Pays du Mont-Blanc to officially launch the countdown to the event.
Champions from the local area and beyond, including Martin Fourcade (six-time Olympic biathlon champion), Alexis Pinturault (one of the few French skiers to have won the overall World Cup title in alpine skiing) and Kilian Bron (Top 10 in the French Cup and several World Cup enduro appearances), joined cycling legend and 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships ambassador Bernard Hinault, along with local elected officials, for a cycling parade between the Côte de Domancy and Sallanches. Cyclists from all backgrounds then took turns riding connected bikes to cover 2,027 km together — a powerful symbol placing Haute-Savoie and its people at the heart of next year’s celebrations.
Cycling was celebrated in all its forms this Saturday in Sallanches – Pays du Mont-Blanc. To mark D-1 year before the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc, the town buzzed to the rhythm of the event awaiting the whole territory in a year’s time.
From 24 August to 5 September 2027, the world’s best athletes will gather in Haute-Savoie and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines for the biggest cycling and para-cycling event in history. In total, 20 UCI World Championships, spread across 16 competition venues, will bring together more than 15,000 athletes over 13 days. A few weeks after the announcement of the competition schedule, enthusiasm for the event grew another notch by the end of this day.
A festive atmosphere from the Côte de Domancy to Sallanches
The celebrations began with a 10 km cycling parade taking in part of the routes of the Men Elite and Women Elite Road Races of the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc, including the iconic Côte de Domancy. Leading the peloton was a familiar face on these roads: Bernard Hinault, who won the UCI World Championship title on these roads in 1980 and is ambassador of the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc. Alongside him, several representatives of French cycling were present, including Julie Bresset, Olympic Champion in Mountain Bike cross-country and Samuel Dumoulin, stage winner on the Tour de France.
The peloton then arrived at Place Charles Albert in Sallanches, transformed for the occasion into a genuine open-air cycling arena, with 20 connected bikes representing the 20 UCI World Championships. The goal: to collectively cover 2,027 km, each pedal stroke bringing the counter closer to 2027.
Reflecting the diversity of disciplines, the challenge was completed in 5 hours across a variety of bikes: road bikes, track bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, tandems… Cyclists, para-cyclists, amateurs and curious onlookers alike took turns throughout the afternoon to reach, together, the symbolic milestone of 2,027 kilometres covered.
The Tissot countdown clock is launched
Throughout the afternoon, numerous activities gave the public a chance to discover the wealth of the various UCI World Championships that will take centre stage in 2027. The Mont-Blanc Trial Cycling Club put on spectacular demonstrations, while Anatole Rahain, one of the best French riders in BMX Freestyle Flatland, and Alice Rieb, French artistic cycling champion, introduced their sports to the wider public.
After several hours of collective challenge, the moment had come to reach a new symbolic milestone: the official launch of the countdown to the 365 days remaining before the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships. On Place Charles Albert, the Tissot countdown totem was unveiled in the presence of Sylvia Perruchione-Kunegel, Mayor of Sallanches, Martial Saddier, President of the Haute-Savoie Departmental Council, host territory, Michel Callot, President of the Organising Committee and the French Cycling Federation, and Enrico Della Casa, Vice-President of the Union Cycliste Internationale.
Bernard Hinault, ambassador of the event, was also on hand alongside numerous athletes and champions who came to celebrate: Kilian Bron (mountain bike), Julie Bresset (mountain bike cross-country), Victoria Stansfield (road cycling), Lui Han Tsan (BMX Racing), Aurore Pernollet and Jérôme Neuville (track cycling), as well as former road professionals Samuel Dumoulin, Eugénie Duval, Julien Duval and Thomas Damuseau. Alongside them, several champions from the local area who have left their mark on their sport: Martin Fourcade, Gaëtan Paturel and Antonin Guigonnat (biathlon), as well as Alexis Pinturault (alpine skiing), Emily Harrop (ski mountaineering), Thibaut Baronian (trail running) and Stéphane Tourreau (freediving). All of them look forward to meeting the public again in a year’s time to share an extraordinary sporting event together.
Michel Callot, President of the Organising Committee and the French Cycling Federation: “This Saturday, we reached a new milestone on the road to the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc. This day showed us just how strong the anticipation already is and how much enthusiasm exists across the territory. This momentum will be invaluable for all the teams working every day to make 2027 an event worthy of this exceptional occasion and to offer all cycling enthusiasts an unforgettable experience.”
Martial Saddier, President of the Haute-Savoie Department, host territory: “The people of Haute-Savoie answered the call to launch this countdown. It shows that our territory is ready and determined to offer cycling and para-cycling the most beautiful setting for these 2027 UCI World Championships. Bringing together 20 UCI World Championships at the same time is an achievement in itself. I am convinced that what we experienced this Saturday is only a glimpse of what awaits us in one year’s time!”
Bernard Hinault, ambassador of the event: “It is a very special feeling to return to the Côte de Domancy, 46 years after my UCI World Championship title. I am delighted to have taken part in this day and to have led this peloton all the way to Sallanches. It already gives us a taste of the passion surrounding the event. There is anticipation, enthusiasm and excitement… We are all looking forward to being there.
Enrico Della Casa, Vice-President of the Union Cycliste Internationale: “The crowd gathered here in Sallanches today, together with the activities and events taking place throughout the day, perfectly embody the spirit we want to carry all the way to the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships. We are delighted to officially launch the countdown to this exceptional event with a powerful symbol: a totem designed with Tissot, the UCI’s long-standing partner for more than 30 years, which will make the approach of the event increasingly tangible with each passing day. With 20 distinct UCI World Championships brought together in one territory, this edition will be the largest cycling and para-cycling event ever organised. For almost two weeks, our sport will shine like never before, powered by the Haute-Savoie region, which will rise to the occasion for this historic event.”
About the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc
From August 24 to September 5, 2027, France and Haute-Savoie will host the second edition of the UCI Cycling World Championships, an extraordinary event bringing together 20 UCI World Championships across 16 iconic venues: Annecy, Châtel – Portes du Soleil, Cluses, Doussard, La Clusaz, La Roche-sur-Foron, Les Gets, Morillon – Grand Massif, Rumilly, Sallanches – Domancy, – Pays du Mont-Blanc, Samoëns – Grand Massif, Saint-Pierre-en-Faucigny, Thônes, Vétraz-Monthoux – Annemasse, Evian-les-Bains and the National Velodrome of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (78).
More than 15,000 athletes from the 206 UCI member federations will compete for 288 UCI world titles in an event set to make cycling history. This edition will showcase a wide range of cycling disciplines, including Olympic and Paralympic events, while also giving unprecedented visibility to lesser-known disciplines and formats open to amateur riders — a true celebration of cycling, from the highest international level to participation for all.
Designed as an open and unifying event, it places gender equality and inclusion at the heart of its organisation. Created with and for the region, the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc aim to leave a lasting legacy, supporting the development of cycling, the cycling industry and year-round mountain tourism.
