UCI Track Cycling World Championships 2017 in Hong Kong

Interest in track cycling continues to grow, and Hong Kong is set to host the sport’s world championships April 12–16.

This year will mark the first time the championships will be in Asia since 1990, when the top track cyclists decamped to Japan to compete. The championships are organized by the Union Cycliste International, cycling’s governing body, and feature 10 different disciplines for both male and female riders.

Races take place on a banked track inside a custom-built velodrome, with gold, silver and bronze medals up for grabs. Traditional powerhouses of the sport include France, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Italy, with the United States ninth in the all-time medals table.

The cheapest general adult ticket is available for $15, during the afternoon sessions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Prices rise to $51 for the Sunday afternoon session, when many of the medals will be awarded.

Hong Kong is an amazing destination in its own right, with a fascinating local culture. Until 1997 the island was a British Dependent Territory, at which point it was handed back to China.

In recent years, pro-democracy protesters garnered an increasing amount of attention, and visitors will be fascinated by the mixture of cultures on display. Whether you want to see the cycling or not, it’s worth thinking about a trip to Hong Kong.