In 2025, the Ardèche and Drôme Departments (France) will host the UEC Road European Championships, the showcase event on the Union Européenne de Cyclisme’s calendar, which over five days of competition will award a total of 13 titles: Junior Road and Time-Trial, Under 23 and Elite (men and women) as well as the Mixed Relay. Approximately 1,000 athletes from over 40 countries will be in the line-up.
The agreement was signed yesterday between the President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme, Enrico Della Casa, President of the French Cycling Federation, Michel Callot and President of the local organising committee, founder of Boucles Drôme-Ardèche Organisation, Guillaume Depech.
Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme: «We are very pleased to have awarded the 2025 Road European Championships to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and in the heart of the two departments the Drôme and Ardèche, following a rigorous evaluation process of the bids received and organisations involved.
The awarding of a major sports event like the Road European Championships brings many benefits to the host region. The event attracts media and fan attention all over the continent, promoting cycling and the region itself. TV coverage of the event will be provided by Eurovision, a major European broadcaster and promote the excellence of the region to a wide audience.
The Championships, which will be held in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, will be especially significant for cycling since they will be the 10th edition of the Elite European Championships, our key event, raced for the first time in 2016, in Plumelec, France. There could therefore be no better choice than to celebrate this important milestone in France, a country which has always believed in and supported the creation of the Elite Continental Championships right from the start.
I wish to thank the French Cycling Federation presided by Michel Callot, with whom over the years we have established a strong relationship based on mutual trust, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and the Drôme and Ardèche Departments, without forgetting the towns and communities involved who are looking forward with great enthusiasm to this event in a region which is a stronghold of cycling, with the 2027 world championships as an extension and a high point.
I also would like to thank the local organising committee for its commitment, professionalism and passion, which it has become known for with the impeccable organisation of the race Boucles Drôme-Ardèche (Faun Ardèche Classic and Faun Drôme Classic), and with which they are preparing to host this great sporting event combining their skills and experience with that of the French Cycling Federation.
Michel Callot, President of the Fédération Française de Cyclisme (French Cycling Federation): "The Fédération Française de Cyclisme (French Cycling Federation) received a number of high-quality bids, and the Executive Board came out in favour of this project, which is based on experience, insight and heritage with a view to 2027, specific sporting profiles and strong support from the local authorities. The Federation is delighted with this award and would particularly like to thank Guillaume Delpech, founding President of the Boucles Drôme-Ardèche Organisation, as well as the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and the Drôme and Ardèche Departments. Their commitment and motivation have rallied a whole team around this great project.
He also wishes to thank the UEC for supporting and trusting the FFC’s ability to organise major events, like the cycling events that have been organised over the last few years.
The FFC will be keen to showcase all its experience and expertise once again in "its Land of Cycling"; a great rehearsal before the 2027 UCI Road World Championships in Haute-Savoie.”
Guillaume Delpech, President of the local organising committee-founding President of Boucles Drôme-Ardèche Organisation: «Our organising committee, Boucles Drôme-Ardèche Organisation together with our many volunteers, is honoured to host these UEC Road Cycling Championships in 2025 on a specially designed route in our region and to deliver a quality event in full co-operation with the French Cycling Federation. Our ambition goes even further than the event itself, as we are driven by professionalism to anticipate the technical and economic constraints of our future events. This legacy will be strengthened with the aim of setting up a project to structure cycling in our chosen region.»
The 2023 Road European Championships will take place in Drenthe (Netherlands) from 20 to 24 September, and those in 2024 in Limbourg-Flanders (Belgium) from 11 to 15 September.
