The UCI Road World Championships 2021

KNOKKE-HEIST WELCOMES UCI ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

From Saturday 18 to Wednesday 22 September, Knokke-Heist will be among the four proud host cities of the UCI Road World Championships. In fact, our beautiful seaside resort is honoured to be the starting point for the World Championships Time Trials. To top it all off, the World Championships will also be 100 years old this year. This means that we are all looking forward to a great cycling festival for young and old. We are hoping for top performances from our national cyclists, and a great atmosphere.

PROGRAMME

Saturday, 18 September
09.00 – 11.00 am: Training
Afternoon: start 01.00 - 03.00 pm: Flanders 2021 Ride
Knokke-Heist – Bruges

Sunday, 19 September
11.00 am – 12.30 pm: Paracycling (G-sport) 
Westkapelle – Bruges
02.30 – 04.55 pm: Elite Men’s
Knokke-Heist – Bruges

Monday, 20 September
10.40 am – 12.50 pm: U-23 Men’s
02.40 – 04.50 pm: Elite Women’s
Knokke-Heist – Bruges

Tuesday, 21 September
10.30 am – 12.20 pm: U-19 Women’s
12.30 – 02.30 pm: Training Mixed Team
02.55 – 05.05 pm: U-19 Men’s
Knokke-Heist – Bruges

Wednesday, 22 September
02.45 – 04.45 pm: Mixed Team Time Trials
Knokke-Heist - Bruges

ACCESSIBILITY

Inevitably, the World Championships Time Trials will have a major impact on traffic and accessibility in parts of our town. The mobility plan is intended to ensure that sporting activities can take place safely and to provide alternatives to traffic disruption.

Outline

- Consequently, Knokke’s tourist centre will be very difficult to reach by car from 18 to 22 September.
- Anyone wishing to travel by car from the east (Knokke and Het Zoute) to the west (Duinbergen and Heist) or vice versa during the training sessions and races can only do so via the A11 motorway.
- That is why we recommend using public transport whenever possible for your trip to Knokke-Heist. De Lijn (coastal tram) and the NMBS will both run extra services.
- If you still intend to come by car, please use one of the car parks on the edge of town and try out the 'park & bike' concept.
- Try to explore Knokke-Heist by bike or on foot as much as possible. All shops can be reached in this way.
- Many places will still be accessible to local traffic. 

Temporary police order

A temporary police order will also be issued for the occupation of public spaces. Private individuals, contractors and construction firms who want to occupy public roads must take this police order into account. Moreover, certain works will not be permitted between 13 and 26 September. 

The town council wishes to point out that from 1 to 26 September, there will be four red zones in Knokke-Heist.

- Zone 1: centre of Knokke
- Zone 2: the zone marked out by the streets Kalvekeetdijk (from Herenweg to Kragendijk)
- Zone 3: around Oostakkerstraat, Dudzelestraat, Herenweg, Dorpsstraat, and Waterstraat
- Zone 4: in and around the centre of Westkapelle.

Anyone intending to occupy a public road in these zones must obtain a written permit for private use, such as moving house or work on buildings. It should be noted that any action that is considered a hindrance to the organisation of the World Cycling Championships will be penalised. An administrative penalty of up to 350 euros may be imposed.

Out-of-town car parks

It is recommended that you leave your car at home during the World Championships and use public transport as much as possible. The best way to get around Knokke-Heist is by bike or on foot. If you do decide to arrive by car, it will not be possible to park in the centre. Parking will only be possible in the out-of-town car park in Nieuwstraat. Access via A11 exit 19 – You can reach Nieuwstraat 157 via Heistlaan and Westkapellestraat. The out-of-town car park is located 1.4 km from the fan zone at Knokke Station and 2.6 km from the start of the race at the Casino.

STRAVA CYCLING ROUTES

To mark the hosting of the UCI Road World Championships, the Sports Department of Knokke-Heist has developed no fewer than six cycling routes. Lubricate your bicycle chain, check your tyre pressure and pick one of the three artsy routes for recreational cyclists and families (Sculpture World Championships route: 11, 19 or 30 km). You can also choose from three routes for trained cyclists (Cyclocross World Championships route: 50, 75 or 100 km) and two MTB routes (MTB World Championships route: 23.8 or 35.8 km).

In addition, the Tourist Office of Knokke-Heist came up with a dedicated social-media route called the ‘Hearts Route’. Cycling allows you to see so much more of the dunes and follow the polder landscape a little further inland. Along the way, there are pit stops to ease the pain and replenish your reserves. At the end of the tour, you will have cycled a whopping 70 km! Don’t forget to share your Strava feat with the world!

You can find the routes on the Knokke-Heist Strava account or download the GPX files to load them onto your bike GPS.