Course details for the UCI 2022 Road World Championships in Wollongong were released Thursday, revealing that the city circuit and the climb of Mount Pleasant will be pivotal in shaping the race.

The 164.3 km race for the women's elite and under-23 age groups will conclude with six laps of the corner-filled city circuit. The race starts in Helensburgh and runs along the coast, with one lap of the Mount Kila Loop before heading to the technical finish circuit. With an elevation gain of 2,433 meters, the main climb is Mount Keira, but the difference is considerably greater

as the race repeats Mount Pleasant on the urban circuit six times.

The 266.9 km men's elite race follows the same pattern as the women's with an elevation gain of 3,945 m, but athletes will complete 12 laps around the city circuit before crossing the finish line in Wollongong. This means 12 laps around Mount Pleasant, which has a 1.1 km climb with an average gradient of 7.7% and a maximum gradient of 14%.

The overall shape of the course for the September 18-25 event was announced late last year, but the distance, elevation gain, and number of times the major circuits would be covered had not yet been revealed because border closures due to the COVID-19 epidemic made it difficult for UCI delegations to visit. However, the easing of restrictions paved the way for the February visit and the final sign-off on the route where the battle for the rainbow jersey will unfold in 2022.

"The UCI delegation that visited Wollongong in February is very excited about the tough, technical, and ambitious courses that the organizing committee has designed in cooperation with the UCI," said UCI President and CEO, Dr. David H. Harris. These courses will attract the world's top riders to Wollongong."

With the final climb up Mount Pleasant, 7km from the finish line, the road race is expected to attract a variety of rider types, from punchers to GC contenders and perhaps even some very determined and uphill-savvy sprinters. The time trial course is not without its challenges either, with plenty of corners in the 34.2 km distance for both elite men and women.

"Many people think of Australia as flat, open and all about the sea, but Wollongong has all the elements that make road cycling dynamic and challenging, from the steep Mount Keira climb through the steep slopes to the urban climb up Mount Pleasant," race Director Scott Sunderland said in a statement.

"It will test the strategic and athletic skills of the riders as they navigate the Wollongong City Circuit and time trial course.

The focus of all rainbow jersey events is on Wollongong. Wollongong is located on the coast, just 80 km south of the center of the nation's largest capital, Sydney. They start in Helensburgh, which is located roughly halfway between Wollongong and Sydney.

The 2022 Road World Championships will begin with the men's and women's elite time trials on Sunday, September 18 and end with the men's elite road race on Sunday, September 25. The event is expected to draw 300,000 spectators and more than 300 million viewers worldwide.