The UCI has decided to shorten the route of Sunday's World Championship elite men's road race in Yorkshire by 23.5 km to 261 km due to expected severe weather conditions. Two laps of the Harrogate finish circuit have also been added, and the race will start at 9:00 a.m. UK time, 20 minutes later than originally scheduled.

The governing body of the cycling event announced Sunday morning that the originally planned 284.5 km race would be shortened. It will cut the Butter Tub and Grinton Moor climbs in the Yorkshire Dales and bypass the northernmost loop of the route.

The revised route will head east on 76.9 km of the original route starting in Leeds, passing through Swinithwaite, West Witton and Wensley before rejoining the original route at Leyburn and continuing southeast to Ripon and on to Harrogate.

The riders were then scheduled to do nine laps, instead of the originally planned seven.

"Due to inclement weather, the men's elite RR has been shortened to 261km and will start at 9am BST," the UCI account tweeted on Sunday morning, changing the race start time from 8:40am BST.

"The race will move east near Aysgarth and return to the original route at Leyburn. Riders will complete nine laps of the Harrogate Circuit."

A subsequent press release by the UCI stated, "Due to persistent heavy rainfall on the northern section of the elite men's road race route, Yorkshire 2019 and the UCI have diverted the route at Bishopdale Beck, outside Aysgarth, eastwards up Temple Bank and along the A684 It was decided to direct the riders to Leyburn, where the race would continue as normal," it added.

"This decision was made after extensive consultation with the UCI, our multifaceted partners, the Environment Agency and local mountain rescue teams. We put the safety of spectators and riders first and want everyone to enjoy the race, but the conditions in Dale put that at risk."

"This means, regrettably, that the race will not pass through Bainbridge, Hawes, Buttertub, Muker, Gunnerside, Leith and Grinton Moor. We know this is very disappointing for the communities in these locations who had planned events and celebrations to coincide with today's race. We are very sorry."

The 261-km-long race will still be one of attrition, with two more laps of the tough 14-km finishing circuit, but a larger group than originally expected may contest the finale.