NZ to host junior cycling champs

New Zealand has been awarded the 2012 junior world track cycling championships, which will be staged in an indoor facility in Invercargill.

The championships are expected to attract up to 400 riders from more than 30 countries.

BikeNZ, which applied to the Union Cycliste International (UCI) for the championships in association with Cycling Southland, said the event would provide a massive boost for the sport.

"It will provide a huge profile for the sport in this country," BikeNZ chief executive Kieran Turner said.

"The best young riders in the world will be here and without doubt many will go on to compete in the 2016 Olympics and among them will be some absolute super stars of the future.

"A large majority of the current stars in the sport, whether that is on the track or the road, have come through the world junior championships. It's going to be an opportunity to see tomorrow's stars today."

Turner said New Zealand riders would benefit greatly from having the championships contested in this country.

"We have real financial constraints in sending teams away. For instance this year there's only 10 riders going to the junior worlds in Russia and while we are putting in a six figure amount, each rider has to find more than $9000 to compete.

"So the junior worlds in New Zealand will give us the chance to fill our full allocation of spots and provide a real kick start to our Olympic campaign for 2016 and beyond for our high performance riders of the future."

It will be the second time New Zealand has hosted the junior world championships, which were held outdoors in Wanganui in 1983.