Pune (Maharashtra) [India], October 7 (ANI): The Pune Grand Tour has been upgraded from UCI 2.2 to UCI 2.1, marking a major step forward for the race and Indian cycling.
The upgrade comes shortly after Pune was awarded the 2032 UCI Road World Championships at the UCI Congress in Montréal, Canada, where the city was confirmed as the first Indian host of cycling’s premier road championships, as per a press release.
The second edition of the Pune Grand Tour will take place from January 26–31, 2027, featuring six stages across Pune and the wider district, with the higher UCI classification expected to bring a stronger international field and a higher level of competition to the city.
The upgrade follows the successful inaugural edition of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour in January 2026, which brought together 29 teams and 171 riders from 35 countries. The race also drew an estimated 2.5 million spectators along its routes, establishing the event as a significant addition to India’s international cycling calendar.
Moving from UCI 2.2 to 2.1 means the race moves from Class 2 to Class 1 on the UCI international road racing calendar. For riders and teams, the higher classification means more UCI ranking points are at stake and creates an opportunity for stronger international participation. For fans, this is expected to translate into a more competitive field and a higher level of racing across the six stages.
The 2027 edition will begin on Republic Day, January 26, and conclude on January 31, taking riders across some of Pune and Maharashtra’s most distinctive landscapes. The six-stage route will connect Mulshi and Hinjewadi, Baramati and Saswad, Junnar and Rajgurunagar, Alandi and Lonavala-Khandala, Lonavala and Hinjewadi, and PCMC and Balgandharva Rangmandir, combining urban roads, rural stretches, historic locations and the challenging terrain of the Western Ghats.
David Lappartient, President, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), said, “The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour is an important platform for the development of road cycling in India. Moving to UCI 2.1 reflects the progress the race has made and will provide an opportunity to bring a stronger level of international competition to Pune. A race of this scale gives riders greater exposure to international racing, while helping teams, officials and organisers gain valuable experience at a higher level. It also allows Pune to showcase its roads, landscapes and cycling culture to a wider international audience as it prepares to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032.”
Jitendra Dudi, District Collector, Pune, said, “The upgrade to UCI 2.1 is an important milestone for the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour and for cycling in India. The first edition showed us the potential of this race and the response it received from riders, teams and people across Pune. We can now take the competition to a higher level, bring stronger international participation to Pune and give Indian riders more opportunities to compete against experienced international cyclists. With Pune set to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032, every edition of the Grand Tour will be an important step in building our cycling ecosystem.”
Maninder Pal Singh, Secretary General, Cycling Federation of India, said, “The upgrade of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour to UCI 2.1 is a significant milestone for Indian cycling. It reflects the growing stature of the race and the increasing opportunities for Indian riders to compete alongside some of the best cyclists from around the world. With Pune set to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032, races such as the Grand Tour will play an important role in building the competitive experience, organisational capabilities and wider cycling ecosystem needed to prepare for that global event. We look forward to seeing the race grow further and become an important fixture on the international cycling calendar.”
The growth of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour comes at an important time for Indian cycling. Pune will host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032, marking the first time the world’s premier road cycling championships will be held in India. The Grand Tour will provide a regular platform for international racing in the years leading up to the championships, while helping build experience across riders, officials, organisers and the wider cycling ecosystem.
The 2027 edition will therefore mark another important stage in the evolution of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, with the race combining a higher UCI classification with a challenging six-stage route and a growing international profile.
As Pune prepares to welcome the peloton from January 26–31, 2027, the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour will take another step towards establishing the city as a destination for international road cycling and building momentum towards its 2032 date with the global cycling community. (ANI)
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