Copenhagen Worlds course under threat?

Plans for the 2011 Worlds in Copenhagen may have to be changed, since Danish politicians are reportedly unwilling to close down traffic in the city for three days.

All of the time trials are scheduled to be held on a course through the city centre, starting and finishing at the City Hall Square. The men's road race is also scheduled to start there.

However, according to sporten.dk, the million-krone income expected from the event is not large enough to justify shutting down all traffic for three days. “A group of politicians are now considering whether it is worth the traffic closure,” according to the Danish website. The group had already expressed its opposition in committee hearings, and now the issue is up before the City Council, which will make its final decision next month.

This has sent the organising committee of the Danish Cycling Union scrambling to make alternative plans.

DCU director Jesper Worre is ready to present his case, but if the decision goes against him, “we must move to another location ,” he told news agency Ritzau. Further plans will not be disclosed until the City Council makes its final decision.