Florence 2013 bid launched

Following this year's UCI World Road Championships in Varese, Italy, another Italian city, Florence, has launched its own bid to host the world titles in 2013. 'FI2013' Committee members Eugenio Giani, Michele Bartoli and Gabriele Sola announced their intentions in Dugenta Salone di Palazzo Vecchio, in the heart of Florence.

Gabriele Sola, director general of the Varese 2008 worlds and the man responsible for marketing and communications at the 2004 event in Verona, has grand visions of Florence as the epicentre of cycling for a week in 2013. "The cycling world championship is, after the Tour de France, the most popular cycling event in the world," said Sola. "The television broadcast of the event reaches over 100 countries to an estimated audience of 450 million.