Fort William keeps World Cup through 2013

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The popular Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup will remain as a stop in the UCI's international series for at least another two years. Organizers of the Scottish event announced the news after the 2011 World Cup round held there earlier this month, and the UCI confirmed the agreement according to Lochaber News.

For 10 years, Fort William has hosted World Cup or world championship events annually. In 2011, both downhill and four cross World Cup races were run featuring 300 racers from more than 25 countries.

Anneke Beerten and Roger Rinderknecht were victorious in the four cross while Tracy Moseley and Greg Minnaar won the downhill.

All races enjoyed courses that had benefitted from £100,000 worth of upgrades.

The Fort William venue has proved popular among racers for years. It's won the best downhill World Cup award six times (most recently in 2010) and it has also been voted best mountain bike event in the world by the International Mountain Bike Trade Team Organisation (IMTTO).

The Lochaber News reported that more than £2.5 million gets poured into the local economy each year due to the event's fans, teams and media.

"The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Fort William has undergone some amazing changes in the past 10 years and is now firmly established as one of the premier events on the international circuit as well as being one of the biggest sporting events in the Highlands," said organizer Mike Jardine to Lochaber News.

"We’re delighted that the UCI has continued to recognise the classic status of Fort William by awarding a round of the world cup for the next two years."

In 2012, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup will return to Fort William on June 9-10.