Cycling Championships; Generations for Peace; London 2017 Ambassadors

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US Gets Cycling Championships

The United States will stage the World Road Cycling Championships for the first time since 1986.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) awarded the rights to organize the 2015 event to Richmond, Va. The decision came on the sidelines of the world road cycling championships in Copenhagen.

Colorado Springs, Colo. was the last U.S. city to host the competition. Top U.S. cyclist Taylor Phinney says the decision give the "next generation" of cyclists something to work toward.

"The road world championships haven't been held on American soil in my lifetime," Phinney was quoted by the Associated Press.

"It will certainly give me and the entire new generation of American cycling something to aspire to."

UCI also awarded Ponferrada, Spain with the road world championships in 2014 and Pietermaritzburg, South Africa with the World Cycling Tour Final in 2012.

During its meeting, the management committee also ratified the calendar for multiple upcoming competitions. It also supported the creation of an Athletes Commission with French Olympian Florian Rousseau as its chair.

Generations for Peace, Georgetown U Extend Agreement

"I don’t do it for myself. I do it for my children, and my children’s children, and for generations to come."

Prince Feisal, the chairman of Generations For Peace, told Around the Rings that the quest for peace "is not an easy road," but that it was the over-riding lesson from his father, King Hussein of Jordan.

On Wednesday – also the United Nations’ International Day of Peace – Generations For Peace and Georgetown University signed a memorandum of understanding to provide four academic awards within the school’s Conflict Resolution program. The agreement will continue through 2014. Candidates will be selected by a school committee following a competitive process.

The partnership includes the King Abdullah II of Jordan Generations For Peace Research Fellowship, a scholarship for graduate studies, and two summer field research grants. Princess Sarah Al-Feisal, President of Generations For Peace, said the Washington DC school was chosen because its conflict resolution program is one of the best in the world.

"They understand the benefits of sport for peace and can contribute," she tells ATR. "It’s a healthy partnership."

Meeghan Zahorsky, the first student to receive a research grant, was on hand for the signing. She tells ATR she spent the summer in Jordan and Palestine, and that while it is possible to measure non-violence, peace is much harder to measure.

Click here for more information: http://generationsforpeace.com/Userpages/

London 2017 IAAF Bid Ambassadors

Mo Farah, 5,000m gold medalist at the 2011 athletics world championships, was among a group of star athletes unveiled as ambassadors for London's 2017 IAAF bid.

"London is such a fantastic multi-cultural city. We have great resources, great people and a real love of sport, and it's because of this that I think it would be a fantastic host for the 2017 IAAF World Championships,"he said.

"The athletes will all have an incredible experience in my home city and can be sure that the fans will get right behind them."

Also unveiled as bid ambassadors were Daegu 400m hurdles gold medalist Dai Greene triple jumper Phillips Idowu and distance runner Hannah England.

Olympians Denise Lewis, Sally Gunnell, Jonathan Edwards, Roger Black and Steve Cram are also backing the campaign.

UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner said: "The message from the athletes loud and clear is that London is the athlete's choice. The athletes know that London 2017 will deliver an iconic venue, full of passionate and knowledgeable fans."

The ambassadors will play a crucial role in the bid process including attendance at key events in the build-up to the IAAF's host city announcement in Monaco on Nov. 11. Doha is the other 2017 bidder.

Written by AnnCantrell.