Pune, 7 October 2026: The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour has been upgraded from UCI 2.2 to UCI 2.1, moving it from Class 2 to Class 1 on cycling’s international road-racing calendar ahead of its second edition from 26 to 31 January 2027.
The higher classification brings more UCI ranking points and is expected to attract a stronger international field. It comes shortly after Pune was awarded the 2032 UCI Road World Championships at the UCI Congress in Montréal, making it the first Indian city to host the event.
The inaugural race in January 2026 featured 29 teams and 171 riders from 35 countries, and drew an estimated 2.5 million spectators along its routes.
Six stages from Republic Day
The 2027 race starts on Republic Day, 26 January. The six stages will link Mulshi and Hinjewadi, Baramati and Saswad, Junnar and Rajgurunagar, Alandi and Lonavala-Khandala, Lonavala and Hinjewadi, and PCMC and Balgandharva Rangmandir, taking in city roads, rural stretches and the climbs of the Western Ghats.
UCI President David Lappartient 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.”
Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi said the upgrade would “bring stronger international participation to Pune and give Indian riders more opportunities to compete against experienced international cyclists”.
Maninder Pal Singh, Secretary General of the Cycling Federation of India, said: “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.”
