Date unveiled for Wolverhampton to host Birmingham 2022 time trial

Excitement is building today (16 Oct) as the date that Wolverhampton will host the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games cycling time trial has been officially announced.

On Thursday, August 4 2022, around 90 competitors are expected in West Park to take part across the men’s and women’s events. The historic city park will be the start and finish location of the exciting time trial, which is often referred to as ‘the race of truth’.

The route will begin in West Park and Commonwealth Games organisers Birmingham 2022 are currently working closely with partners from across the Black Country to look at a suitable route for the time trial that can showcase key landmarks across the entire local area. 

Birmingham 2022 announced last month that Wolverhampton had been chosen as a venue and today they have unveiled the schedule that confirms which sports will be held on each day of the competition.

The Games, which run from 28 July to 8 August 2022, will see a wide range of sports including swimming, diving, boxing, judo, gymnastics, weightlifting and triathalon hosted in a range of venues across the region.

West Park, which opened in 1881 and is considered one of the finest examples of Victorian parkland in the country, will provide a fitting backdrop to the start and finish of the exciting cycling time trial race, featuring the very best cyclists from across the Commonwealth.  

Wolverhampton has strong links to road cycling, with the first mass start cycling road race being held in the city in 1942. Spectators in 2022 will be able to line the route of the time trial, giving local people and visitors a fabulous opportunity to view the drama as it unfolds. 

Today’s announcement was welcomed by the leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, Councillor Ian Brookfield, with the event expected to offer a strong economic boost for the city, as well as potential volunteering opportunities for the local community.  

Councillor Brookfield said: “We were thrilled that Wolverhampton was chosen to host the start and finish of the cycling time trial for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games - and now we can put the date of the race in our diaries.

“What a great event this promises to be and what a beautiful location to host it in. People from across the world will be watching us and this is a wonderful opportunity to show them what our city has to offer.

“It’s been quite the day for exciting announcements, with the news of our fantastic new music festival, Creation Day, which is also set to take place in West Park.

“These are just two examples of our commitment to relighting our city. By hosting world-class events, we are aiming to attract thousands of visitors to Wolverhampton as a destination.”

Birmingham 2022’s Chief Executive Officer, Ian Reid, said: “We’re extremely excited to be unveiling the daily schedule as we know that this will make the Games much more real for everyone, now that they can see exactly which sports will be taking place on each day.

“I’d like to thank all of the international and national governing bodies who have been working closely with us to ensure that we created an exciting schedule which also provides all competitors with the maximum period of recovery possible during what will be an action-packed summer of sport in 2022.”

The Commonwealth Games, the largest sports event to be held in UK since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will feature 19 sports, with eight para sports integrated into the programme, creating the biggest para sports offering in Commonwealth Games history.

To find out more, visit www.birmingham2022.com where you can also sign-up to receive the latest updates about the Games and hear about tickets and volunteer opportunities first.