National federations were already pulling out of the event which was due to start on November 3
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The UCI has cancelled the 2026 Urban Cycling World Championships with just over two weeks' notice due to the security situation in the host city of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Amid a much broader landscape of conflict in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has come under fire from a series of attacks in recent days that have been linked to the Houthi militia movement in Yemen.
In the past 10 days, the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which is where the vast majority of the athletes and staff would have been flying into, has been struck in several separate missile attacks. Both the airport and aircraft have been targeted in the strikes, which have reportedly killed 18 people and injured hundreds more.
Several national federations had already taken the steps to withdraw from the Urban Cycling World Championships, which comprises BMX Freestyle and Trials and was set to run from November 3-7. Australia's federation stated on Friday that it "cannot justify exposing our athletes and staff to these risks", citing government-issued travel advice.
Several hours later, the UCI and the Saudi Cycling Federation announced that the event "will not proceed" anymore.
"The decision follows a joint assessment of recent developments in the region and their impact on the logistical organisation of the Championships," read a statement from the sport's governing body.
"The UCI regrets having to take this decision and expresses its appreciation to the Saudi Cycling Federation for their support and cooperation throughout preparations for the event. It also thanks the athletes, teams and National Federations for their understanding.
"The Saudi Cycling Federation reaffirms its commitment to developing cycling in the Kingdom and strengthening its partnership with the UCI. These efforts aim to support the growth of the sport, broaden participation and continue attracting major international cycling events to Saudi Arabia in the years ahead."
It is not clear whether the UCI will look to rearrange the 2026 Urban Cycling World Championships at some point down the line, or whether it will simply be scrapped for this year.
The event was set to have a direct impact on the qualification pathway for the Olympic Games in 2028 for BMX Freestyle.
The UCI stated it "will communicate shortly on the sporting consequences of this announcement".
The UCI Urban Cycling World Championships were first held in 2017 and took place in Riyadh in 2025 as part of a two-year hosting deal with the Saudi Cycling Federation.
- Patrick Fletcher
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