October 15, 2003 (Hamilton, ON) – On Friday, October 10, 2003 an evening gala saw 750 people involved with the Hamilton 2003 Road Worlds assemble at the Hamilton Convention Centre for a  special evening of wine tasting, dinner, and celebrations with presentations that paid tribute to the many key people who made the event a reality.

The evening began with mingling and the fabulous tastings of a wide array of Canadian wines on display, as members of the crowd mixed with conversation about the races, the cultural festivities, the event overall, and the highs and the lows from the week of racing as the energy was building for the final two main events to come: the next day's elite women's event, followed by Sunday's elite men's road race.

At dinner, the audience was treated to several charismatic and enjoyable speeches from Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, and UCI President Hein Verbruggen, as well as CCA past president Brian Jolly and others. Verbruggen's sharp wit was enjoyed by all and his enthusiam for the Hamilton event and Canadian cycling at large made for a very warm evening. Copps delighted the audience as she switched from English, to Italian, to French, and even some Dutch in honour of Verbruggen.

CEO of the Hamilton 2003 Road Worlds Organizing Committee, David Braley was the final speaker and in keeping with tradition, passed the UCI flag to Mr. Giovanni Rana from Verona, Italy, where the 2004 Road Worlds will be staged.

All in all, the night's festivities were a great celebration of the long road travelled by many to bring the Road World Championships to Hamilton, and those who attended had a wonderful evening.