While some key plans are yet to be finalized, officials responsible for the 2003 World Road Cycling Championships in Hamilton, ont., are not worried-it's full steam ahead.

Next year's global competition will be held in the southern ontario city from October 6-12, 2003, and will see 800 to 1,000 participants, including 250 of the world's best cyclists. Along with the Championships, a host of other events will be staged, and organizers anticipate that 800 in the media will apply for credentials to cover the event.

Larry Russell, the chairman of the Road Worlds 2003 board of directors, responsible for putting on the championships, believes that conservatively speaking, the event will attract 300,000 spectators. “It could be the largest sporting event in the world next year,” he said. “There is no World Cup soccer and there are no Olympics.”

One important facet still to be firmed up is funding. “The federal government has committed $10 million, which will be handed over when we're ready to spend it. But provincial funding has not been finalized yet,” Russell pointed out in mid-February.

Russell added that provincial officials have yet to decide how much, if any, financial assistance they will offer. “There's certainly enough there from the federal commitment to go ahead,” Russell said.

In terms of possible provincial funding, one figure being tossed around is $5 million. But that number could be increased if the ontario government gets involved with the legacy project. Organizers are hoping to build a $12-million velodrome and training facility at Hamilton's McMaster University.

The university would be responsible for raising $7 million for the project. And if the ontario government kicks in $2.5 million, the feds would match that total. Russell is confident that the financing will be sorted out shortly and that the competition will run smoothly.

Since Hamilton was first awarded the championships back in 1999, the process to this juncture has been slower than expected. The Union Cycliste International (UCI) awarded the city the competition because of an impressive bid put forth by a group of local Hamilton businessmen headed by Guiseppe Ferrara. Ferrara's group had previously submitted a bid to play host to the 2001 World Road Championships. But the 2001 event was awarded to Portugal.

Undaunted, Ferrara's group proceeded to bid for the 2003 Road Worlds, and this time was successful. It's believed that UCI officials awarded Hamilton the 2003 Road Worlds in part because at the time Toronto (and surrounding areas including Hamilton) was a top contender to host to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Toronto since lost those Games to Beijing, China, but Hamilton is now revving up to host the 2003 World Road Championships.

A year after Ferrara's bid was successful, the Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) had to step in and temporarily take charge of the competition because Ferrara's profit-making company wasn't eligible to receive federal funding to assist with the operation of the event. In 2001, the CCA turned control of the event over to a Road Worlds 2003 Organizing Committee, which consists of a 12-member board of directors.

Russell said Ferrara is still playing a key role in the event. As a board consultant, he's assisting in a number of areas, including a festival to be held in conjunction with the Championships. Besides Russell, those on the board include chairman David Braley, a Hamilton businessman who currently owns the Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions, former Canadian cycling great Steve Bauer, and CCA president Brian Jolly.

The board had its first meeting early last year. Details of the board membership and their plans were revealed during a press conference this past September.

“If you can believe it, our press conference to announce the board was on Sept. 11 in Hamilton,” Russell said. “You couldn't have had a worse time to do it [because of the terrorist attacks in the U.S.]. We went ahead with the conference because we didn't know everything that was going on that day. But, needless to say, the event was overshadowed by what was going on.”

The post-Sept. 11 world we live in has seen many changes. As an example, Russell cited that new security requirements would be necessary for the world event. Organizers originally thought local police could handle all of their security needs. But Russell said now all bases will have to be covered, which involves co-operation and discussions with officials from the OPP, RCMP, CSIS, FBI, and, perhaps, even Interpol.

“There are people who ask are you behind schedule or are you concerned about any deadlines,” Russell said. “And no, we're not.”

Russell added a representative from the UIC will visit Hamilton in late March to review security measures and make sure organizational plans are in place. In October, a Hamilton group will travel to Belgium for the 2002 Road Worlds. During that event, the local group will have to present its entire program outline to UCI representatives.