Benidorm to host UCI Gala after seven year hiatus

The UCI Gala is returning to Benidorm, Spain, in early December after a seven year absence. The last edition of the event took place in China in 2019, but subsequent years were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UCI President David Lappartient stated that Benidorm is the ideal location for the prestigious event, noting the city's close ties to the sport as a training hub and host of World Cup cyclocross races. The gala will honor the top performers of the 2026 cycling season, including awards for the best male and female riders, teams, and countries based on UCI rankings.

In separate Dutch cycling honors, Mathieu van der Poel and Demi Vollering were named the best Dutch cyclists of the season at a gala in Utrecht. Van der Poel received the Gerrit Schulte Trophy for the fifth time, while Vollering was awarded the Keetie van Oosten-Hage Trophy for the second time. Both athletes were absent from the Utrecht ceremony.