Pietermaritzburg, which has been proposed as a road cycling and mountain bike venue in Durban's 2022 Commonwealth Games plans, is set to host the Para-cycling Road World Cup event from September 11 to 13.

The addition sees the World Cup double in size with four events now scheduled for the 2015 season, with 2014 World Cup boasting only two events in Castiglione Della Pescaia, Italy and Cantimpalos, Spain.

Italy is again set to host the opening event of the World Cup, with the town of Maniago due to host events from June 5 to 7, before Yverdon-les-Bains in Switzerland stages the second event the following week from July 24 to 26.

Cyclists will then head for the German town of Elzach for the penultimate World Cup round from July 24 to 26, with the event in Pietermaritzburg now set to close the season.

The Para-cycling Road World Championships will take place in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland ©Getty Images



South African fans are likely to have several home favourites to support there, including reigning men and women's hand-cycling road race world champions Ernst van Dyk and Justine Asher.

Van Dyk received the South Africa's Sportsman of the Year with a Disability award in 2014, while Asher was a recipient of the equivalent women's honour.

The world's top Para-cyclists are also set to meet at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland from July 29 to August 2.

Both the World Cup and World Championships will see competition in handbike, tandem and tricycle events, in addition to events in the cycling class, which features cyclists on conventional bikes with minor adaptations.

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