Hong Kong to host 2017 world track championships

Britain's Brian Cookson, President of International Cycling Union (UCI) attends the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in London, Britain, March 2, 2016. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

LONDON (Reuters) - Hong Kong will host the 2017 world track cycling championships, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) said on Saturday.

It will be only the second time the showpiece event has been hosted in Asia, following Maebashi, Japan in 1990.

"I am delighted that the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships will be held in Hong Kong," UCI president Brian Cookson announced at a news conference at the London velodrome currently hosting this year's championships.

"The fact that the event is going to Asia for the second time marks an important milestone in the further globalisation of track cycling."

Hong Kong won its first ever Olympic medal in cycling in London four years ago when Lee Wai Sze took bronze in the women's keirin. She also won a world silver medal on Friday in the women's 500m TT at the London velodrome.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Rex Gowar)