The Republic of Belarus welcomes the participants and guests of the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.

In addition to discovering the best track riders on the planet, this event will undoubtedly become a true celebration which will unite sports enthusiasts.

Hosting such a high level and large scale sports event is a great honor for our country, demonstrating international recognition of the contribution of Belarus to the development of the best traditions of world sports. It also stands as a tribute to the outstanding performance of Belarusian athletes, who have won dozens of gold medals at the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships.

A warm welcome on behalf of the sports community of the Republic of Belarus!

We applaud the initiative of the Belarusian Cycling Federation in holding the 2013 Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk, under the auspices of the International Cycling Union.

There is no doubt that the World Championships will be a symbolic event for our country and many other nations. It will help to make the sport of cycling more popular among young people, enabling a host of amateur cyclists to experience the thrill of watching the performance of the world’s leading riders.

Hosting the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships is a great honor and a huge responsibility for the capital city of the Republic of Belarus.

The city of Minsk is a political, economic, scientific, cultural and, of course, a sporting center of the country. Minsk has a modern infrastructure and a convenient transport system. Comfortable hotels are ready to accommodate large numbers of guests, and public safety, law and order are ensured at all times.

Our numerous sports facilities fit well within the modern outlook of our city and attract sports enthusiasts like giant magnets. They meet the highest international standards in terms of functionality and flexible usage, with pleasant and appealing exteriors.

With great enthusiasm we welcome the decision of the International Cycling Union to hold the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Belarus. For us it is an important milestone in the development of the sport of cycling in our country, an honorable and responsible mission, for which we are sincerely grateful to the Management Committee of the International Cycling Union (UCI).

I strongly believe that the forthcoming event will attract huge public attention. The more so, as cycling as a sport enjoys particularly serious and dedicated attention in our country.

It is a tradition for Belarusian athletes to be among the best cycle riders in the world. Natalia Tsylinskaya, Vasili Kirienko, Olga Panarina, Tatsiana Sharakova, Alexander Lisovsky, Victor Repinsky and many other eminent Belarusian riders have entered their names in the history of track cycling competitions. They introduced a strong tradition of selfless dedication, endurance, hard work, and brilliant victories, now being followed by a new generation of Belarusian riders.