The routes of the 2015 World Championship races to be held in Richmond were announced by its organizers in the middle of this week, with the cobbled sections inserted to a testy 16.5 kilometers-long city circuit expected to be decisive in revealing the new rainbow jersey holder.

While the course of the coming 2014 World Championships in Ponferrada, described recently as the less demanding than it was expected, leaves various scenarios possible without excluding in a definite way riders of any characteristics, the recently announced routes around Richmond were very quickly described as the ones highly suitable to classics specialists.

Even though the UCI is said to be very relentless to approve World Championships’ courses featuring cobbled sections, organizers admitted to be determined to push them through this time around and they finally managed to receive a highly desired consent.

"Traditionally the UCI frowns upon cobbles in the world championships," said Jim Birrell, managing partner of Medalist Sports.

"But when we established 5th and Broad Streets as our start line, we knew we had to work with the UCI to incorporate Libby Hill. We went ahead and put that in there, and had a site visit with the UCI officials late last year."

The UCI approved to insert the Libby Hill, the not particularly steep climb, but falling only 3km from the finish line and covered by the rough cobbles which according to organizers closely resemble the surface on the brutal Kapelmuur, one of the decisive Ronde van Vlaanderen ascents.

The Libby Hill, followed by the short 23rd Street climbs with the gradient reaching 19% at only 110m in length, was the part of the routes originally used in the US Cycling Open in 2007 won by Svein Tuft and the Tour DuPont.

"We found an old route from Tour DuPont that went up 23rd street. It's enough to wreck havoc on the peloton," Birrell said.

The beautiful urban course around Richmond is unique as the whole competition will take place on the 16.5 kilometer-long circuit around the city, with spectators being provided with a chance of seeing the peloton rolling through the streets 16 times.

"We're concentrating all of the efforts in the city of Richmond," Birrell said.

The outlying areas will be featured in the team time trial and elite men's individual time trial, but otherwise the city hosts the vast majority of the courses.

It is also highly expected that the World Championships held in United Stated will attract a strong field of riders to participate in another major events of the North American cycling calendar typically targeted by the World Tour teams connected with American sponsors, particularly the Tour of Utah, USA Pro Challenge, Tour of Alberta, and World Tour races in Montreal and Quebec.

"The fields for those Tours will be as bright as they ever could be, because there will be overwhelming interest to come over here and acclimate."

"Riders will spend three weeks racing at altitude in Utah, Colorado and then Alberta, they come back to the east coast time zone and lower elevations for Montreal and Quebec with a lot of strength in their legs."

"We're in discussion with both Utah and Colorado with regards to 2015, and I think there are some opportunities to entertain adding some team time trial elements to both of those races. It would be great preparation for Worlds in Richmond."