#2BFayetteville

article in "Next City." In June, the 141-year- old League of American Bicyclists named the City of Fayetteville a Silver Bike Friendly Business, ranking it as the sixth in the nation. The title is for four years and it's the second time Fayetteville received the honor, having done so in 2016. The Chamber of Commerce and the Fayetteville Public Library were also announced in June as Silver Bike Friendly Businesses. The bike bonanza in NWA has enormous economic impact as well. Clark calls the network of trails "ribbons of commerce. You can count the dollars they create just by the traffic on the trail. You can see living complexes. We're growing to be not just an Arkansas city or a regional city but a national city in the heartland and hopefully an international city." Cyclo-cross comes to Fayetteville In just a few months, Fayetteville is going to be an international village decked out with flags from all over the world. Some 21,000 visitors from over 40 countries will roll into town for the 2021 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup and the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. The first, the World Cup, is set for October 13, building up to the World Championships on January 29-30, 2022. About 300 cyclists – elite level men and women athletes – will be racing in both events and watched on international TV by 500 million viewers. These races are typically held on European soil, so for the Switzerland- based Union Cycliste International to have chosen Fayetteville as the stage for the two epic events is "very exciting and quite an honor," said Molly Rawn, CEO of Experience Fayetteville, host of the cyclo-cross races. Only once before has a U.S. city hosted the UCI World Championships and that was Louisville, Kentucky in 2013. To explain the difference between the two races, "think of the World Cup as an NFL game and the World Championships as the Super Bowl," said Brannon Pack, Experience Fayetteville's cycling coordinator. To Mayor Lioneld Jordan, it's an extraordinary opportunity to display the city's hospitality and cycling attractions. "I'm looking forward to welcoming visitors from across the globe to Fayetteville for the 2021 Cyclo-cross World Cup and the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. These events will bring together incredible athletes and spectators from many different countries at Fayetteville's Centennial Park at Millsap Mountain. "This beautiful, state-of-the-art cycling activated park is for everyone – from the beginner to the advanced, the local resident to the international visitor. I can't think of a better place to help showcase Fayetteville's commitment to welcoming everyone, 16

• Cover