IOWA CITY — An Iowa City delegation traveled to Koksijde, Belgium, last month to hand deliver a bid to host a 2016 World Cup of cyclocross race next September.

The group hopes to leverage Iowa City’s annual Jingle Cross race, which is being held this Friday to Sunday at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, to show the area is suitable. In its 12th year, Jingle Cross has grown into one of North America’s largest and most challenging cyclocross events, known for its steep hill dubbed Mount Krumpit, organizers said.

“We went as a group to show them we are ready in Iowa City to host a World Cup of cyclocross,” said John Meehan, founder of Jingle Cross in 2004.

Meehan joined City Manager Tom Markus and Josh Schamberger, president of the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, in presenting the bid to Union Cycliste Internationale Off Road Chief Peter Van den Abeele and his council before the Koksijde World Cup race Nov. 22.

UCI is the world governing body for professional cycling recognized by the International Olympic Committee. UCI organizes Tour de France and several World Cup races each year, among other events, and has been expanding outside Europe.

In September, Las Vegas hosted the first World Cup ever held outside of Europe.

Cyclocross courses typically are 1.5- to 2-mile loops over paved, dirt and sand surfaces, through woods, over obstacles and up and down hills. Races last 45 minutes to an hour.

A UCI official will attend Jingle Cross this weekend to inspect the course as a final site visit, Schamberger said. A decision is expected in January, he said.

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Jingle Cross has grown from a few dozen riders to a three-day event with 63 amateur and professional races, 2,600 participants and sponsors including Carousel Volkswagen, Scheels and Musco Lighting. The free event includes cycling vendors, music, microbrewed beer, food and other drinks.

If the World Cup bid is successful, the men’s and women’s World Cup races would be held Sept. 24 and be broadcast internationally on Telenet, Schamberger said. The Jingle Cross, annually held around Thanksgiving, would be moved to Sept. 22 and 23 to coincide with the World Cup, he said.

“These are the Super Bowls of the sport, the absolute best of the best,” Schamberger said.

Other cities are also bidding for the event, but Meehan and Schamberger said the hand delivery and the renown of the course makes Iowa City a strong contender.

“I am fully confident we are going to win the bid,” Meehan said. “Many riders think it is deserving. They see it as a challenge to pro riders; the course is that difficult.”

Schamberger said the area would be expected to cover some costs in the range of $35,000 to $50,000 for moving equipment and hosting UCI officials, among other expenses. However, he said the event would more than recoup the costs and draw 15,000 to 20,000 people to the area.

“It is a unique opportunity to show off our community,” Schamberger said. “There is a positive economic impact of being a World Cup site.”

Markus deferred questions about the event to Schamberger, but said tax money was not used to pay for his travel.