Centennial Park | Fayetteville, AR

The City of Fayetteville is scheduled to host the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships at Centennial Park. This will be the second time the event has been held outside of Europe, with the first being in Louisville in 2013. Cyclo-cross races consist of many laps around a short course that features pavement, dirt trails, grass, and steep hills and obstacles. This type of course may require riders to quickly dismount and carry their bike through whatever obstacle or hill they face. It resembles many styles of cycling, such as mountain biking, cross-country cycling, and criterium racing. With cyclo-crosses’ growing popularity, the decision to host the 2022 championships in Northwest Arkansas proves our region’s versatility to host events such as this one. 

With the announcement of the world championships being held at Centennial Park in Fayetteville, city officials and partners are coming together to ensure that the event can reach its full potential. Centennial Park, located on Millsap Mountain in Fayetteville, is currently under construction not only in preparation for the championship event, but also to enhance biker’s experiences when they come to Northwest Arkansas. The Walton Family Foundation, the City of Fayetteville, and a non-profit called NWA Trailblazers are working together to create a 228-acre “cycling-activated park with state-of-the-art cyclo-cross and mountain biking facilities.” The park currently has 4 operating trails ranging in difficulty for bikers to utilize. Once complete, Centennial Park will feature 9 trails totaling 11 miles as well as a center gathering place for events such as the cyclo-cross championships. The designs for the Centennial Park Pavilion were just released to the public. It will be a 2,000 square foot facility housing restrooms for park users as well as shaded space for events.