India, Oct. 8 -- The Pune Grand Tour has been upgraded from UCI 2.2 or Class 2 to UCI 2.1 or Class 1, raising the international status of the six-stage cycling race ahead of its second edition in January 2027, district collector Jitendra Dudi said on Wednesday.

"The upgrade means the race will move from Class 2 to Class 1 on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) international road racing calendar, with more ranking points at stake and the possibility of attracting a stronger international field. This will help us before the 2032 Cycling World Championships," Dudi said.

The 2027 edition will be held from January 26 to 31, beginning on Republic Day and covering Pune and parts of the district. The race will be held over six stages connec...