London to bid for 2016 cycling world championships

LONDON (AP) -- Boosted by the Olympics and Bradley Wiggins' victory at the Tour de France, London Mayor Boris Johnson says the city will bid for the 2016 track cycling world championships.

Johnson says London has been chosen by the British cycling federation as its candidate over Manchester and Glasgow. The championships would be held at the Olympic velodrome.

Johnson says Wiggins' triumph at the Tour on Sunday "will encourage thousands more people to take to two wheels. And I want our great capital city to play its own part."

Wiggins is from London.

British Cycling will now oversee and submit a bid to the International Cycling Union.

London's main Olympic Stadium will host the 2017 athletics world championships, while the park's field hockey venue was chosen to stage the 2015 European Championships.