Thanks go out to Mayor Dwight C. Jones, police officials from various localities and volunteers from around the world, officials from various localities and the different agencies that showcased Richmond as a world-class city.

The UCI Road World Championships bike races were well attended by the fans and had the presence of security there if needed. Overall, it seemed as if the crowd was well behaved.

It took about five years of planning to pull off the event, but it was well worth it. Everyone was inconvenienced at times, but we navigated around the road closures and still made it to our destinations. RVA was showcased to the world and given exposure that money cannot buy.

I am sure many fans who do not live in this city will return to enjoy the many amenities this city has to offer.

The fans seemed very enthusiastic. I got to see cyclists riding around after the races and I and others greeted them and said we were glad to have them come to our city. Many citizens were doing this. It sort of became contagious.

Now that we have shown that we can handle a large event, let’s bring on the next one. Thanks, everyone, for making this event a success. Richmond, you have once again shown you are a top-tier city and that you rock.

ERNEST PARKER JR.

Richmond