The 2011 UCI Road World Championships took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, over 19–25 September 2011. The event consisted of a cycling road race and a time trial for men, women, men under 23, and for the first time since 2004 the junior men and junior women competed at the same event as the elite riders. It was the 78th running of the Road World Championships. Castelfidardo near Loreto in Italy was also a candidate, but Italy held the UCI Road World Championships in Varese in 2008. It was the first time that Denmark has hosted the event since 1956, when it was also held in Copenhagen.

The 2010 UCI Road World Championships took place in Geelong and Melbourne, Australia, over 5 days from 29 September to 3 October 2010. It was the 83rd UCI Road World Championships and the first time that Australia had held the event. Coincidentally, the title's defender at the road race was an Australian, Cadel Evans, who has a home in Barwon Heads, only 20 km from Geelong.