The Mountain Bike European Youth Championships have been awarded to the resort of Il Ciocco in Lucca Tuscany ©Getty Images

The European Cycling Union (UEC) has announced that Italy will now host the Mountain Bike (MTB) European Youth Championships at the resort of Il Ciocco in Lucca in Tuscany.

The event had originally been scheduled for Trevano-Porza in Switzerland, but organisers withdrew.

The Lucca region has a great tradition in the sport and hosted the World MTB Championships back in 1991.

The course to be used for the event has been described as a "bikers haven".

Racing is set to be conducted in 600 hectares of natural terrain in an area which offers 42 kilometres of routes.

The competition is scheduled to take place from August 2 until 6.

The remodelled Ottavio Bottecchia Velodrome in Pordenone will host the UEC European Stayer Championships ©UEC
The remodelled Ottavio Bottecchia Velodrome in Pordenone will host the UEC European Stayer Championships ©UEC

The UEC Stayer European Championships has also been awarded to Italy and is set to take place at the Ottavio Bottecchia outdoor velodrome in Pordenone on July 20 and 21.

"The awarding of two Championships to Italy is a step forward in completing the organisation of 2023 UEC events," the European governing body's President Enrico Della Casa said.

"Thanks to the Italian Cycling Federation and its President and the off-road and track commissions, they will be held in two symbolic places for both disciplines."

The velodrome in Pordenone was named in honour of Bottecchi,  the first Italian winner of the Tour de France.

He won the race in 1924 and 1925, the year the velodrome was constructed.

The UEC have promised that further details on the schedule for both events will be announced in the next few days.