The much needed UCI loller thread

[CyclistAbi]

I used to watch some race recaps the duo made but when they started speaking against Rogla and as they where affiliated with Visma then i stop. As for the UCI and safety, i don't follow the content hence i don't know what exactly it is, still here i don't mind if Benji doubles down. The fact that UCI responded, regarding safety, that is an achievement in itself, so Benji has to be doing something right.

Good job.

 

[Unchained]

The next big thing for the UCI to make a decision on is professional cycling, UCI oversight on everything, from BMX, trails, track racing, bicycle gymnastics, etc.. They need to, separate out pro racing, they need to immediately have a summit with WT teams and develop some kind of salary structure, with total payroll limits that resemble what other sports have done many years ago. There is real danger to the sport because of the UAE- Pogacar effect has had on the sport. Everyone involved is bored with too much of a good thing, if UAE sign Paul Seixas and appear to spend their way to success, spend for dominance, it will turn off the public, sponsors and race organizations more than current situation.
UCI needs to do something about concentrated power. If they don't do something sport could really go backwards. Bike racing doesn't make lots of money and if world economy continues to contract likely sponsors will be harder to secure.. If you want to enter the sport with @10-20 million, will just look like a bad investment against UAE..racing a minivan in Formula one

 

[CyclistAbi]

Does Seixas want to sign for UAE, though? Top 5 teams in terms of the budget can IMHO afford him. So it's up to him in the end if he wants to change the team to select one that suits him the best. For now i don't feel there is too much money in pro road cycling and the teams can IMHO still keep up. Pogi and this younger riders are likely good for business and ever growing budgets so it likely doesn't make sense to put a cap on that for now.

 

[Unchained]

Does Seixas want to sign for UAE, though? Top 5 teams in terms of the budget can IMHO afford him. So it's up to him in the end if he wants to change the team to select one that suits him the best. For now i don't feel there is too much money in pro road cycling and the teams can IMHO still keep up. Pogi and this younger riders are likely good for business and ever growing budgets so it likely doesn't make sense to put a cap on that for now.

I would pose to you if you see @5 teams with a confident and clear financial future... Please do tell.
Cycling News lead story is that UCI is spending hundreds of thousands on fighting Sram's ten tooth cog terror device and are not spending money on trying to establish parity in the pro ranks.
It could be wrong, completely but many teams feel that if you only have @20 million to spend you can't realistically compete with someone who can spend @55+.
Dozens of articles written about teams, races who have folded because of lack of financing. Dozens of articles written about contraction.. Either races are suspended or just cancelled forever because of lack of sponsorship money.
Many things written about difficulty in attracting sponsors and maintaining them for any length of time. Under current absolutely bonkers crazy economic conditions worldwide nobody can reasonably expect that cycling available cash won't be effected like everyone else.
In the US for example, economic outlook for a once stable cycling sponsor..7-11 has grim prediction for closing @600+ stores in the US alone..

If Seixas and his advisors are like everyone else.. " show me the money "..

Last figures I read was that the powers of the purse have spent @€325,000 so far fighting Sram in court over Coggate, not including the appeals court process.
You have to ask yourself if you are trying to make decisions for what is best for bike racing is a ten tooth cog really public enemy number one?
Anyone who really knows bike riding and racing knows that a ten tooth cog can really only effectively be used by a few thousand people, and if you are able to turn over a 52,53,54x10 you either are a great pro or call some team, any team and they will sign you. A short video of you wrapping out a 53x10 at @90+ rpms will impress anyone.
The people at the UCI need to wake up and smell the cat food and know that when business is looking for impact investments in tough economic times, sponsoring bike races or teams with millions is a long shot not a sure thing..
Shimano's recalled defective cranks, declining sales probably hurt the company no doubt, but execs have to smile as UCI is trying to damage it's top competitor as they battle Sram over cassette size..
Maybe kids will sue their parents over uncool school clothes or not getting dinners they consider awesome.
If UCI has this much infighting, so much self destruction as regular behavior, that's crazy, If the UCI doesn't realize that Sram and Shimano are family, health of those companies is directly related to the health and security of the UCI, if they don't understand the relationship that is crazy.
In my opinion every action and thought at the UCI should be to foster the health, financial well being of long, long term strategic partners like Shimano and Sram..intentionally harming either would never, ever be done.. Unless you are crazy.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Unchained

I am rather confident yes, that the top 5 teams can afford Seixas if he so chooses to sign for them. Plus i feel that annual budgets will still tend to rise for a while. Now what is good for this sport on the long run and if any money involved should spread down, to "grassroots". Likely that should be done or we will get another F1. Something that could cease to exist tomorrow and nobody would really miss it or know it's gone.

 

[Wyndbrook]

@Unchained

I am rather confident yes, that the top 5 teams can afford Seixas if he so chooses to sign for them. Plus i feel that annual budgets will still tend to rise for a while. Now what is good for this sport on the long run and if any money involved should spread down, to "grassroots". Likely that should be done or we will get another F1. Something that could cease to exist tomorrow and nobody would really miss it or know it's gone.

I rather fear F1 may be missed more than a few bike races.
F1 has global interest. Other than local fans of races, media in a few cycling centric countries and a few hard core fans like us bike racing could disappear and the majority of world media would not even notice.

 

[Unchained]

I almost couldn't stop laughing, wetting myself that a starting internet reference point for pro bike racing would be F1! Two sports that are difficult to impossible to compare. F1_working hand in hand with builders to get absolutely the most cutting edge, fraction of a second faster products on the track for fans to witness.. Exactly the opposite of UCI.
We should all be laughing at that with research and development for 1... F1 team being greater than entire budget of richest bike race team.

Salaries F1 drivers 2026 | A complete overview

What does Max Verstappen earn? Check out the salary of F1 drivers in 2026 in our current overview.

racingnews365.com

That's the driver's salary not the team budget!
If you try and look for parity in fan base, ticket sales, sponsorship money, TV revenue, merchandise revenue, licensing fees, athlete salaries, prize money..
Pro bike racing doesn't move the needle.
Not because they can't, not because there are not great athletes, events, venues.. It's because it's run by people who don't know what they are doing..
If you see other multiple teams, traveling athletic events like golf and tennis..
You have athletes from all over the world, different cultures, languages, home base, similar to cycling were athletes don't participate in every event..
The people issuing towels or picking up trash on the golf course during the events are better organized than anyone at the UCI.
Any issues with uniforms, shoes, tennis shoes, racquets, golf clubs, balls.. Federation have rules and equipment manufacturers, athletes, sponsors avoid almost always looking uncoordinated, uncooperative..
In bike racing if they go months without something.. Weather, equipment, rules, cheating, serious injury or safety concerns, event security, financial security.. Folding franchises or events..
None of this can be blamed on athletes, no responsibility for the level of competition, instead it's all lack of management, lack of vision and expertise.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BZMoNI2bgdM&pp=ygUTdG91ciBvZiBoYWluYW4gMjAyNg%3D%3D


100s of millions of possible new race fans, possible paying customers and UCI doesn't have the best product for them to sample.
As they say, it's better not to show up than to show up and disappoint.
NBA and NFL have living proof, real life examples of how customers react to something other than best quality products.. In the US I think if we tried a fourth time to promote the National Cycling League we would find out the same thing.. People don't want knock offs when it comes to pro athletes.
Bike racing is a fantastic product! Shares many things with golf and tennis were consumers can get the exact same equipment that pros use, you can watch a race and ride exactly the same bike, wearing same clothing in a few days. Amazing!

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Unchained

Multiple economic models are being discussed in the past few years in regards to pro road peloton and F1 one is often mentioned. Such closed leagues are IMHO too much dissociated with fan base and people in general. So although they are good money making machines nobody would really miss them if they end exiting tomorrow. Even F1 biggest star said recently that he might decide to spend more time with the family and friends then to continue competing in F1. F1 didn't used to be such sport and people actually had feelings about it.

@Wyndbrook

I don't buy this any more, undervaluing pro road peloton. Cumulatively i feel that annual budget has increased substantially in the past couple of years and that 1 billion mark is now reachable in foreseeable future. Pro road peloton cycling stars are in my opinion known and respected on the same level as F1 stars. Pogi for example is internationally recognised and respected, although some cycling fans have hard time with the dominance involved. So we still feel this sport and cherish it dearly. Lets hope it stays like that in the future too, after even more money enters.

 

[CyclistAbi]

A billion-dollar business soon to be a relic? What pro cycling can learn from the blueprints of F1 and soccer

As the UCI asks for ideas on how to revolutionise the sport, in the first of a two-part deep dive, Cyclingnews looks at how cycling could learn from other sports, and what some of pro cycling's most forward-thinking minds believe it needs, from budget caps to ownership models

www.cyclingnews.com

Note that it's not soccer it's football. Currently i would say just copy UEFA and that is that.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Remember. the FiA, the governing body, don't run F1 on a day to day basis..........(And that is because of the European Union's anti competition laws)
Can you imagine the UCI doing similar for Road cycling?? They would need to be dragged kicking & screaming to give up their hold on Road racing.........and to let actual experts run the World Tour.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Remember. the FiA, the governing body, don't run F1 on a day to day basis..........(And that is because of the European Union's anti competition laws)
Can you imagine the UCI doing similar for Road cycling?? They would need to be dragged kicking & screaming to give up their hold on Road racing.........and to let actual experts run the World Tour.

Both FIA and UCI are governing bodies and serve a rather similar purpose. As for commercial part, FIA is leasing commercial part to Liberty Media and in terms of cycling majority of that is done by race organisers, UCI holds and manages commercial rights for World Championships.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Joint venture in between race organisers on one side and cycling clubs on the other side, UCI maybe being liaison, such commercialisation strategy would likely push cycling into becoming a multibillion sport. But the question is on how much interest there is on especially race organisers side, to do the commercialisation part like that. Currently this way of doing things likely not being a realistic option.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Both FIA and UCI are governing bodies and serve a rather similar purpose. As for commercial part, FIA is leasing commercial part to Liberty Media and in terms of cycling majority of that is done by race organisers, UCI holds and manages commercial rights for World Championships.

WRC, WEC, F1 all have a similar arrangement; another body runs the championship for the governning body.....
The World Tour needs similar; not separate race organisers, which is typically fragmented. and then we get one set of graphics, time keeping, sponsors, etc
It's already works in cycling. with the MTB World Cup - run by WB/Discovery who own the rights.......

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Axel Hangleck

With MTB World Cup indeed situation is more similar to FIA. That is UCI is governing body and commercial rights being "leased" to WBD. Cumulatively (commercially) this sport is peanuts compared to WT racing. Somewhere in a margin of statistical error.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Organisers could be smart and cooperate in some form in terms of commercialisation. If the teams would get on board too, that means some money in it for them too. That is i guess the most reasonable way forward, passing billion euro mark. Much more cycling clubs should compete and be a part of the system, at least few hundreds cross Europe in the future, maybe beyond.

Till then i feel the sport is still doing relatively good, for now. Some uncertainty, regarding sponsors, that is always involved, regardless of the model. What we need to acknowledge now is pro road peloton is on the rise and if done right it can some day take on even football. Overall football is much better as a sport then F1.

The biggest obstacle today, achieving that, is poor athlete safety. Until this area improves forget it. Nobody will support such mickey mouse attitude to athlete safety as this sport is currently promoting.

 

[Unchained]

Organisers could be smart and cooperate in some form in terms of commercialisation. If the teams would get on board too, that means some money in it for them too. That is i guess the most reasonable way forward, passing billion euro mark. Much more cycling clubs should compete and be a part of the system, at least few hundreds cross Europe in the future, maybe beyond.

Till then i feel the sport is still doing relatively good, for now. Some uncertainty, regarding sponsors, that is always involved, regardless of the model. What we need to acknowledge now is pro road peloton is on the rise and if done right it can some day take on even football. Overall football is much better as a sport then F1.

The biggest obstacle today, achieving that, is poor athlete safety. Until this area improves forget it. Nobody will support such mickey mouse attitude to athlete safety as this sport is currently promoting.

I read the CN article and had to take a shower afterwards, I just felt greasy, felt like I was witness to parent and game unrealistic,boasting about their child, family member who had a terrible game, but the mutual $$$ kissing society continues, don't let facts get in the way of a good story.
If you compare football, F1 and bike racing, with racing always positioned last for obvious reasons in all references.
Football and F1 , TV coverage.. Bike racing almost none.. Football with hundreds of millions per week tuning in to watch, F1 whenever there is a race, international mass audience, and shouldn't need to be said but I must, the TV broadcasts have big sponsors.
Athletes salaries.. Again, bike racing is nowhere
Franchises? F1 and football have standing room only, people on a waiting list.. Bike racing struggles with minimums.
Merchandising.. Go to an airport, shopping, big sporting event.. See a cycling team hat or jersey worn as part of sports fandom? Doesn't happen.. Some football teams sell gear 24\7 worldwide.. Sold, worn, enjoyed in countless countries were team will never play.
Paid ticket sales and concessions? Does bike racing have either?
Championship? Points standing? Playoffs? Bike racing doesn't have an established unit of measure? Who is the best is all over the place? TDF, rainbow jersey.. No clear standings.. Fans can't follow because pro racing can't be followed.

Sponsors? When it's written about or discussed, to include bike racing with any major sport is utterly, completely disingenuous. Golf, tennis, football, soccer( football) car racing, cricket, rugby all way way ahead in backing. Sports with prize money.. Bike racing near billiards and bowling..money in cycling can't seriously be discussed in comparison to major sports.
Business model?
Cycling doesn't charge to watch, cycling sells almost no merchandise, TV revenue or creating must see TV, bike racing can't figure it out.
If a serious journalist can sit across from cycling aficionados and they are comparing themselves or bike racing to football or F1 and you don't laugh out loud or call for medical help, change jobs.
If you are serious, a journalist could ask cycling heads..what are you doing about TV revenue? What are you doing about getting desperately needed sponsorship money into the sport?
What have you done about holding summit with teams, sponsors, race organizations about what can be done to establish common goals.. And work together towards them?
What is bike racing doing about dramatic shift in consumer preferences? Other sports and entertainment producers are doing everything they can to get in front of consumers.. Doing everything so consumers have access to events and athletes. What is cycling doing?
What is bike racing doing to market brands? Teams.. Races, riders what is being done to expand exposure and markets?
And Mr or Ms, Mrs UCI, cycling official watch this and other similar things? Do you have a comment or strategy?

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8klhEpBRo1c

Why would an outlet that does so, so much cycling coverage, just matter of factly describe bike racing as " out of control ".
What do others who know less think of how things are going? Scary how out of touch the UCI appears to be

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Unchained

For me a hot shower does wonders too, still not all that convinced by the ones saying to take a cold one, better regeneration or something like that. There is a reason on why hot shower was invented. Now too hot is bad too, warmish is just right.

As for comparing sports, basically every kid has a ball and some sort of bike and most don't ride expensive cars in some luxury destination. So if cycling would really be as badly positioned as you say, then obviously somebody has screwed up big time. It's just that it isn't, most people with a telly know what Tour de France is and on who is Pogi. I just read that one of the teenagers in cycling will try to get 8 million per season salary. What on earth will a teenager do with that amount of money? Is that even legal?

Comparing F1 and football, here i wanted to say F1 is dead as a sport, wasn't always like that, that is on why i would prefer if club based approach as seen in football would rather be pursued instead in cycling. As under all that billions one can still find sports side of it on where in F1 that aspect was removed completely. Plus i believe having a local cycling club associated with the best clubs through some sort of system in your city is something that much more resonates with regular people then some technology expeditions in exotic places that don't touch home.

As for safety and UCI indeed current situation is bad and is holding cycling back. Similar on how doping damaged cycling reputation and it took decade(s) to recover. Today the same damage is being done due to mickey mouse approach to safety.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Yeah, talented teenagers or lets say up to and including 18 years old should be subjected to having access to equipment and quality staff in their local cycling club but signing multi million professional contracts shouldn't be allowed prior to reaching lets say 19 or up. So i guess the mentioned teenager would now indeed be eligible to sign his first multi million euro contract.

 

[Unchained]

Organisers could be smart and cooperate in some form in terms of commercialisation. If the teams would get on board too, that means some money in it for them too. That is i guess the most reasonable way forward, passing billion euro mark. Much more cycling clubs should compete and be a part of the system, at least few hundreds cross Europe in the future, maybe beyond.

Till then i feel the sport is still doing relatively good, for now. Some uncertainty, regarding sponsors, that is always involved, regardless of the model. What we need to acknowledge now is pro road peloton is on the rise and if done right it can some day take on even football. Overall football is much better as a sport then F1.

The biggest obstacle today, achieving that, is poor athlete safety. Until this area improves forget it. Nobody will support such mickey mouse attitude to athlete safety as this sport is currently promoting.

Have you seen bike racing jerseys? Have you seen start\ finish line banners? Media interviews done with a backdrop of dozens of companies, with name and product placement. Governments are sold on sports, host an event and all the problems for the community, expenses will all be worth it because of increased economic activity.. Currently in the US there are storm clouds gathering around economic predictions for World Cup, all the numbers, like flights, tickets, hotels, rent a car reservations are well behind targets..
It's all about a commercialized direction.
In most communities in the US, the promises that bike racers, bike race promoters make are almost never achieved in real life. Lots of hassle, expenditures and traffic, complaining, angry public and very few see financial gains.. Bike racing promoters travel around with rose colored glasses of what TDF, start-finish towns experience and tell anyone who will listen that they will benefit similarly.

Ironic that amateur bike racing used to have a rule for forced breeding. All member clubs in USCF and later became USA Cycling, had to hold a race, just one per year to stay in good standing with the cycling federation. Many clubs would hold a time trial or an office park criterium with combined fields..1,23s together..4s separate race. Women's race was everyone, sometimes a separate 4 or 5 race. Limited advertising and grass roots sponsors, So if there was a club that was part of the federation you at least had one race. In Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, NM, Texas..there used to be a fairly robust season for racing, yes some moderate travel but a few dozen races and different clubs through the federation, based in Colorado, would do the best they could to not schedule events against each other. Gatorade, PowerBar, Coke, Pepsi,ect were easy targets for sponsorship, many do the fun run circles, @5-10k runs, often for a charity.
Fast forward.. Federation doesn't require clubs to hold a race, there are less clubs, less races and overall less people holding a racing license and using it.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Unchained

That is a rather good example, on how it actually comes down to local communities and sponsors, to drive any sport forward, especially with the lack of any support system involved. As for bigger race events, here i feel that tradition is key and part of it is cultural. So if you lack a willing local community you likely won't get a chance to build up tradition. But once you do all that the last thing you want is to sell it to somebody to squeeze some money out of it.

Great champions are good for the sport too. For example RAAM was just as important to us as Tour de France when Robič was winning it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_Across_America