The UCI has announced that as part of a move to improve its working relationship with riders, the first meeting of the UCI Athletes’ Commission will be held over the next three days at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.
World number one Philippe Gilbert (Belgium), top-ranked woman Marianne Vos (Netherlands), world time trial champion Judith Arndt (Germany), Dario Cioni (Italy) and Bernhard Eisel (Austria) represent the road riders, with this group of five being part of an overall selection of fifteen competitors. Sven Nys (Belgium) is the cyclocross representative, while Anna Meares (Australia) and Teun Mulder (Netherlands) are the two selected track riders.
The commission is completed by mountainbike riders Georgia Gould (USA) and Greg Minnaar (South Africa), BMX competitors Vilma Rimsaite (Lithuania) and Roger Rinderknecht (Switzerland) and the paracycling riders
Jiri Jezek (Czech Republic and Lukas Weber (Switzerland).
All will attend with the exception of Minaar, Meares and Rinderknecht. The UCI states that they are missing the first meeting due to athletic commitments.
Double Olympic champion and current French track cycling sprint coach Florian Rousseau presides over the commission.
Commission co-ordinator Xavier Dafflon has explained why the new group was formed, and what it is hoping to achieved. “The UCI wants to create contact with the athletes that will be as direct as possible. Until now, this has not really existed. The idea is that we will receive feedback from cyclists via the members of this Commission.”
In the past it has been said that the riders have not had a strong voice, with the race radio issue one example of where those in the peloton have felt that their views have not been heard. They have been represented through the teams’ association, but the new setup will be a more direct link with the UCI. The riders will hope that this will lead to their views been considered when policies and rule changes are drawn up.
Dafflon explained that there will be set goals this week. “For this first meeting we would like to create a team spirit among the members,” he said. “We will reflect on how to communicate with the athletes in each of their disciplines and share the information that is received.
“This is a very important step forward in tightening the relationship between the UCI and the athletes.”
The programme has been designed in order to minimise the disruption to the riders’ schedules, and they will each have time to train. UCI staff and external speakers will talk during the sessions.
Under International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, athletes’ commissions are now obligatory for any sport wishing to join the Olympic programme.
UCI Athletes’ Commission:
President: Florian Rousseau (FRA)
Road representatives: Marianne Vos (NED), Judith Arndt (GER), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Dario Cioni (ITA), Bernhard Eisel (AUT)
Mountain Bike representatives: Georgia Gould (USA), Greg Minnaar (RSA)
Track representatives: Anna Meares (AUS), Teun Mulder (NED)
Cyclocross representative: Sven Nys (BEL)
BMX representatives: Vilma Rimsaite (LTU), Roger Rinderknecht (SUI) SUI
Paracycling representatives: Jiri Jezek (CZE), Lukas Weber (SUI)