Depending on who you converse to in skilled biking, the One Cycling reform venture that goals to shake up and modernise the game has both been signed-off and will likely be introduced inside two weeks, or remains to be up within the air and delayed even additional because the UCI attempt to impose their political affect.
One particular person concerned within the creation of One Cycling advised Cyclingnews at Tirreno-Adriatico that an settlement in precept has been reached between a lot of main groups and race organisers to kind the administration firm and at last start the work on the venture.
The Saudi Arabian SURJ Sports Investment fund, which is managed by the Saudi PIF sovereign wealth fund, has additionally apparently confirmed their involvement and is broadly anticipated to finance One Cycling through a €250 million funding.
SURJ CEO Danny Townsend is claimed to be eager to develop into a serious energy dealer in skilled biking, even when some query his understanding of the game and talent to ultimately strike a cope with the UCI and Tour de France organisers ASO, who’ve at all times mentioned they’re in opposition to One Cycling and any menace to their dominant place within the sport.
One Cycling enterprise fashions have been created, protecting income streams, tasks and ambitions for 5 and even eight years, with a begin in 2026 nonetheless doable regardless of looming deadlines to register WorldTour races on the calendar for subsequent season.
Cyclingnews obtained a 150-page doc final yr that particulars One Cycling’s plans and ambitions. They embody way more VIP hospitality areas at races and maybe even charging followers to see races at particular places alongside the route. Digital expertise and trendy advertising strategies can be harnessed to monetise occasion rights, digital platforms, betting, gamification, merchandising and fan membership.
Cyclingnews understands that the long-term targets for One Cycling may even embody a wage cap and a sort of US sports activities ‘draft system’ for the most effective younger rider and funds to growth groups who uncover after which move on the most effective rising skills.
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The key shareholder groups and race organisers would work collectively and comply with ship their greatest riders to races which are the One Cycling calendar. Journalist Chris Marshall-Bell wrote on Escape Collective that the 16-race sequence may embody current races in Africa and North and South America, with a season finale occasion in Saudi Arabia.
Founding groups akin to Visma-Lease a Bike, EF Education-EasyPost, Lidl-Trek and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and main race organiser Flanders Classics are quietly satisfied that One Cycling will occur quickly or later and in time for the 2026 season. They hope the venture can generate new income streams for groups and organisers alike.
They believed the identical factor final spring after which final summer season, just for One Cycling to hit the rocks and be delayed. Now they’re satisfied it’s now a matter of when relatively than if.
With financing and enterprise plans in place, the most important impediment now appears to be the UCI and President David Lappartient, because the Escape Collective additionally reported.
Lapppartient has set out the UCI’s so-called crimson line limitation and is attempting to make sure that One Cycling will not be a breakaway league of insurgent groups and organisers however as a substitute is included into the present construction {of professional} racing, even perhaps with wider assist of different stakeholders and even Tour de France organiser ASO.
However, the Frenchman is extraordinarily busy with the International Olympic Committee presidential elections and that appears to have once more delayed One Cycling’s first official announcement.
The Lappartient aspect
One particular person concerned within the One Cycling venture advised Cyclingnews that an preliminary announcement might be made within the subsequent two weeks. That timeline would slot in with the IOC elections however appears optimistic. The IOC members will vote for the brand new president on March 20 through a secret and infrequently Machiavellian poll two days earlier than this yr’s Milan-San Remo and the brand new Milan-San Remo Women.
Lappartient is considered one of seven candidates and in current months he has travelled the world, combining official biking journeys together with his election campaigning. Lappartient will not be the favorite however is a darkish horse, who may emerge within the vote that’s akin to the Vatican conclave choosing a brand new Pope.
Whatever the end result, the IOC election is a watershed second for Lappartient’s profession and doubtless for professional biking.
If he wins the vote, Lappartient would develop into essentially the most highly effective particular person in world sport and enhance biking’s stance within the Olympics and the world. If he loses, the gloves are anticipated to return off and Lappartient will take full management of biking, particularly at skilled stage and so maybe attempt to embrace One Cycling for his personal profit.
Lappartient now seems to have important sway over the success of One Cycling. The UCI can both embrace it and assist it develop, claiming duty for any progress in biking’s funds and status, or use their thick rule e-book and Swiss legal professionals to throttle it at each flip, as ASO at all times seems eager to do with their rivals.
To work, One Cycling wants a lot of preliminary shareholder groups and organisers. More than the minimal of ten groups have apparently now signed up, even when different key groups have opted out, particularly in France. Flanders Classics are an necessary issue because of their rising portfolio of races and talent at monetising followers through hospitality and occasions.
Two influential gamers sitting on the One Cycling fence
Despite some optimism in regards to the creation of One Cycling, two influential gamers are nonetheless sitting on the fence and seeing which method the wind will blow. Like the UCI, they might develop into decisive in One Cycling’s success or in the end result in its failure.
Tadej Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG crew have at all times refused to decide to the One Cycling venture, opting to not remark when requested by Cyclingnews.
They have taken a impartial place, not popping out for or in opposition to the venture, maybe to guard their relationship with the UCI and ASO. They don’t want the SURJ funding cash to outlive and so can wait and watch what occurs. Just prefer it’s exhausting to see One Cycling taking up with out the Tour de France, it’s equally tough to see it absolutely succeeding with out biking’s largest star, Pogačar.
Giro d’Italia organiser RCS Sport can also be watching and ready to know what’s of their greatest enterprise pursuits.
RCS Sport have traditionally been bullied by ASO and overshadowed by the Tour de France however present proprietor Urban Cairo is an astute businessman who as soon as did promoting offers for Silvio Berlusconi’s tv channels. Moreover, no person understands the darkish arts {of professional} biking politics like his veteran race director Mauro Vegni.
Cyclingnews was lately advised that Cairo and his crew refused a proposal to promote RCS Sport and the Giro d’Italia to Saudi buyers final yr, deeming the worth just too low. However, it appears doable that RCS Sport may welcome a minority investor to permit Cairo to monetize his sporting property.
RCS Sport is near saying a deal for PIF, or considered one of its many manufacturers, to sponsor the Giro d’Italia chief’s jersey. It will likely be PIF’s and Saudi Arabia’s first step into skilled biking, however is unlikely to be their final.
RCS Sport might be tempted to hitch One Cycling even when they continue to be below Italian management. Their portfolio of races, together with the lads’s and girls’s Giro d’Italia, Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and Il Lombardia, would give the One Cycling venture way more gravitas and way more alternatives.
The speedy One Cycling timeline is directly easy and as hazardous as a Grand Tour mountain stage within the snow: first the IOC will elect a brand new president on March 20. Depending on whether or not David Lappartient wins or loses, the One Cycling venture may then both speed up shortly, or flounder but once more.