AIGLE, Switzerland - The International Cycling Union (UCI) has launched the first phase of its consultation exercise with cycling’s stakeholders to look at what changes could be made to improve the sport.
An extremely tight deadline has been set with responses from riders, teams, race organisers, national federations, administrators, sponsors, industry representatives, anti-doping organisations and sports bodies needing to be submitted by 10 December. They have been asked to make submissions on the topics of globalisation, anti-doping, riders and sports calendar. The consultation will take place in the first quarter of 2013 and is unrelated to the external Independent Commission looking into doping and the Lance Armstong affair.
Once stakeholders have responded the UCO will finalise and announce the format of the Stakeholder Consultation. UCI President Pat McQuaid said: “We will work together to tackle issues of concern and build a bright future for cycling. We will look at how we can continue the process of globalising cycling, encourage wider participation and make the sport even more interesting for spectators.”
The consultantion comes as three times Tour de France winner Greg LeMond said he is willing to run for the UCI presidency in an effort to clean up cycling's image. LeMond, 51, has called on McQuiad to stop down for the good of the sports. The American said: "It is now or never to act. After the earthquake caused by the Armstrong case, another chance will not arise.
"I'm ready. I was asked and I accepted. If we want to restore public confidence and sponsors, we must act quickly and decisively, otherwise cycling will die. Riders do not understand that if we continue like this there will soon be no money in cycling."
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