EF boss Jonathan Vaughters blasts the UCI on eve of 2025 Tour de France: “Unable to make good decisions and managed by politicians who don't understand the sport"
Cycling
Jonathan Vaughters has never been one to keep his thoughts to himself when it comes to the important matters of the sport. And ahead of the 2025 Tour de France, the American boss of the EF Education-EasyPost team has blasted the UCI over his it's handling of rider safety.
The safety of the riders in the peloton has been a growing concern over recent years, with more and more notable voices in the sport questioning whether or not the UCI's methods and improving things are really in the best interests. In comments made to The Guardian ahead of the 2025 Tour de France, Vaughters has brought this topic right back into once more.
Accusing the UCI of being “unable to make good decisions when it comes to safety or the governance of the sport,” and claiming the governing body is “managed by politicians and bureaucrats who do not understand the reality of the sport,” Vaughters certainly doesn't hold anything back in his brutal assessment of the UCI's handling of the sport.
Vaughters also comments on the frustrating nature of how those in charge of the sport are even elected. “They were put in place by the votes of other politicians who have never had their skin ripped off by the road,” he fumes. “The riders, coaches, doctors and mechanics in the sport have zero democratic vote in who runs the sport. The people who have real, hard-won knowledge are pushed to the outside.”
As mentioned, Vaughters certainly isn't alone in his criticisms of the UCI. Such recent changes made by the governing body to improve safety, such as the limiting of handlebar sizes, the idea to limit gear ratios, and force a reduction in rider speed, have been widely criticised, with the UCI openly questioned by the likes of Vaughters and Team Visma | Lease a Bike boss Richard Plugge among others.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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