The UCI is preparing to engage in discussions with the Saudi
investors backing the One Cycling initiative, according to UCI president David
Lappartient.
“Of course we want to enter into discussions with the Saudi
investors,” Lappartient told WielerFlits. “We are always open to sit down with
potential investors in our sport. I have told the Saudi investors that they are
welcome in cycling. But, we have to do it together and work together. You can’t
come in and tell us how to organize our competition without having good, solid
discussions with the UCI.”
Lappartient indicated that previous contact with the group
was limited and came too late in the process to be meaningful. He pointed to
existing relationships with senior figures in Saudi Arabia but noted that
conversations around OneCycling have remained at a relatively low level. “We
will probably have to take it to a higher level to find a solution.”
Despite growing attention around the project, the UCI
president admitted to confusion about its fundamentals. “I still don’t know how
OneCycling is supposed to work. And how the business model works. We as UCI
asked the representatives these questions. We didn’t get any clear answers.
That’s an important point for us. We can’t have two divisions in the WorldTour.
One with the races in One Cycling and one with the races that are outside One
Cycling.”
He also reiterated a rule-based objection to the concept of
teams organizing races. “The other important point is that the teams cannot be
the organiser of races or a series of races. That combination is not allowed
according to the UCI rules. And that is also something we do not want.”
Lappartient confirmed that a formal meeting with Saudi
officials is likely to happen later this year when the UCI Urban World
Championships take place in the country. “I will definitely talk to the Saudis.
We have the UCI Urban World Championships in Saudi Arabia this fall and I will
definitely meet the people involved there.”
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Looking beyond the OneCycling debate, Lappartient emphasized
the importance of building on recent progress. “First of all, I want to
continue the good work we have done in recent years. It is important to
continue to grow the sport worldwide.
“A key point will certainly also be the Super World
Championships. We saw in Glasgow 2023 that combining the different disciplines
in a compact programme was a great success. Our goal is to continue this and to
make this Super World Championships one of the biggest sporting events in the
world.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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