Johan Bruyneel "seeking legal counsel" as fallout from UCI Chief's "personal attack" over Tour de France presence continues

Johan Bruyneel has hit back again at the UCI and David Lappartient, after what the Belgian perceives to be a "personal attack" over the banned former sports director's presence at the 2025 Tour de France.

Bruyneel made headlines with his appearance back at the Tour earlier this week, so much so that UCI Chief Lappartient spoke out against Bruyneel's presence in a statement. "Mr Bruyneel is banned for life from taking part in any activity related to cycling. While he is free to attend a cycling event registered on the UCI International Calendar - such as the Tour de France - as a regular spectator, he is strictly prohibited from participating in the event in any role or capacity, or from accessing areas that are closed to the public. This includes, in particular, areas of the Tour de France that require accreditation," read the UCI statement. "As a person serving a lifetime ban, Mr Bruyneel was therefore not authorised to be present in the Tour de France start village or team area."

"The UCI would like to add that the accreditation process for the Tour de France is not its responsibility, but rather is that of Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the race organiser. The UCI confirms that it has contacted ASO to clarify whether Mr Bruyneel was granted an official accreditation, to understand how this could have happened, and to ensure that no further accreditation will be issued to him. The UCI stresses that it is closely following this matter and will take all appropriate measures."

As the fallout continues from this incident, Bruyneel has not hit back again, this time revealing he is seeking legal counsel in order to best assess how to move forward.

"It was brought to my attention that Mr. David Lappartient, President of the UCI, issued a press release yesterday regarding my presence at the Tour de France last week," begins a statement posted by Bruyneel on X. "I can confirm that I attended the stage to Hautacam as an invited guest of the popular Belgian TV show Vive Le Vélo, where I participated as a guest speaker. That same morning, I also visited the Village Départ and the team bus area. Mr. Lappartient saw fit to publicly condemn my attendance, issuing a strongly worded statement suggesting that, due to my life ban, I was not authorized to be at the event."

"It is clear to me that this is yet another personal attack. This is not the first time Mr. Lappartient has taken aim at me in this way," Bruyneel continues. "As I’ve stated before, I felt warmly welcomed by former colleagues and riders alike—both at the Village Départ and among the teams. Perhaps this is precisely what Mr. Lappartient finds objectionable. I attended in good faith and do not believe I violated any rules—unless, of course, Mr. Lappartient believes he has jurisdiction over every aspect of my personal and professional life."

"I will be seeking legal counsel to assess the validity and legality of the UCI President’s public statement and actions," Bruyneel concludes his post. "I intend to explore all available avenues to prove that Mr. Lappartient was wrong to issue such a declaration and take legal action against him if needed. I will report further once I have obtained the necessary legal clarity."