Traditional winter sports oppose the "piecemeal" idea of cyclocross among the 2030 Olympics disciplines

Track cycling has been part of the Summer Olympic Games since 1896, while Road cycling joined in 1936 after a four-decade hiatus following its 1896 debut. Since then, Mountain bikes have also found its way to the Olympic Games in 2012 with less traditional disciplines such as BMX have already made their debut. But all these years, cyclocross has been sidelined for various reasons. That could hopefully change in five years from now as the discipline could debut at the 2030 Olympics in French Alps, under the command of UCI president David Lappartient. But first, he'll need to convince the more traditional winter sports that cyclocross too belongs at the Winter Olympics.

New IOC (International Olympic Committee) president Kirsty Coventry has pledged to overhaul the programme of the Winter Olympics, with a decision on any new disciplines for 2030 to be taken in February at the IOC session that precedes the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Speaking to the Guardian in September, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe expressed his confidence, approval and hope that cross-country running as well as cyclocross would be added to the Winter Olympics schedule in 2030.

"I think there’s a good chance it’ll happen," said Coe. "And I think it’s come at the right moment, because Kirsty is certainly prepared to think differently about the programme, and what could go out of the stadium, and that mix between winter and summer."

In a statement on Wednesday, however, the Winter Olympic Federations – which represents the governing bodies of sports such as skiing, biathlon and bobsled – signalled its opposition to the inclusion of sports that do not specifically take place on snow or ice.

"The Winter Olympic Federations are firm in our belief that such an approach would dilute the brand, heritage, and identity that make the Olympic Winter Games unique — a celebration of sports practiced on snow and ice, with distinct culture, athletes, and fields of play," read the statement, reported by the Associated Press.

The body described the proposal to introduce cyclocross and cross-country running to the programme as "piecemeal." International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation president Ivo Ferriani insisted that the IOC’s "innovation should focus on evolving existing winter sports to attract broader participation and audiences."

The addition of events such as cyclocross, cross-country running and judo to the Winter Olympics programme would require changes to the Olympic charter, which states that "only those sports which are practised on snow or ice are considered as winter sports."

In September, Coe confirmed that he had discussed the idea with UCI president David Lappartient and the two gentlemen agreed in their common goals. But their opinion doesn't matter as long as the current Olympic charter remains in place.

"David’s up for it. I’m up for it. Obviously with the IOC there would have to be a variation in the charter, because it has to be with snow and ice, and there’s not been an obvious abundance of that recently. But it is, ostensibly, a winter sport, and cross-country would make more sense in the winter."