"We can take even tougher measures, but I don't think that will be necessary" - UCI director hopes compact World Cup schedule will bring enough top riders to the start
Cyclocross
While cyclocross winter has been in the full swing for a month now and we already have a new European Champion, World Cup is yet to take off. After disappointing interest among top riders to participate in UCI's "Champions League", the organisation made several changes, creating a "compact World Cup" that will include 12 rounds within two months. Hopefully, this will bring a positive trend and David Lappartient's threat of "sanctions" won't be fulfilled.
"We do indeed want to involve the riders more in the UCI World Cup and encourage them to take part in the rounds," UCI Sports Director Peter Van den Abeele confirms to Het Nieuwsblad. "And so we have chosen, in consultation with the rights holder of the UCI World Cup Flanders Classics, to organise fewer rounds this year on the one hand and to shorten the period in which the rounds take place on the other. In this way, we will have a more compact World Cup."
Last year, there were fourteen World Cup rounds with the first one already on 15 October, now there are only twelve with the first one not until 24 November. On 26 January, barely two months later, the final round will follow in Hoogerheide. Van den Abeele hopes this will prove to be a step in the right direction.
"But that is not the only thing we have done to ensure that the top riders participate in the World Cup races," Van den Abeele continues. "We have also given certain World Cup rounds the status of 'protected cyclo-cross.'" One such will be the Besançon World Cup at the end of December.
What exactly does that mean for riders? "This means that no other international cyclo-cross race may be on the programme the day before. In this way, you are going to force riders to travel to Besançon and not pass because they have a contract with another cyclo-cross the day before," Van den Abeele explains.
Chairman Lappartient suggested last winter that UCI is prepared to sanction riders who would continue to evade certain World Cup rounds. Van den Abeele doesn't dismiss the possibility, but hopes such measures won't be needed: "If we see that the trend continues and that rule is being played with, then we can play it even harder and see if we can take even tougher measures. But in all honesty: I do not think that will be necessary."
Read also
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment