The International Cycling Union

The International Cycling Union is the International Federation of cycling

It represents the association of the National Federations of cycling

It is a non-governmental, international and world-wide organisation

It was founded on 14 April 1900 in Paris by the representatives of the National Federations of Belgium, France, the United States, Switzerland and ItalyIts headquarters are in Aigle in Switzerland.

The International Cycling Union Mission Statement is:

to develop and promote all aspects of cycling

without discrimination of any kind

in close collaboration with National Federations and major associates.

By all aspects of cycling we mean:

Sport with its natural and universal values of competition, effort and character building, well-being and fair play

A healthy form of recreation as tourism and leisure

An economic, ecological and environmentally friendly transport that helps to solve the mobility problems of modern society

is an endurance sport which requirescourage, perseverance, a fighting spirit and going beyond one’s limitationsboth at an individual and collective levelwhich can be practised throughout the year

A spectacle which every year attracts tens of millions of spectators to roadsides and billions of television viewers.

Cycling

The origins of cycling: Between Tradition and Modernity

Since its origins, cycling has been constantly developing, adapting and enduring over time. In line with industrial and technological development, bicycles, athletes and competitions have also changed.

Developments in the training of athletes, new materials and changing competition courses, have also resulted in the emergence of new cycling disciplines.

Adaptation of cycling to the modern world and the development of new disciplines

“The features which have contributed to the world-wide develop-ment and spread of the bicycle are its extraordinary simplicity, cost-effectiveness and ease of use.From a sociological point of view, as a utilitarian and recreational means of transport, the bicycle has given its users a sense of freedom and helped create a movement which has led to the considerable renown and popular success which cycle sport enjoys.”

Extract from the Lugano Charter, 8 October 1996

Cycling is more than a sport

a practical, autonomous, environmentally friendly vehicle, a symbol of freedom, which is an integral part of our education

one of the oldest means of mechanised transport

a culture which is rooted in the tradition of many countries

a recreational activity which encourages well-being and relaxation

The 7 disciplines of cycling:

Road cycling: courage, heroism and going beyond one’s limitations

2 specialisms: time-trials and line races

“Paris-Rouen”, one of the first road races was organised in 1869.The intention of the organisers was to promote cycling and show that the bicycle could be usedto cover considerable distances.

Today, cycling is widely recognised:Almost 20 million spectators watch the Tour de France.

Road cycling and competitions have undergone similar development.Today, the Major Tours such as the Vuelta a España, the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and traditional races such as Paris-Roubaix, Milan San-Remo and the Tour de Flandres are an integral part of cycling heritage and the history of worldwide sport.

Track cycling: strength, speed, variety and tactics

In 1893 the first track World Championships were organised in the USA.

2 specialisms:

Speed racesKilometre / 500 metres time-trialSprint, Team sprint Keirin

Endurance races: Individual pursuit, Team pursuit, Points race, Madison, Scratch

There are almost 800 velodromes throughout the world.

Cyclo-cross: versatility, uneven ground and excellent physical condition

Although practised since the 1900s, the first cyclo-cross World Championships were only held in 1950.

From a technical and physical point of view, cyclo-cross has the reputation of being one of the most difficult cycling disciplines. Because of its demanding nature, it is considered an excellent discipline for gaining cycling experience.

Mountain bike: freedom, fun, youth and technology

In the early 70s three Americans invented a new bike which could be used off road.The first competitions took place in the early 80s in California.

3 specific races

Cross-country: raced within a closed circuit over varied terrain such as fields, forest tracks and town parks.

Downhill: competitors start at regular intervals; whoever completes the descent in the shortest time is the winner.

4-cross (4X): an elimination race between 4 athletes on a downhill course.

BMX or Bicross first appeared in California at the end of the 60s, at a time when moto-cross was hugely successful. As young people did not have the money to practise this motorised sport, they built their own dirt circuits and started competing on bicycles which looked like little flying meteors.

The first World Championships took place in 1982.

BMX is practised on circuits with races which last from 30 to 40 seconds.

This sport essentially attracts young people and teenagers.

BMX: youth, adrenaline, explosive speed, technique and tactics

Trials: mastery and concentration

A discipline born in the USA. First World Championships in 1984.Consists of riders going over obstacles without putting their feet on the ground. Importance of concentration and mental strength.

Indoor cycling: elegance, interaction and dexterity

Artistic cycling is only practised in couples and requires skills such as dexterity, balance and concentration. During the six minutes of the musical programme, judges award a certain number of points to each freestyle or compulsory figure, depending on its difficulty. The couple with the highest points is the winner.

Cycle-ball is an exclusively male discipline. Each team has two players who can either be the goalkeeper or play on the field. A match consists of two seven-minute halves. The players hit the ball with either their front or back wheel to score goals while at the same time staying on the bike.

In addition to competition cycling, which is the UCI’s main sphere of activity, “Cycling For All” movement has become increasingly important from an ecological, social and sporting point of view.

The bike is a healthy and non-polluting means of transport. It can form the basis of regular sporting activity or be practised competitively.Learning to master it is a key element in the childhood of everyone.

Cycling For All

Exploring the disciplines, social interaction, recreation, relaxation and freedom

The UCI is actively involved in promoting “Cycling For All” by:

directly supporting introductory courses in the different disciplines for the public

participating in the “Velo-City” Project of the European Cycling Federation to promote the bicycle as a means of transport in town and integrate the bicycle into school programmes

creating the “UCI Golden Bike” quality label

the UCI selects the “Cycling For All” races which guarantee the best level of organisation, sporting and tourist interest. Through this quality label, the UCI encourages cycling and the international participation of cycling athletes in races open to the general public. Set up in 1999, the “UCI Golden Bike” series consists today of a dozen events in Europe, South Africa and North America.

Cycling round the most beautiful courses in the world

Throughout the world the uci represents

the interests of:

more than 170 National Federations

5 Continental Confederations

1200 professional riders

600’000 licensed riders

millions of cycling athletes who train regularly

more than a billion users

the interests of:

more than 170 National Federations

5 Continental Confederations

1200 professional riders

600’000 licensed riders

millions of cycling athletes who train regularly

more than a billion users

The uci structure:

Supreme controlling body

The Congress brings together the representatives of the recognised National Federations each year.The Congress elects the Management Committee to which it delegates, under its supervision, the management of the UCI.

Decision-making body

The Management Committee consists of 15 members and meets three times a year. It is empowered to take decisions and to immediately undertake any action required by given events. It acts with flexibility and speed.

Operational body

The Administrative Service consists of professionals and former elite sports people supported by experts who meet up in commissions.It undertakes all operational tasks resulting from the Management Committee’s decisions.

The administrative service of the uci

Its role is to develop and promote cycling on a worldwide basis, by:offering its services and competencies to National Federations and other bodies of the cycling movementsupporting training and development activitiesanswering the needs of riders through concrete and new initiativesrepresenting cycling to sports and public authoritiesgoverning cyclingorganising World Championships and World Cups

Around fifty employees and ten nationalities.

The Administrative Service combines former cycling champions’ experience and knowledge of the sport with the skills of professional experts.

The professionalism and excellence of the Administrative Service allows the UCI to respond to complexdemands which International Sporting Federations are faced with

Organisation of the Administrative Service

uci activities

Sports co-ordination

administratively supports each cycling discipline vis-à-vis all partners: National Federations, Trade Teams, Race Organisers and sportsmen and women

registers almost 1200 professional road racers, from around fifty countries

registers more than 1600 international races, from all disciplines, on the UCI calendar

produces and updates the regulations of each discipline which clearly define the fundamental principles of cycling and guarantee their standardisation throughout the world

appoints and trains more than 650 international commissaires who guarantee the legality of international competition proceedings for each discipline through the application of UCI regulations.

Organisation and supervision of international events

World Championships and World Cups for each discipline

6 prestigious World Cups representing more than 50 races

8 World Championships, major events for all cycling disciplines

These events are passionately followed by more than:350 million television viewers for the World Road Championships more than 150’000 spectators on the course for the “elite men” race of the World Road Championships 100 million television viewers for the World Road Cup.

“Cycling For All” events: The Golden Bike series, a UCI label

Set up in 1999 by the UCI to encourage the practice of “Cycling For All” and increase international participation in cycle touring, it covers superb races and brings together more than 100’000 participants in total.

The Professional Cycling Council (pcc)

Road cycling was an important forerunner in the sportsworld, with riders being remunerated from the year 1868 onwards.

Since the 28 January 2000, professional cycling is managed within the UCI by the Professional Cycling Council (PCC)

It has 12 members representing the interests of:

the UCIthe National Federationsorganisers through the International Association of Cycle Race Organisers (AIOCC)riders through the organisation Associated Professional Cyclists (CPA)teams through the International Association of Professional Cycling Groups (AIGCP)

it acts as a mediation body between the economic and sporting interests of professional cycling.

Its principal tasks are to:

organise and administer elite men road cycling racesproduce the regulations for professional Trade Teams and draw up the international UCI calendar for higher class racesregister first and second division Trade Teams.

Actions performed:

reform of the UCI calendarreform of team classificationend-of-career compensation for professional ridersjoint agreement on the working conditions of riders.

Solidarity and development the challenges of the uciA project co-ordinated by the Sports Practise Department of the UCI

The UCI solidarity and development policy

The UCI, in collaboration with the wealthiest National Federations, helps the least favoured nations to structure and improve their activities in all cycling disciplines. The aim of the UCI solidarity policy is to encourage a sustainable development in order to enable the least favoured nations to be independent in terms of their sporting activities.

The World Cycling Center is the concrete expression of the UCI’s development policy.It lies at the center of a cycling development network based on the Continental Centers, National Federations, National Technical Centers and Continental Olympic Associations.All of this is supervised and co-ordinated by the UCI.

Funding is provided by Olympic solidarity programmes and the UCI

Young talented riders from countries which do not yet have a sufficient training infrastructure, together with track, road, mountain bike and BMX specialists all come to the World Cycling Center to participate in courses and to benefit from cutting-edge training facilities.

Highly-experienced UCI trainers prepare the training of young people with the aim of ensuring their participation in the Olympic Games.

Advanced courses are given by the UCI for cycling trainers, commissaires and leaders from around the world.

The UCI Documentation and Information Center consisting of almost 400 written works, 700 video cassettes, DVDs and 60 journals is open to the public.

Education and training contribute to the development of cycling throughout the world

Education and training

Copyright UCIPhotographs:UCIPaolo PellizariHannes Roth

Contacts:

International Cycling UnionCH-1860 Aigle - SwitzerlandTel: +41(0)24 468 58 11, Fax: +41(0)24 468 58 12

info@uci.ch, www.uci.ch

For all questions, please contact: info@uci.chfor the attention of Mrs Fabienne Pini, UCI Head of Internal Communication