The main points of the One Biking reform undertaking, designed to shake up and modernise skilled biking, are nonetheless largely shrouded in thriller, hidden away from the followers by secret negotiations and non-disclosure agreements.
Richard Plugge of Visma-Lease a Bike seemed to be the preliminary driving pressure earlier than the concept of One Biking. Now, different groups and a few main race organisers are additionally concerned.
EF Training-Easypost, Lidl-Trek, Ineos Grenadiers, Bora-Hansgrohe and Soudal-QuickStep are a number of the largest groups within the sport, and all appear to imagine One Biking can lastly change skilled biking’s enterprise mannequin and cut back the dependency on sponsorship earnings and the necessity for fulfillment on the Tour de France.
Soudal-QuickStep crew supervisor Patrick Lefevere was as soon as the supervisor of the AIGCP groups affiliation and spent hours in conferences about doable reforms, just for them to break down or for Tour de France organisers ASO to defend their dominance of the game.
But Lefevere seems to imagine within the One Biking undertaking. The veteran crew supervisor thinks non-public fairness traders may be satisfied to bankroll One Biking and that a couple of groups can work along with different stakeholders to create one thing new that enhances their income and finally pushes others, together with ASO, to grow to be concerned.
“Are you aware why I imagine within the One Biking undertaking? As a result of if there are 4 or 5 groups concerned, it may work,” Lefevere instructed a small group of media, together with Cyclingnews, on the latest Soudal-QuickStep media day in Spain.
“It’s all the time the identical track; there are too many detrimental individuals in biking. If we simply sit right here, nothing will occur. If you wish to see a miracle, go to Lourdes, but when we wish issues to vary, we’ve to work on it and work in the identical course.
“If there are 18 individuals with their fingers on the steering wheel, it will not occur. Three, 4 or 5 groups should take the lead. If that occurs, the others will come. Then when it’s prepared and signed, you possibly can go to your colleagues and ask: ‘We did this, do you wish to be part of us or not? Even when you didn’t do something for it, you may get this a lot cash from the brand new undertaking.’
Some imagine that the One Biking undertaking may revolutionise the game and at last unite groups, race organisers and even the UCI.
Below the doable One Biking plans, a brand new non-public, commercially-driven firm, would personal and run a major a part of the game, whereas the UCI has a extra easy governance position.
Non-public fairness would bankroll the brand new firm and so the shareholder groups and organisers. It might assist create new methods to monetize completely different facets of the game and the followers in return for his or her funding.
The brand new firm would create a way of unity, like in so many different trendy sports activities, relatively than with the fixed energy battle over governance and cash that presently holds again skilled biking. With the present WorldTour crew and race licences lasting till the tip of 2025, any new undertaking may start within the 2026 season.
It’s unclear if Tour de France organiser ASO is keen to be part of the One Biking undertaking. The highly effective French organiser is the elephant within the room that holds an enormous sway on the game as a result of sporting and industrial significance of the Tour de France.
The Grand Excursions may very well be just like the Grand Slams in tennis and sit above the opposite races, with ASO’s different races similar to Paris-Good, Liège-Bastogne-Liège maybe finally a part of the brand new One Biking undertaking. Nonetheless, ASO has all the time tried to defend their very own pursuits and particularly the significance of the Tour de France.
“For certain, they don’t wish to share their cake,” Lefevere admitted, indicating how ASO defends the numerous revenues generated by the Tour de France.
Nonetheless, ASO could also be serious about creating a brand new and greater cake in the event that they get a major slice.
“We’re in a ship, and its identify is ‘Biking.’ If we row in the identical course, then the cake can develop. They (ASO) can preserve the cake they’ve but when the cake grows by 200% then they’ll be on the desk,” Lefevere recommended, mixing up his enterprise mannequin metaphors however talking enterprise sense.
“I by no means agreed with the late Monsieur Amaury, who as soon as mentioned it’s the Tour de France that makes the riders nice. It is the riders that make the Tour, riders like Anquiltel, Merckx and Hinault.”
Lefevere hinted at a One Biking dream state of affairs, with the brand new undertaking offered on the eve of the 2025 Tour de France, to maybe steal the limelight of the largest race of the calendar.
“It’d be good if it occurred the week earlier than the Tour de France. If let’s imagine, ‘We did it, we’ve a brand new undertaking and ASO, you’re welcome’,” Lefevere mentioned mischievously.
“When you don’t agree, we’ll nonetheless go to the Tour de France. If we’ve a WorldTour licence, they should take us.”
Lefevere not too long ago turned 69 and now shares administration of the Soudal-QuickStep crew with new Chief Working Officer Jurgen Foré.
The 2 managers are as completely different as chalk and cheese, with Lefevere recognized for being outspoken, whereas Foré comes from the world of enterprise consulting after working for Deloitte.
But they appear to agree on the necessity for the One Biking reforms.
“All nice issues began with a dream, with collaboration and goodwill,” Foré instructed Cyclingnews of the One Biking undertaking and the way he would love ASO to be concerned.
“I believe all people understands that we have to discover out some technique to collaborate on making the earnings mannequin {of professional} biking stronger. It is in all our pursuits. I don’t suppose there may be any approach for the longer term however to collaborate.
“ASO is a crucial participant in skilled biking. They’ve one of the best and a few nice races, however there are different robust gamers too. A dream can begin with some events working collectively. If that’s profitable, then others may be satisfied to affix.
“For me, One Biking is It’s all about groups, organisers and federations coming collectively to make the mannequin of biking higher and stronger. It isn’t about preventing over what’s already there however making it stronger and making the enterprise mannequin extra strong so that everybody can profit.
“We (the groups) can compete on the races, nevertheless it’s essential we collaborate as colleagues to make the mannequin stronger after which innovate it. Then biking can solely win from that.”
