Michael Hepburn (GreenEdge) says that he was bemused by the decision after the 2008 Beijing Games to remove his pet event, the Individual Pursuit from the Olympic program, and hopes that the IOC and UCI will reinstate the discipline for the next edition of the Games in Rio in 2016.

"The reasons have never been super clear, and I think it’s upset a lot of people," said Hepburn to ABC Radio. "It’s a hard blow to take - especially in a country that has such a rich history of producing pursuit riders."

"There’s some talk of bringing some events back for Rio, and I hope that the Individual Pursuit is among them."

The schedule was changed in 2009 ‘officially’ to cater for additional sprint events. Along with the Individual Pursuit, the Points and Scratch races were also dropped with the omnium event coming in as a replacement.

Endurance athletes have been particularly disgruntled by the changes, which for many leaves only one realistic option for Olympic medals in the Team Pursuit.

"The silver lining I guess is that [the change] has added extra value to the team pursuit," added Hepburn, who then conceded that it also meant that it heightened the competition for spots.

The Queenslander will hope to solidify his own Olympic chances when he lines-up with Luke Durbridge, Rohan Dennis and Jack Bobridge at next week’s UCI Track World Cup in London before shifting his focus to the World championships in April.

The Tour Down Under has grown over the past 14 years from a small regional race to a steadfast part of the WorldTour calendar, race director Mike Turtur can’t help but be pleased to reflect on the event’s history.

Over the last three editions, an association with seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong helped to increase the race's popularity, and even after Armstrong's retirement, Turtur still sees value in the still undisclosed investment in his appearance fees.

"It was the deal of a lifetime," said Turtur to Cyclingnews. "There’s speculation about fees and everything else, but the fees were nowhere near what was being reported.

"The value we got out of having him was amazing. He wasn’t just here for the race; he had a lot of involvement throughout the South Australian community."

And whatever the allegations that have dogged Armstrong – particularly in the last 12 months with respect to his FDA investigation there is no doubt that the American boosted the race’s profile in the community. Last year the estimated economic impact was over $43 million, and record crowds attended the events six stages. The big question was whether without Armstrong the race could retain its current status. Turtur is adamant that it has.

"I think the best early gauge is the registrations for the Bupa Challenge Tour, and though we expected those to fall this year, the numbers have in fact remained steady.”

Turtur puts that down to the race’s new race route which he argues has given a wider range of riders the chance to compete for overall honours. Combine that with the increasing focus on WorldTour points and you have arguably the best field the race has seen it’s now 14 year history.

"I think when the list started to come in it was clear pretty early that there was no shortage of quality. Guys like Freire, Bennati, Petacchi – I think it came as recognition of the balance that the route now gives, favouring more all-round riders. We’re happy with that."

Wearing two hats

While Turtur is the race director of the Tour Down Under, since 2008 he has also acted as the Oceania representative on the UCI board. For some, this has prompted suggestions of a conflict of interests in simultaneous promoting a race within Oceania, and at the same time looking after the broader calendar as a whole.

Turtur however rejects this reasoning.

"It’s no different to what Pat McQuaid previously did with the Tour of Langkawi," said Turtur. “I think I have enough personal integrity to be able to make decisions that are in the interests of the sport, and the region as a whole.

"I would never make a decision that would be of the benefit of this race – I’m always acting my role with the UCI in the interests of Oceania."

Turtur also added that there were serious challenges still ahead for the region as a whole, which he said were on the brink of being tackled, because of a resurgence in the "depth and quality of the Oceania region."

See the full video interview with race director Mike Turtur below.
 

Though the reports of a potential breakaway league backed by the Rothschild financial group were quickly dismissed by the UCI as "unworkable" when Cyclingnews confronted it with them earlier this month, the details concerning the structure of the league demonstrate a well-thought proposal by people who mean serious business.

In fact, the men behind the "World Series Cycling" idea, Jonathan Price and Thomas Kurth, have a history of battling sporting administrators. Price's Gifted Group specialises in bundling television rights and perhaps even more intriguing is Kurth, who is a former head of the G14 - a now defunct organisation that comprised of the richest European football clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Kurth's background

While Kurth was in charge, the organisation came into direct conflict with the European administrator UEFA, as well as FIFA head Sepp Blatter over the way TV rights were being distributed.

Amongst other things, Kurth was critical that revenue collected from international fixtures was not distributed by FIFA and UEFA to the clubs themselves, particularly when players would at times return from these games injured at the expense of the teams they were contracted to.

Efforts like this were part of the grander objective of the group to increase the influence of clubs in what Kurth saw as an increasingly autocratic atmosphere of football governance.

"We want to see the rights of all clubs, not just G14 clubs, actively recognized within the governance and management structure of the game," Kurth said to the BBC in 2006.

"At the moment they are not. Decisions are in circles from which the clubs are locked out. The governance of the game needs to be modernised."

The culmination of this conflict saw Kurth leading a proposal for a hypothetical European Super League, controlled by the clubs, to wrestle back some control from the administrating bodies.

Though it was unclear as to whether this proposal would ever actually go ahead, or whether it was simply being used as a bargaining chip in the ongoing negotiations between FIFA and the G14, there are obvious parrallels to be drawn with the current proposal drafted by the Gifted Group.

It is important to note that the end result of the G14's protracted battle with FIFA and UEFA resulted in a long legal battle and an out of court settlement. The settlement gave some concessions to the clubs, but the structures of the sport have remained more or less the same.

Breakaway

In the same way that Kurth had formerly represented European football clubs, the same could occur under the Gifted Group proposal with regard to WorldTour teams. Whether the Gifted Group has legs or not, it is likely to be something the UCI cannot simply ignore - particularly with people like Kurth involved.

At the very least the threat has given new momentum to calls from mangers like Jonathan Vaughters for a different approach to the way television revenue is distributed in the sport of cycling.

Vaughters has been vocal on public domain Twitter for some sort of centralised revenue deal to help the stability of the existing WorldTour teams. Fellow cycling manager Johan Bruyneel has also been critical in the past of the UCI's approach, which he feels does not give teams enough of say.

"Whatever comes - a private league, a system like in Formula 1, or anything else, cycling will not exist without the UCI, I presume. The UCI remains the authoritative body of cycling and the professional cycling teams," Bruyneel said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws in March. "But we are not little puppets; we want respect."

Rochelle Gilmore (BikeExchange.com.au) has joined the growing chorus of voices demanding better conditions for the women’s peloton, telling Cyclingnews at the launch for this weekend’s NSW Grand Prix Series that though progress is being made in terms of the professionalism of the riders – the financial side has yet to catch up.

"It’s disappointing to see so many teams at the top level of the women’s discipline existing and paying their riders nothing," said Gilmore. "That's the situation at the moment. Plenty of women will still ride, even on nothing, I know I would and have, because we love the sport, but it’s unfortunate that in this day and age that that's the way things are. To see the UCI still not regulating a minimum wage when there is one for the men is really disappointing."

The Australian Commonwealth Games champion has been involved in the sport as a rider and a manager, as well as on occasion working in the media. It's with that experience that Gilmore is able to offer an insight that perhaps others cannot.

Citing the NSW Grand Prix Series as a good example of the right kind of approach, Gilmore said that more promoters need to be taking the opportunity to offer women’s events where men’s events are already taking place. Gent-Wevelgem announced earlier this month that they would be doing just that, but it’s only the start.

"What Phill Bates does here, albeit at a smaller scale is great. The courses, the spectators, the media are all already there. It’s a no brainer to have a women’s event.

"But even events like Fleche Wallone that already have a complementing women’s event probably don’t go far enough. I was watching the men’s event on television this year and they couldn’t cut from the men’s coverage for even 30 seconds to just show the finish of the women’s race.

"The commentator just said ‘Marianne Vos has just won the women’s event’. All the infrastructure is there, they have cameras at the finish. It’s frustrating but that’s not even unique."

The burden however does not fall on the event promoters alone. As Gilmore points out, too many teams are currently without a women’s squad. At the WorldTour level Garmin-Cervelo, HTC-Highroad and now Rabobank are the exceptions to a sobering statistic.

"It’s positive that you have more and more of the big teams supporting a women’s team, that’s great. But honestly, it should be compulsory. It would add 5-10 per cent to their overall budget and vastly expand their following."

Fellow Australian Chloe Hosking echoed Gilmore’s sentiments when she expressed to Cyclingnews earlier in the year that for a small fraction of the salary of star Belgian Philippe Gilbert you could have a whole women’s team. Gilmore concluded that for the women’s side of the sport to flourish a closer partnership with the men would be needed from promotion, to team support to media coverage.

"Even just one of those initiatives would be enough to get things moving forward. The sponsorship and the salaries will follow after that. I think that’s the future and hopefully [for the women’s peloton] that comes sooner rather than later."

Gilmore is acting as a commentator for this weekend’s NSW Grand Prix Series for Australian national broadcaster Nine.

In an open letter to a number of the cycling's key stakeholders, Andrew Randell (Spidertech) has pleaded that the ban on race radios be rescinded.

Randell was caught in the crash on stage 2 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado, that saw Daniele Callegarin (Team Type 1), Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda), Davide Frattini (UnitedHealthcare) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) all go down after a collision with a cattle guard.

Callegarin, Randell and Hernandez were transported to the local hospital in Gunnison for treatment at the time, with Callegarin the worst affected.

Callegarin's list of injuries included a severe concussion, significant facial injuries, broken left and right hands and deep lacerations to his face, lips and chin. Randell fractured his back, while Hernandez fractured his left collarbone.

As the race was 2.1 category, no race radios were in use. Randell believes that radios could have at the very least "drastically reduced the likelihood of the incident" and in the letter argues, that radios are the most effecient form of communication in racing conditions in which things can change rapidly.

"Had we racers had enough forewarning to prepare ourselves, and space out for the cattle guard, this accident could have been avoided," said Randell.

"Commissaires and race officials ahead of the race may have realised the dangerous nature of the cattle guard, but how were they to warn us? At race speed the sudden warning shout of “cattle guard” at the head of the peloton came too close to the obstacle to change our safety, but use of race radios could have prevented, or at least drastically reduced, the likelihood of this incident."

"Other means of warning, such as marking the cattle guard with caution notices, may not be seen by riders in the heat of the race, and foreign riders might anyway not read English signage. In addition, as was the case at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge (a well-organised and successful event) race organisers are not perfect, they can make mistakes.

"Races happen on public roads where conditions change all the time: there have been situations involving sabotage, vehicles on course, protests, changing road conditions (in the Tour of Utah a tree fell across the road in the time it took two groups to pass through the same point on a descent). The race radio is without doubt the most efficient means by which to warn riders of approaching obstacles and dangers, and the only means by which to communicate with riders in real time."

Randell was also bewildered by the UCI's argument that race radios increase the excitement of racing.

"The faulty and unfounded argument by the UCI regarding race radios is endangering the well-being, and perhaps even the lives, of riders around the world. Cycling is a professional sport conducted under varying road conditions.

"Communication is vital to the safety of the riders, and we professional riders must forthwith and unanimously demand that the UCI reverse its position on the use of race radios at all levels of racing. Cyclists are the heart of cycling and we must assert our influence on the sport to ensure our well-being."

A number of US team manager's panned the radio restriction back in March, and the issue had been a deal breaker for many WorldTour teams ahead of the recent Tour of Beijing. The UCI recently backed down on the implementation of an outright ban on radios at the WorldTour level for next season, but has shown no signs of backing down in lower category races.

Sean Muir is the road program coordinator for Cycling Australia, and among other things is charged with the difficult task of improving the standing of the domestic racing scene in Australia. Muir's biggest project to this end is the National Road Series, which both he and Cycling Australia hope will grow into a concrete development pathway for the next generations of cyclists, in extension to the existing, though limited AIS high performance program.

In 2011 we've seen a number of riders graduate successfully from the NRS which is no doubt a positive sign, but the series is still young, and by Muir's own admission is far from perfect. Muir talked to Cyclingnews about the NRS's current state, the transformation that has taken place already, and its future.

AH: What would you describe to be the mission statement of the NRS, and do you believe it is fulfilling it at the moment?

SM: The goal of the NRS is to create a breeding ground for cyclists to step through from the domestic scene to forging professional careers overseas. We are finding there are a lot of riders who are reaching a point in time where they they fell they need to go overseas, perhaps prematurely. We want to help them get overseas, but we also think we can provide a stronger platform here to allow riders to stay in Australia longer.

We're working with promoters, teams and the riders to create an atmosphere which they are keen to compete in. We're looking to build the series in every aspect to draw the riders and the teams and of course the sponsors along with it.

AH: If you contrasted the structure of the national calendar today, to that of say a decade ago, what have been the major changes in that period?

SM: I think that ten years ago there were a lot of one-off promoters out there. Now Cycling Australia has taken a little bit more of a directive approach. We sat down with five of the major promoters just last Friday, for many of them that was the first time they'd met eachother. We discussed the direction of the NRS and that's something that's never taken place before, and it can only do good to the series. I think if we can continue to work towards bringing together everyone's expertise and ideas we can create a better product.

The level of racing, the quality of the teams, the depth, and the financial side have all improved significantly in recent years. I think the gap between the top and bottom is closing as well, which is making the quality of racing better for both riders and spectactors.

AH: How do you and they see the series changing in the next ten years? What are at least the short-term steps that you will be implementing to further professionalise the series?

SM: One of the big changes already implemented in terms of a new direction was the inaugural women's series which kicked off last year. We're also finding there's a shift towards more team focused racing. With both the men's and women's events we've made all NRS events team based, and done away with the individual entry system [formerly anyone could enter NRS level events, now you must enter as part of a registered team - this guarantees a certain standard to the racing]. That has gone ahead leaps and bounds in the men and the women's series had seven teams at the start of this year which was positive, but we're looking to build on that.

Cycling Australia has also recieved a 'women in sport grant' from the Australian Government which will mean the women's series will be broadcast next year.

We're also working with promoters to bring in minimum standards for racing at the NRS level, so that teams, riders, spectators can expect a minimum level of service. Things like convoy support, medical service, neutral mechanics. We're looking to bring all those things across the board.

We're in the process of drafting a policy document at the moment and I think there are plenty of areas that can be streamlined.

AH: Scott Sunderland mentioned earlier this year that he would like to see a compulsory team participation in all events, is that something that is in the pipeline?

SM: From our point of view we would love to see that happen. If we had 20 teams register at the start of the year and all 20 were able to take part in every event. But at the moment I don't see that as possibility, at least in the next 12 months. There are so many small teams that can put up there hand to take part in half the calendar, but don't have the budget to double that.

We had a couple of new teams come on this year, Erdinger and John West and they went to a number of races which helps build the series. We have to be cautious though to not make the barrier of budgetary requirements too big too quickly. It is something we're working on though.

AH: To what extent have you looked at other sports within Australia's models? Does the AFL, NRL or the A-League offer a template worth pursuing?

SM: In planning meetings we've definetely looked at their models. The A-League managed to go along way in a short period of time, particularly in now attracting high calibre athletes to the League, and they've managed to win an impressive TV rights deal.

AH: Is that something that the NRS can pursue?

SM: When the TV rights deal came up for re-negotiation a couple of years ago Cycling Australia went out to the market to see what interest there was for the NRS. At the time however there wasn't much out there. I think then at the time the NRS was still seen unfairly or not as not a particularly cohesive series as we discussed before. Again as we further professionalise the series I think that we can change that.

In terms of other funding sources Cycling Australia is looking to finalise an overall sponsor deal for next year. At least a part of that will go to helping events, and hopefully to helping teams get to events.

AH: Can some funds from the high performance programs or the national team program be re-allocated to the NRS instead?

SM: The high performance program's funding is seperate and comes from directly from the Government. Those funds then have to be used in the AIS program and the national team programs, which is unfortunate for us, but it's not an option to pursue, I've tried!

We are continuing to pursue grants from the Australian Sports commision directly though. We've been working hard to bring on additional funding sources for the last three years, since I've been involved and with the women's grants and the overall sponsorship deal set to be announced we're moving in the right direction.

AH: There's been talk in some circles that the focus on criteriums and the lack of hillier style races on the NRS creates a one-dimensional development platform, is that something that worries you at all?

SM: I think you've got to work with what you've got. At the Tour of Toowoomba this year, partly because of the flooding, but also to address just that organisers went out and looked for some climbs in the surrounding areas to make the race more challenging. I think a lot of promoters are looking to extend the distance of stages wherever possible even if climbs aren't forthcoming.

There are climbs in Victoria, and Tasmania's great for climbing. But there's certainly a case there, and I think promoters are working to address it.

AH: Do you think a National Road Series is incomplete without the inclusion of two of Australia's biggest races, the Sun Tour and the Tour Down Under?

SM: This year all the continental teams [Drapac, Genesys, Budget Forklifts, V Australia, Jayco-AIS] were part of the Sun Tour. We're trying to get more teams registered at the continental level, and we're assisting teams in that process, which is quite complex. For Sun Tour you need that registration to compete.

We've tried very hard to get the UCI to change their regulation with regard to the Tour Down Under, but they haven't budged.

One thing we are working on though is to get a few more UCI events within Australia. At the moment in the Oceania region as a whole there's only the Sun Tour and the Tour of Wellington. If we can expand our UCI event calendar in Australia it makes it more attractive for teams to go to sponsors saying we need X budget to compete at these globally rated races.

That would be in addition to the exisiting NRS series, we wouldn't want to exclude teams on the NRS based on not being able to qualify for UCI events, but it would create a pathway for riders and the bigger domestic continental teams to expand their Australian racing calendar.

AH: Sean Muir, thanks for taking the time to talk to Cyclingnews.

SM: A pleasure Alex, thanks for taking an interest.

In 2010, the Goulburn to Sydney Cycle Classic was expanded to include a prologue, allowing a racing display in Goulburn the day before the traditional 171km race to Camden on the outskirts of Sydney. Though historically a single-day race, the prologue is part of a format change by race organisers which is hoped will grow the race as a spectacle and a sporting event on the National Road Series (NRS) calendar.

This expansion however is not without its ‘teething problems’. In last year’s race, Ben Grenda (Genesys) took out the overall win of the two day expanded event, despite not winning the prestigious second day, on which all the history of the event is based. The same occurred in this year’s race with classic winner Steele Von Hoff finishing third overall behind teammate and NRS leader Nathan Haas.

Race committee member Paul Hillbrick explained to Cyclingnews that while the prologue had created some problems, it was something that they were working on.

"Basically, that’s what we’ve had to address in the new format," Hillbrick said. "The issue we’ve had is that we do to a large extent need to grow the event or else it will die. By having the prologue we bring another dimension to the race which helps that side of things.

"Of course we also need to make sure we acknowledge the history of the event as well. Who goes in the record books as the winner? That’s an issue we’ve got to contend with.

"Conversely you’ve got to understand that we don’t have a race without sponsors and supporters, without them the race can’t be run, so it’s not easy.

"I’m certainly happy to hear different ways to run the event and to maintain the history, I’m more than happy to go down that road, but what we do need is consensus. A few people are starting to give us their opinions which is good, and that’s healthy because we need the feedback."

Tactics effected

A number of team managers and riders have also raised concerns over the way the results of the prologue affect the racing on day two. If the overall win is now the goal, it encourages the leader’s team to ride considerably more defensively. Bikebug.com rider Phil Grenfell said he’d never seen Genesys ride quite so defensively, and a different criticism came from Tour of the Murray River winner Patrick Shaw (Genesys).

"Well I think the danger is that the Classic becomes just another stage," said Shaw. "Before you had the prologue, in previous years, you’d often see ones and twos trickle over the line. I think today was good, but that’s the danger."

More direct still was BikeBug.com manager Trent Wilson, who questioned the value of the first day to the race.

"The prologue shouldn’t be in it," said Wilson. "I told my guys last night that, goal number one is today [the classic], goal number two is the team’s classification, and goal number three is the overall. As far as I’m concerned the Goulburn to Sydney Classic was today, Steele Von Hoff won it, Phelan was second and Chris Jory ran third."

One thing Hillbrick said that has been done to address some of these concerns has been the introduction of the KOM and sprint classifications, with the winner of each earning a 30 second time bonus for their team.

"The riders need to have something to fight for, or you just kill or [neutralize] the [Classic]," Hillbrick argues. "The prologue and the sprints add another dimension, but we always need to be mindful of the implications. If we can get a great idea on modifying or tweaking the format, then we’re happy to consider it, we just need to make sure to keep all stakeholders happy."

Nathan Haas was one rider who did defend organizers, aptly pointing out that at the end of the day riders have to come to terms with the way the race is formatted and race accordingly.

"I don’t think you can have issues with the structure," said Haas. "We all have the same race. Everyone has to work within the current framework. It’s a beautiful race, the actual classic itself but everyone knows at the beginning [with the prologue], that if you time trial well you put yourself in a better position for the classic. That’s the way it is at the moment, though I’m not sure what the future of the prologue holds."

In 2011, the Goulburn to Sydney Classic was a smashing success, raising more than $90,000 for charity, and stimulating the local economies in Goulburn and Camden, but it will be interesting to see what format revisions organisers consider in the years ahead.

Alejandro Valverde could not have picked a better day to move into the gold leader’s jersey at the Vuelta. Having edged Cadel Evans out of the lead thanks to the bonus time he gained at stage nine’s finish at Xorret de Catí, Valverde will ride into his home city of Murcia on Tuesday looking an increasingly strong favourite for the overall title.

However, not only Valverde’s leadership but even his presence at the Vuelta is beset with controversy. Sidelined from the Tour de France after the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) alleged that DNA evidence proved his involvement in the Operación Puerto blood doping affair, the Spaniard has continued to race thanks to the decision of his national federation (RFEC) not to take any disciplinary action against him.

The UCI and World Anti-Doping Agency are challenging that decision by way of an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. For his part, Valverde is also dealing with the CAS having appealed against CONI’s decision to ban him from racing in Italy.

Speaking to Cyclingnews after Valverde took the lead in the Spain, UCI president Pat McQuaid was unable to say when the CAS will rule on the UCI-WADA appeal. "It is still outstanding with the CAS," McQuaid said. “The Valverde appeal against the CONI decision is also still with the CAS. Until those processes are concluded, he is free to race. There is nothing we can do until a verdict is reached."

McQuaid also stated: "I agree that it is unfortunate for fans that we’re in this situation, but we have to follow the rules."

Consequently, assuming Valverde can maintain his grip on the gold jersey until the Vuelta finishes in Madrid a week on Sunday, his victory may not be confirmed for some time. In the event of the CAS finding in favour of the CONI and the UCI-WADA in these cases, Valverde is likely to face a worldwide ban imposed retrospectively, potentially disqualifying him from the Vuelta’s standings.

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