UCI President David Lappartient has put the teams and race organisers linked to the One Cycling project 'on notice' with a sternly written email, warning that WorldTour team licences and race registrations could be withdrawn if they insist on going through with the project.
Lappartient has quietly and carefully led the UCI's defence against pressure from the One Cycling project to shake up and further monetise professional cycling.
The UCI has plans to reform the sport, and Cyclingnews understands that other stakeholders, teams and Tour de France organiser ASO prefer to back these plans rather than work with One Cycling.
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The Saudi Arabian SURJ Sports Investment fund, controlled by the PIF sovereign wealth fund, was expected to finance One Cycling with a €250 million investment. Some of the biggest men's and women's teams were set to become shareholders, along with race organiser Flanders Classics and possibly others.
However, in June, the UCI refused One Cycling's request to organise several new WorldTour races and create a new race series that includes existing races for 2026. That put a stick in One Cycling's wheel, undermining their business plan and hopes to launch next year.
At least one team manager has admitted to Cyclingnews that the One Cycling project is now in jeopardy.
Lappartient has always defended the UCI's central governance role in the rules and business of professional cycling. He welcomes support and plans to create additional commercial value and find new investments. Recently suggested he may try to go over the heads of those involved in One Cycling to speak directly to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Cyclingnews obtained Lappartient's letter from one of its recipients.
It was addressed to all the men's and women's WorldTour teams and organisers, plus cycling's stakeholder presidents, the CEO of SURJ, Danny Townsend and Bader Alkadi, the Vice Minister of Sport and Vice Chairman of SURJ.
When contacted by Cyclingnews, a spokesperson said the UCI had "no more comments than those indicated in the letter sent to the teams and organisers.
"Nothing can or will be done without the entire cycling family and the UCI," the UCI told Cyclingnews.
Lappartient highlighted in his letter how those behind One Cycling failed to provide detailed information on the project, claiming it would "have far-reaching implications for the sport of cycling" and needed the UCI to make 'regulatory changes' for One Cycling to be carried out and regulated.
Cyclingnews understands that One Cycling only agreed to share their plans and business model with those who agreed to sign a strict non-disclosure agreement. The UCI and other stakeholders held several meetings with One Cycling in recent months, but then One Cycling suddenly pulled out of a more formal presentation to the UCI's Professional Cycling Council when it discovered the UCI would not approve the One Cycling races and series.
Lappartient warns in his letter that "The way in which the joint venture between teams, organisers and the investor would operate meant that they would de facto take over authority to determine a hierarchy among events of the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women's WorldTour by deciding which events would be part of the OneCycling Series and those which would not."
Lappartient also warned that the "joint venture would also enable its members to impose their terms on other stakeholders and, through collective actions, undermine the interests of entities which are not part of the project.
"Such a pattern, with certain stakeholders collectively compelling others to agree to their terms, gives rise to serious sporting – and potentially competition – concerns and creates a potential conflict of interest."
Lappartient then put the teams and organisers 'on notice.'
"Given the media reports which state that the proposed OneCycling project may still proceed in spite of the UCI MC (Management Committee) decision, it seems appropriate to put the stakeholders of cycling on notice that pursuing with the project without authorisation would lead to unauthorised links between teams and organisers and potential proceedings which can lead to the withdrawal of events' registration from the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women's WorldTour calendars by the UCI Management Committee," his letter reads.
"With regard to teams, the UCI Licence Commission may order the withdrawal of UCI WorldTeams and UCI Women's WorldTeams' licences.
"In this respect, the decision of the UCI MC is clear that the OneCycling project and the proposed joint venture are not authorised and would create links which are forbidden under the UCI Regulations."
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