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UCI consultation reveals big teams snapping up best riders a turn-off for most fans

World cycling's governing body got more than 22,300 responses after asking how sport could be improved...

Big-budget teams snapping up the best riders is a turn off for most fans of road cycling, according to the results of a consultation published by the UCI.

World cycling’s governing body launched the online consultation earlier this month as it opened a process aimed ultimately at enhancing the appeal of the support, including interviewing stakeholders and hosting a working group in which teams, riders, race organisers and the media were represented.

More than 22,300 fans from 134 countries completed an online questionnaire that sought to canvas their views on issues including how they follow the sport and what could be done to improve their enjoyment of it.

Unsurprisingly, most respondents were themselves active cyclists, with 62 per cent riding for recreation, 27 per cent racing and 21 per cent using a bike to commute.

But while 84 per cent described road races as “exciting to follow,” 50 per cent said they felt that the result of races was “predictable.”

That is reflected to an extent in their views regarding teams and budgets – 71 per cent insist that top talent being spread around a handful of teams makes following races less enjoyable, and 76 per cent say that disparity in team budgets can make races less interesting.

Meanwhile, 48 per cent believe use of ear pieces by riders makes watching a race less enjoyable, while 40 per cent hold a similar view about power meters.

Participants, and particularly those outside Europe, highlighted that media coverage of races can be difficult to access. TV remains the preferred way of following races, at 68 per cent, although social media, at 65 per cent, is catching up (and of course many will be second-screening – that is, using a smartphone or other device to access social media coverage while watching on TV). Only one in five watch on a PC and only a handful on a mobile phone or tablet.

Generally, people watching races on TV are satisfied with coverage, with 77 per cent and 75 per cent agreeing that the quality of commentary and broadcasts is good.

Where there would seem to be room for opportunity to enhance coverage of races is in the information provided, with 75 per cent saying that they would enjoy watching races more if data on issues such as riders’ energy output, speed and the road gradient were provided.

Two thirds of viewers, meanwhile, want more information on riders and 63 per cent would like to see more sequences shot in team cars and 60 per cent are interested in details of pre-race preparation being incorporated into coverage.

Responding to the results of the survey, UCI President David Lappartient said: “The consultation shows us that road cycling enjoys a positive image with the fans, regardless of which continent they are from, and that, generally speaking, they are satisfied with the sport and the coverage on offer.

“They also told us, however, that there is room for improvement, such as making more information and data available during broadcasts and that serious thought should be given to aspects seen as potentially damaging to the appeal of road cycling (domination by a small number of teams or the use of radio communications for instance).

“We are continuing with our consultation work and process of reflection with a view to making road cycling even more attractive: the working group looking into this has already met once, and its members will meet again in the near future; in parallel, interviews with different stakeholders continue.

“A series of proposals will be drawn up on this basis and put before the Professional Cycling Council and the UCI Management Committee for their approval in 2020,” he added.

You can find the full results here.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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5 comments

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ktache | 4 years ago
1 like

I'd like to see more descending, they tend to put the adverts on then.

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jasecd | 4 years ago
1 like

Totally agree with the comments about buying up the top riders - Ineos are going to have four grand tour winners next year and Jumbo most of the other contenders.

What's the solution? A draft or salary cap of some sort might work but could drive away sponsors and have other unintended consequences.

Personally I like a lot of their riders on an individual level but I don't enjoy Ineos winning - aside from the questionable greenwashing sponsoring company much of their success is due to their financial advantage. No doubt they spend it well but it doesn'd do much for the sport.

Avatar
roadmanshaq | 4 years ago
2 likes

Wonder if my 'your stupid stone age podium girl nonsense makes the sport look like a joke' comment went anywhere....

Avatar
Rick_Rude replied to roadmanshaq | 4 years ago
1 like

roadmanshaq wrote:

Wonder if my 'your stupid stone age podium girl nonsense makes the sport look like a joke' comment went anywhere....

Good of you to want to dictate what jobs attractive women are allowed to do.  I bet those women that are no longer employed in that sort of job are much the better for experience. Well done. 

Avatar
EddyBerckx | 4 years ago
0 likes

No reason I can see for them to at least trial removing race radio to see what it does? If they think they need it for safety announcements then the uci could hand out headsets and only allow themselves to use it??

Not fussed with banning power meters in road races. I would've thought most professionals would have put enough hours in to go mostly by feel anyway. Time trials might be slightly different though again, they would probably be able to go on feel anyway?

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