![Patrick Lefevere and Soudal-QuickStep dedicated to One Biking reforms challenge Patrick Lefevere and Soudal-QuickStep dedicated to One Biking reforms challenge](https://nrkma.com/wp-content/uploads/https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FtC3Y82P3ewB6tddPhYfM3-1200-80.jpg)
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The small print of the One Biking reform challenge, 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 gave the impression to be the preliminary driving pressure earlier than the thought 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 greatest groups within the sport, and all appear to consider One Biking can lastly change skilled biking’s enterprise mannequin and cut back the dependency on sponsorship revenue and the necessity for fulfillment on the Tour de France.
Soudal-QuickStep group supervisor Patrick Lefevere was as soon as the supervisor of the AIGCP groups affiliation and spent hours in conferences about attainable 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 consider within the One Biking challenge. The veteran group supervisor thinks personal fairness buyers may be satisfied to bankroll One Biking and that a number 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 turn out to be concerned.
“Are you aware why I consider within the One Biking challenge? As a result of if there are 4 or 5 groups concerned, it might work,” Lefevere instructed a small group of media, together with Cyclingnews, on the current Soudal-QuickStep media day in Spain.
“It’s at all times the identical tune; there are too many destructive folks in biking. If we simply sit right here, nothing will occur. If you wish to see a miracle, go to Lourdes, but when we would like issues to alter, we have now to work on it and work in the identical path.
“If there are 18 folks with their fingers on the steering wheel, it will not occur. Three, 4 or 5 groups must 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 in the event you didn’t do something for it, you will get this a lot cash from the brand new challenge.’
Some consider that the One Biking challenge might revolutionise the game and at last unite groups, race organisers and even the UCI.
Below the attainable One Biking plans, a brand new personal, commercially-driven firm, would personal and run a big a part of the game, whereas the UCI has a extra easy governance function.
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 features 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 wrestle over governance and cash that at present holds again skilled biking. With the present WorldTour group and race licences lasting till the tip of 2025, any new challenge might start within the 2026 season.
It’s unclear if Tour de France organiser ASO is keen to be part of the One Biking challenge. The highly effective French organiser is the elephant within the room that holds an enormous sway on the game because of the sporting and business significance of the Tour de France.
The Grand Excursions could possibly be just like the Grand Slams in tennis and sit above the opposite races, with ASO’s different races corresponding to Paris-Good, Liège-Bastogne-Liège maybe finally a part of the brand new One Biking challenge. Nevertheless, ASO has at all times 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.
Nevertheless, ASO could also be eager about creating a brand new and larger cake in the event that they get a big slice.
“We’re in a ship, and its title is ‘Biking.’ If we row in the identical path, 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 prompt, mixing up his enterprise mannequin metaphors however talking enterprise sense.
“I by no means agreed with the late Monsieur Amaury, who as soon as stated 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 challenge introduced on the eve of the 2025 Tour de France, to maybe steal the limelight of the most important race of the calendar.
“It’d be good if it occurred the week earlier than the Tour de France. If lets say, ‘We did it, we have now a brand new challenge and ASO, you’re welcome’,” Lefevere stated mischievously.
“If you happen to don’t agree, we’ll nonetheless go to the Tour de France. If we have now a WorldTour licence, they must take us.”
Lefevere just lately turned 69 and now shares administration of the Soudal-QuickStep group with new Chief Working Officer Jurgen Foré.
The 2 managers are as completely different as chalk and cheese, with Lefevere identified 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 challenge and the way he would love ASO to be concerned.
“I believe all people understands that we have to discover out some method to collaborate on making the revenue mannequin {of professional} biking stronger. It is in all our pursuits. I don’t suppose there may be any method for the longer term however to collaborate.
“ASO is a crucial participant in skilled biking. They’ve the perfect and a few nice races, however there are different sturdy 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 combating over what’s already there however making it stronger and making the enterprise mannequin extra sturdy so that everybody can profit.
“We (the groups) can compete on the races, however it’s necessary we collaborate as colleagues to make the mannequin stronger after which innovate it. Then biking can solely win from that.”
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