The One Cycling project is approaching a pivotal moment, as the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is set to decide on the WorldTour race calendar for 2026–2028 within the next ten days. At the same time, One Cycling is expected to make a key presentation to the UCI and unveil further details about its ambitious venture, backed by a proposed $250 million investment from Saudi Arabia.
In a recent interview with Marca, UCI president David Lappartient emphasized several non-negotiable conditions for the project while appearing to delay a potential 2026 launch. Lappartient expressed openness to new investments—including those from Saudi Arabia—but also defended the current race calendar and the sport’s existing structure, signaling a reluctance to allow One Cycling to radically alter professional cycling’s traditional business model.
“We welcome any initiative to engage the cycling audience and make our sport more attractive, to bring in additional revenue. Therefore, all investors are welcome. And we welcome our Saudi friends,” Lappartient told Marca. However, he added, “We also have to respect the UCI rules and the existing races. We have to be careful not to give an advantage to a particular race just because it’s part of One Cycling. Paris-Roubaix will always be Paris-Roubaix, whether or not it’s part of that project.”
One Cycling, in partnership with SURJ, aims to overhaul the sport’s financial model by creating new revenue streams, launching new races, and collaborating with current race organizers to establish the One Cycling Global Race Series. Their strategy includes monetizing fans, broadcasters, and sponsors more effectively, with the proposed Saudi funding intended to support a long-term business plan. The profits would be distributed among shareholder teams and partner organizers who align with the project.
Several major men’s and women’s teams—including Visma-Lease a Bike, EF Education-EasyPost, Ineos Grenadiers, Soudal-QuickStep, Red Bull–Bora-Hansgrohe, and Lidl–Trek—are reportedly prepared to become shareholders in the One Cycling management company. Race organizers such as Flanders Classics and possibly RCS Sport, the Giro d’Italia organizer, are also said to be on board, though they have declined to publicly confirm their positions.
However, opposition remains. A number of teams remain unconvinced or are openly against the One Cycling initiative. UAE Team Emirates–XRG appears undecided, while Tour de France organizer ASO is firmly opposed to the project, perceiving it as a threat to their influence and profits generated by the Tour.
Project insiders continue to keep specific details under wraps due to non-disclosure agreements. However, the next ten days are likely to determine the fate of a 2026 launch, and whether the One Cycling project can meet its ambitious goals.
An important milestone comes this Wednesday, when the UCI Professional Council (PCC)—comprising 18 stakeholders—will vote on race licenses for the 2026–2028 WorldTour seasons. Their decisions will be ratified by the UCI Management Committee during a meeting in Arzon, France, from June 10 to 11. One Cycling is expected to make a formal presentation to the PCC, following several informal briefings that failed to offer concrete insights into the plan.
According to Cyclingnews, frustration is growing among stakeholders due to the lack of transparency. In response, the UCI has reportedly established its own internal working group to explore broader reform strategies that include all parts of the sport—especially ASO—rather than a limited group of participants.
Gerry Ryan, owner of the Jayco–AlUla team, is said to oppose One Cycling, while Ivan Glasenberg, billionaire owner of Q36.5, is strongly against the proposed business model. A source quoted by Cyclingnews claimed Glasenberg is “200% against the One Cycling business model.” Glasenberg, who owns the ProTeam, Q36.5 clothing brand, and Pinarello bikes, is believed to be playing an increasingly active role in professional cycling governance. His influence could pose a significant challenge to One Cycling’s progress.
Following the Giro d’Italia, key figures behind the One Cycling project convened in Rome on Monday to finalize their approach ahead of Wednesday’s presentation to the UCI. Reportedly, the group intends to introduce three to four new races by 2026 and collaborate with current organizers to establish the One Cycling Global Race Series.
The UCI has previously stated that WorldTour race approvals for 2026–2028 will be based on their strategic relevance to the calendar, the number of race days per country, and other criteria such as commercial value, sporting merit, and regulatory compliance. This tight framework may complicate One Cycling’s plans to integrate new events into an already packed calendar.
Documents obtained by Chris Marshall-Bell and Escape Collective reveal that the proposed One Cycling series would begin with a race in Australia in January, followed by events in the Middle East or Asia in February. The UAE Tour and Tour of Guangxi (China) are mentioned as potential inclusions. A concluding event and gala would reportedly take place in Saudi Arabia in late October. Though there is talk of races in North and South America, specific organizers and dates remain unclear.
Ultimately, the UCI maintains full authority over race dates and the issuance of three-year WorldTour licenses. If sufficient information is not provided about the broader One Cycling initiative, the UCI could reject the inclusion of new races in the WorldTour series.
Lappartient reiterated the UCI’s core principles in his January remarks at the Tour Down Under, stressing that “the red line is that we don’t want to have a breakaway league, we don’t want to have a private league, and we want to make sure that we respect races like the Tour Down Under that are here for years.”
“We know that the economic model of cycling can be improved. We know that the power of cycling can be bigger than this, but we also want the discussions to be under the umbrella of the UCI,” Lappartient added.
He further emphasized in Marca: “We need to know exactly what the One Cycling project is all about. We need to understand more about the economic model because that way we can evolve. It’s clear they have to contribute something to the stakeholders, the cyclists, the organizers—not just destabilize what we have already, to create a potential new model, whose final outcome we can’t yet see.”
“This is something we must all build together, not just by a few,” he concluded.
As the UCI enters a decisive phase, the fate of One Cycling hangs in the balance—poised between innovation and tradition, investment and regulation, unity and division.
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