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Transfer windows and drones among UCI ideas to boost cycling

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Transfer windows, team budget caps and drones replacing convoy vehicles at races are three of the ideas to boost cycling in a new report from the sport’s global governing body.

The Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) report, entitled “Future of Cycling”, examined road cycling and heard from 55 stakeholders including professional teams, national federations, race organisers and some riders.

It aims to turn a “large but passive audience into active, loyal fandom”, admitting cycling’s under-35 audience was “under-represented” and there was a need to “strengthen its appeal”.

“While the sport today enjoys strong and growing popularity across five continents, its media exposure and the revenue it generates for its stakeholders do not yet fully reflect its potential,” it said.

Among the most frequently referenced recommendations were:

  • A more coherent race calendar based on geography with fewer overlaps

  • More predictable rider participation in races alongside transfer windows and fees

  • Simplifying the ranking and category system

  • A stronger second division with clearer pathways

  • Continued growth of women’s cycling

  • A financial fairness mechanism, such as a budget cap on teams

The combined total budget of professional UCI tour teams in 2025 was £731m (850m euros), but individual team budgets vary.

Long-discussed budget caps, aimed at evening out the peloton and increasing “financial fairness”, would improve the attractiveness of the sport for investors according to the UCI.

But it admitted any such mechanism remains the biggest point of difference for stakeholders and would be at the heart of upcoming discussions.

Meanwhile work on a new transfer system and rider-agent regulation was already under way, it said.

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Manchester City charges live updates: Club found guilty of breaching Premier League financial regulations

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Follow live reaction to the breaking news that Manchester City have been found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges

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R360: Rebel series given ultimatum on overdue accounts

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The company behind R360, the controversial all-star rugby start-up, has been ordered to publish overdue accounts or face being dissolved.

R360 originally had a launch date of October 2026, but has postponed its inaugural edition until 2028 after a concerted move against it by eight leading Test nations and the British and Irish Lions.

AOTG Sport was scheduled to file accounts with Companies House in July, covering a period up to the end of December 2025.

Earlier this week, it was served with a strike-off notice,, external giving two months to hand over the overdue paperwork or be put out of business.

AOTG says the delay is an error by its accountants and will be resolved by early next week, with the proposed global series still on track to become reality in 2028.

“We remain absolutely determined to bring R360 to life at full scale and with maximum global impact,” said former England centre Mike Tindall, the public face of the project, last November when its postponement was announced.

“We’re building something bold and new that will resonate globally – and we cannot wait to show the world in 2028.”

R360 was intended as a five-month F1-style circuit of events in major world cities, with eight men’s and four women’s teams, featuring some of the sport’s biggest names, competing in some of the most prestigious venues.

New York’s 82,000-capacity MetLife Stadium, which hosted this year’s football World Cup final, Barcelona’s remodelled Nou Camp and Dublin’s Croke Park were all floated as possible stages for matches.

Organisers claimed to have contracts signed with close to 200 men’s players to take part, but clashes with existing international tournaments were hard to resolve.

Ratification from World Rugby, the game’s governing body, was not forthcoming without a guarantee of players’ release for the Test window, while England, Ireland and Scotland were among the teams to issue a blanket ban on selecting those who signed up to the new global series.

Several high-profile players, such as England fly-halves George Ford and Fin Smith, opted to stay with their current clubs, rather than take up interest from R360.

Organisers will require a hefty budget to secure top-end talent and venues, while also marketing a brand-new event outside of rugby’s usual heartlands.

As of December, the majority of shares in AOTG Sport were owned by directors Stuart Hooper, the former Bath coach, and Mark Spoors, a prominent player agent.

United Arab Emirates-based investment firm 885 Capital, which also is involved in influencer-heavy football event Baller League, has the largest stake of any outside investor.

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George Russell takes commanding Azerbaijan F1 pole, as Kimi Antonelli crashes out

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George Russell flew to pole position at Formula 1’s 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli crashed out

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