The UCI Track Champions League 2022, from the start to a total show

The UCI Track Champions League 2022 was presented this Thursday at olympic velodrome paris and the organization detailed what are the main points for creating the final season of a competition that has been put together for this season and seeks to become stronger over time. To do this, tests need to be selected from the extensive track cycling program to yield results an event that aims to be dynamic and convey the way of life of this sport as a great show.

This Thursday they sent all the details of the creation of the competition to its sponsor and head of Discovery Sports Francois Ribeirothe head of UCI track cycling Gilles Peruzzithe sporting director of the competition James Popethe director of stages Florian Praviathe ambassador of the competition Chris Now and the sports director of the Science Agency Alex Skelton.

“It all started in 2019 here in Saint-Quentin”explained Francois Ribeiro. “There is no history of such great competition in track cycling when it is a global Olympic modality. We envisioned a competition where it would be difficult to organize omnium, madison or scoring events, because of their characteristics, but maybe not scratch, speed or elimination,” he added.

The UCI is working together, so it was necessary to establish a competition format. “We had a brilliant six-day competition, but the goal is to compress the events to reach many new fansso they can see how exciting track cycling is,” said Ribeiro.

For this reason, it was thought to design a competition in stages. “Incorporating this into the calendar was not easy, but we managed to put it in the last part of the season, just behind the World Cup”, detailed Gilles Peruzzi, head of UCI track cycling. In addition, the basis was to make the competition the same for men and women,” he added.

“The goal is to get the interest of cyclists, because the most important thing for the format is to have good champions,” he said. Ribeiro. “So we don’t want to have very isolated events like in the World Cup. It is better to have a few and do them in a row to focus attention. The achievement that there is part of the season dedicated to the strong tests of cycling on the track, as there is on the road for the Tour or for the Giro,” he added.

A great claim for the stars of track cycling

To put the competition together in the calendar, the organization managed to get the attention of the best ‘pistards’ on the planet. “We have a fixed selection of participants based on the World Cup classificationincluding the top6 of sprinters and the top3 of omnium, elimination and scratch”, explained the sports director James Pope. “But there are runners who, based on these criteria, cannot participate,” he added. This forced the organization to come up with an alternative system to allow the participation of the entire set of stars.

Also, to expand the presence of cyclists from other countries. “I believe that the level this year is the highest and there are also new countries present, such as cyclists from India or Malaysia. It will be an interesting mix of experience and emerging talent.” Dad. “There are young people who look to this competition to grow, so it will be interesting to see the evolution that the cyclists have in a competition over four weekends and with five events”, he explained, clarifying that the UCI Track Champions League has a vision for the future.

In part, because the competition will offer a great platform to offer a high level of track cycling.The Champions League will serve us to show our sport and be a claim for athletes to win prizes”, he reflected Chris Now, legend of track cycling and therefore knows the support that the competition will provide for the athletes. “From a fan’s point of view, it will be a spectacle; from the competitor, it is an opportunity to compete and gain experience for the future”, he said.

So, with the competition designed and achieving the goal of being a great showcase for the ‘pistards’, the Champions League seeks in its second season to take the first step to integrate itself into the calendar and write its history for future. .The key here is to maintain the same commitment to the athletes. Being a relevant competition for them as much as possible is our ambition”, said the organization.

The competition is dedicated to this consolidation in 2022. A great revolution is not expected in relation to the format and organization of the previous year and the goal is to achieve improvements in each specific sector. The UCI Champions League has strengthened its way of working, now that there is no pandemic involved, and will make a great commitment to athletes, technology and the essence of track cycling. “Last year, 50% of the people who came to the stage in Palma de Mallorca had never seen a track cycling competition,” explained the team members. The aim is, with the foundations of competition already established, the show is total to ensure that the public will come to stay.