Luuc Eisenga interviews Robert Gesink(Image credit: Bert Geerts/dcp-bertgeerts@xs4all.nl)
Garmin-Sharp team boss Jonathan Vaughters speaks to the press prior to the start of Tour de France stage 5.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The proposals put forward by the AIGCP would provide closer collaboration between ASO, the UCI and teams(Image credit: Sirotti)
Luuc Eisenga looks set to take over from Jonathan Vaughters as the head of the International Association of Professional Cycling teams (AIGCP) this spring after the Dutchman stepped down from his role as manager of innovation and technology at the Blanco squad. Eisenga is currently drafting a proposal for the reorganisation of the AIGCP, with a view of tackling issues over doping, revenue streaming and co-operation with the UCI as some of his most important tasks. Vaughters announced in October, 2012 that he would not stand for re-election.
Cyclingnews understands that AIGCP is in favour of the appointment, which will become a paid role for the first time.
“At the moment we are writing the re-organisation plan for the AIGCP which will be proposed at the March meeting. Ultimately it’s for the teams to decide on the presidency but I leave Blanco with a view of taking up the role,” Eisenga told Cyclingnews.
“We’ll aim to try and change the sport and defend the interest of the teams in the state that cycling currently finds itself. There’s only one way forward for the sport and that’s through clean cycling.”
Eisenga has had a long association with cycling. From 1996 to 1998 he worked in the marketing department at the UCI. He then moved to the T-Mobile team where he was the press officer for several years. A similar role followed at Rabobank, before Eisenga moved into the innovation and technology role for the 2012 season.
With the UCI now recognising the AIGCP as the only body that represents the teams’ and riders’ interests, Eisenga knows that there will be several challenging issues to deal with. The fallout from the USADA investigation may have attracted the most headlines in recent months but investigations in Spain and Holland are both underway as well.
“The teams have to go through this difficult time and I think what needs to be done is to build trust instead of everyone sitting on their own rocks in the zoo when times are getting rough, I think people should move closer to one another and work together. Otherwise nothing will work; there will be no change, unless there is a very common and general consensus that makes sense. That goes for the money stream, the way the sport is orgaised, how decisions are being taken. It’s a real challenge to get all the professional teams aligned and to define a common line.”
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Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
