Cannondale-Garmin CEO discusses difficulties in modern cycling
Garmin-Sharp manager Jonathan Vaughters was present in Milan for the unveiling of the new leaders' jerseys for the 2013 Giro d'Italia. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Jonathan Vaughters, the CEO of the Cannondale-Garmin team has put a lot of thought into how to make the sport better, and as part of the Velon project, is working to modernise professional cycling.
"If folks want to truly move into an environment where teams are not here one year, gone the next, if they want a sport where they're not constantly ... feeling they're employed on quicksand, and waiting for the other shoe to drop ... if we want that sustainability there are some difficult choices to be made," Vaughters said.
"In the United States in the NFL, the teams are franchises of the NFL. ... The [teams are] in business together. On the field they're competitors, but on a business level, their competitors are the different forms of entertainment - shows on Broadway, golf, tennis, baseball.
"Cycling has got to start thinking this way - we're one business. Our competitors should not be Sky or BMC - they should be on the road, but not from a business standpoint. Right now the teams and races fight each other for sponsorships. That's ridiculous."
Find out more about Vaughters' and Velon's vision for the future of cycling in this video here.
