UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland (Image credit: AFP)
The UCI and various stakeholders including teams and race organisers have agreed a number of broad proposals aimed at improving the credibility and profitability within men's professional road cycling.
Although none of the finer details of the guidelines have been released, Cyclingnews understands that the charter is made up of 10 key points governing staff appointments of coaches, doctors and sports directors. Teams will also be obliged to provide complete race programmes to the UCI for their entire rosters with the overall aim of making WorldTour teams more accountable for their actions.
The UCI seminar had over 80 participants in attendance, with all existing WorldTour teams accepting the proposals.
"In the calm of the off season it has been a great opportunity to reflect on a fabulous season, and also to spend time with representatives of the UCI WorldTour teams and organisers to discuss the many important issues and opportunities ahead of us," UCI President Brian Cookson said.
"Road cycling has a wonderful, rich and long heritage, and it is important not to lose sight of that as we embrace the future. I'm very pleased with the level of co-operation now happening across the sport, which promises well for the 2015 season and beyond."
UCI WorldTour races will also be scrutinized and audited in the future with a press release from the UCI stating that, "implementation of strict organizational standards for event organisers will begin in the 2015 season, and seeks to build upon the considerable investment made by organisers in assuring the highest quality of event, whether from TV to security to the fan experience."
One further area the UCI pinpointed as a possible channel of growth surrounds the use of television and on-bike camera technology. On-bike cameras were used sporadically in 2015 and the UCI and race organisers have seen a thirst for more from within the cycling fraternity.
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"As event owners and organisers, we understand the importance of working ceaselessly to ensure cycling's reputation as a credible sport is fully restored, and we are delighted to be working in partnership to achieve great progress on this front. Looking back on the 2014 season, we saw early signs of the possibilities of a closer co-operation between the sport's stakeholders in developing the appeal of our sport to a great audience, and capturing the deep and ever-growing love of cycling across the world," said Christian Prudhomme in his capacity as the AIOCC President.
