Pro riders taking part in the Cape Town Cycle Tour won’t be threatened with fines or bans after the organisers struck a deal with the national cycling body yesterday afternoon.
Cycling SA, the national body said the way had been cleared for riders “from across the board, licensed and unlicensed” to take part in the world’s biggest timed cycling race.
Last week, the participation of top riders such as British Tour de France veteran Mark Cavendish was cast into doubt when the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the universal governing body, said it would be enforcing its “forbidden races rule” for the 2015 cycling season.
The rule states: “No licence holder may participate in an event that has not been included on a national, continental or world calendar or that has not been recognised by a national federation, a continental confederation or the UCI.”
Licence holders to the global cycling outfit include all professional athletes who are required to register with the union to participate in most of the world’s top races.
The issue faced by the Cycle Tour, which is sponsored by the Cape Argus, Pick n Pay and Momentum, was that it was not sanctioned by the national body. Last year after a prolonged court battle with Cycling SA, the Pedal Power Association won its appeal to host its events, including the Cycle Tour, without requiring sanctioning by the national body.
At the time, the association said sanctioning would require it to pay levies, and for riders to pay a licence fee to Cycling SA which Pedal Power Association chairman Steve Hayward labelled as an “unfair and unnecessary tax”.
However, the national body wrote in a letter to the Cape Argus that the money would go straight back into developing the sport.
On Friday, the UCI clarified its position on the rule, restating that licensed riders taking part in the Cycle Tour would be subject to a R1 200 fine and a 30 day ban from future sanctioned events.
Cycling South Africa’s general manager Mike Bradley wrote in an email this weekend that the national body’s “hands are firmly tied”.
But yesterday they found a solution.
The organisation said: “It is with great pleasure that Cycling South Africa, Pedal Power Association and the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust announce that an agreement has been reached between the three organisations in respect of the 2015 Cape Town Cycle Tour.
“The outcome of recent discussions between the parties is that the events of the Cape Town Lifecycle Week have been placed on the National Cycling Calendar of Cycling SA.”
As per the UCI’s regulations this will now allow all riders to participate in events that form part of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Lifecycle Week.
Top riders can now safely return to defend their titles.
Hayward said: “It’s great that cycling has won and the Cycle Tour will throw its arms open to all cyclists.” - Cape Argus