‘There is no plan B’ - Lappartient doubles down on anti-doping as UCI tackles safety, geopolitics and growth

Speaking after the UCI WorldTour and Women’s WorldTour seminar in Geneva on 10–11 December, Lappartient said the sport’s main policy forum brought together teams, organisers and riders, to assess 2025 and align on 2026.

“A clear theme emerged this year: the politicisation of sport and the impact of geopolitics, as we saw at the Vuelta,” he said, referencing pro‑Palestinian protests. "Our message is clear: we are politically neutral. We are a tool to bring people together, not an instrument of sanction," said Lappartient in quotes collected by Cyclismactu.net.

Safety remained the anchor topic. The UCI highlighted the rollout of yellow cards for dangerous conduct, upgraded barrier specifications and finish‑zone layouts, stronger obstacle protection, and closer coordination via its SafeR unit. 

Lappartient acknowledged pushback on some trials, including maximum‑gear experiments and GPS trackers intended to improve race control and incident review. Rider health was also on the table. “Athletes, men and women, have sometimes tended to become very lean to climb better and be more efficient. That raises important questions,” he said, noting ongoing work on medical protocols and heat‑stress measures.

On integrity, Lappartient said the UCI had reanalysed 300 samples in 2025, working with the Independent Testing Authority. “We reaffirmed our unshakeable will to fight doping and to reanalyse samples up to ten years later,” he said. “For us, there is no plan B. We must fight as effectively as possible.”

The business picture is brighter but not without risk. “The sport has never been so popular,” Lappartient said. “Budgets are rising significantly, rider salaries too. In women’s cycling, salaries have grown by 30 percent per year for three years.” Even so, two men’s WorldTour teams disappeared this year. “That shows the team economy is still complex,” he added, underscoring the need for calendar stability, cost control and sustained media value.

Climate action and technology will continue to thread through 2026 planning. Organisers were urged to strengthen sustainability plans and heat mitigation, while the UCI will keep developing race‑control tools where there is consensus.

The UCI’s takeaway was straightforward. More visible safety measures, continued work on equality, a firm line on neutrality when politics reaches the roadside, and an uncompromising approach to anti-doping as the sport heads into 2026.