Interview: Stephan Klemm
TOUR: Mr Lappartient, how do you currently view the development of cycling, both at grassroots level and at the top?
LAPPARTIENT: I think we’re currently experiencing a wonderful time for cycling. It’s hugely popular as a sport for the general public. Many people have discovered or rediscovered cycling during the Covid pandemic. Cycling is all the rage. Professional cycling is also enjoying a boom at the moment. Cycling broadcasts are generating strong viewing figures on television. This is partly down to the current stars of the sport. Before that, we had a 20-year period in which the professionals were so specialised that cycling became boring. The classics no longer held any thrill. The Grand Tours were decided early on. At present, however, just as last year, all the superstars were in action at the spring classics. That hadn’t been the case for a long time.
TOUR: Except for Jonas Vingegaard. He continues to avoid the classic one-day races.
LAPPARTIENT: That’s right. Except for Vingegaard. He’s a rider whose profile is built on the old model, which means specialisation. Nevertheless, I’d like to see him compete in one-day classics. Liège–Bastogne–Liège must suit him down to the ground. It’s practically a mountain stage, so he can certainly be among the front-runners there.
TOUR: At the moment, riders are attacking much earlier in the races, and decisive groups are forming a long way from the finish. What’s your take on that?
LAPPARTIENT: An exciting development. The classic races thrive on head-to-head battles; the stage races are much more interesting than they were some time ago. Incidentally, the same applies to the women’s races. In my view, women’s cycling as a whole has made great strides.
TOUR: Tadej Pogačar is a professional who is capable of winning every race he enters. At times, he dominates and astounds with phenomenal solo breaks. What does it mean for the races when there is someone who is virtually unbeatable?
LAPPARTIENT: First and foremost, he is a magnificent representative of the sport. However, when a rider dominates as Tadej Pogačar does, there is also the element of suspicion. That was the case in Eddy Merckx’s day, and it was also true of the era defined by Bernard Hinault.
I would never say that there is a 100 per cent guarantee that any driver is clean.
What is certain, however, is that we, the UCI, are devoting 100 per cent of our energy to ensuring that we root out the black sheep. Pogačar, for example, can be tested as many as three times a day during the Tour de France. We have delegated the testing process to the ITA, the International Testing Agency. The ITA is doing a brilliant job. I have 100 per cent confidence in them. But of course we must continue to test intensively and, from time to time, dismantle bicycles as well.
TOUR: Since you’ve brought it up so bluntly: do you personally have any doubts about Pogačar’s performances?
LAPPARTIENT: I currently have no reason to doubt Pogačar’s performance.
TOUR: During the period of Lance Armstrong’s underhand dealings, the UCI also played a disgraceful role as the protector of the master doper. Can you rule out this sort of corrupt collusion at present?
LAPPARTIENT: The period you are referring to was a very dark time for cycling, marked by organised doping. Our task as the UCI is now to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again. One lesson we learnt from the Armstrong era is that the fight against doping must be conducted with complete independence. We work with the ITA when information about individual riders comes to light, and this also applies when rumours surface. Unfortunately, there will always be professionals who take performance-enhancing drugs. However, we must be able to be certain that we catch them. The ITA does excellent work in this regard.
TOUR: It’s striking how quiet things are at the moment regarding the issue of doping. What’s your view on this? Do you think cycling has become cleaner?
LAPPARTIENT: The fact that there are few doping cases does not obscure the possibility that new substances may emerge which cannot yet be detected because there is no valid testing method for them. We must therefore always remain a little sceptical.
TOUR: Nevertheless, there are figures in leadership positions within the peloton who are part of cycling’s dark doping past. Mauro Gianetti, for example, is the boss of Pogačar’s UAE Team. Alexander Vinokourov heads the Astana Team. And Armstrong’s best friend, George Hincapie, heads up Team Modern Adventure. That’s quite a lot of baggage from the past. What’s your view on this?
LAPPARTIENT: Our rule is as follows: all professionals who were banned before 2011 are currently entitled to play a role in cycling. If a rider tests positive today, he can no longer become a sports director or general manager of a team.
TOUR: The US website “The Athletic” quotes a source within the UCI who claims that the world governing body wants to expose a big name to show that the fight against doping is working. Is that true?
LAPPARTIENT: I’ve heard that rumour. But we’re not just here to bring down big names.
We’re here to make sure that fraudsters are caught, regardless of whether they’re big names or lesser-known figures.
But one thing is clear: if we do indeed catch a big name in doping, there will be no leniency whatsoever.
TOUR: Despite the positive developments you have described, you personally wanted to move away from cycling. You were one of the candidates for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In the end, you were not elected. But why did you stand for election?
LAPPARTIENT: I did it because I felt the opportunity was right. I thought to myself: why shouldn’t I give it a go? I believe I could have channelled my energy from the UCI to the IOC, even though I hadn’t been an IOC member for very long. So perhaps my application was a little optimistic. However, I do believe that I nevertheless contributed to the debate on the future of the IOC. After all, I consider my election manifesto to be one of the most substantive. But I am now continuing to work at the UCI with passion and conviction.
TOUR: As UCI President, you are in competition with major organisers such as ASO, which owns the Tour de France and other gems such as Paris–Nice, Paris–Roubaix and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Then there are the Italians at RCS, who organise the Giro, and Flanders Classics with the top Belgian races. Given these powerful blocs, what is left for the UCI?
LAPPARTIENT: ASO is indeed in a very strong position. Its activities account for almost 70 per cent of the visibility of professional cycling. There are two ways for us to deal with this. Either the UCI finds itself, as has already happened twice before, at loggerheads with ASO.
The issue at stake was that of influence and power in cycling.
Ultimately, ASO was in the better position. I do not believe war is ever a solution. My guiding principles are dialogue and determination. For the UCI, ASO’s dominance is both an advantage and a disadvantage. It is an advantage because the world governing body also benefits from the Tour de France’s appeal. Conversely, however, it is also a risk when one player occupies 70 per cent of the market. Overall, we have a very good relationship with ASO. Nevertheless, I am still trying to ensure that there are other strong organisers. This is important for maintaining a balanced mix of cycling race organisers.
TOUR: However, it’s now almost impossible to achieve that balance. You’re also said to have close ties to the Tour de France, partly because you’re French. What’s your view on this criticism?
LAPPARTIENT: In France, the Tour is part of the country’s collective heritage. It is a key factor in national unity. However, I do not receive any work assignments from ASO, nor do I interfere in ASO’s affairs. I have learnt my lessons from the UCI’s former dispute with the ASO. That was a pointless row. My principle is to maintain good relations with the major organisers – RCS and Flanders Classics just as much as the ASO. But just because I am French, I do not in any way favour the ASO. Rather, I have no interest in falling out with these three organisers, who organise 94 per cent of professional races.
TOUR: Given this situation, what options does the UCI have left?
Among other things. I said to Marie-Odile Amaury, who heads the Amaury Group: “We absolutely need a women’s Tour de France. Why don’t you give it some thought?”
In this way, we too have played our part in ensuring that the Women’s Tour now exists.
And ever since it was established, companies have been investing in women’s cycling, setting up teams, and the salaries of professional female cyclists have been rising. We ensured that the Women’s Tour was immediately awarded the highest UCI status. In such start-up processes, the UCI makes things easier. Because we all benefit from it. But that doesn’t mean we’ve been reduced to a ‘yes-men’ organisation.
TOUR: But the UCI isn’t really the major player...
LAPPARTIENT: We continue to organise World Championships and are in charge of the competitions at the Olympic Games. And we are the governing body for cycling. We are responsible for the rules. We classify the teams. We set the cycling calendar and determine the categories of races. We appoint the race officials, who in turn ensure that the rules are followed and impose fines in the event of a breach.
TOUR: Looking at the German market, what role does Germany play in the world of cycling?
LAPPARTIENT: I see Germany as a major cycling nation. It has produced great champions, both men and women. But your country also went through something I would call the ‘Jan Ullrich trauma’. That incident noticeably dampened enthusiasm for cycling in Germany. However, the country is now recovering from it – that’s clearly evident. But it has taken a long time – a very long time.
Here at the UCI, we are currently fascinated by the huge enthusiasm that cycle races generate in Germany, whether in Frankfurt, Hamburg or at the Tour of Germany.
There is also a bid to host the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in 2029 or 2030. All of this shows me that cycling in Germany is making a strong comeback. I’m delighted about that. I can only say to businesses in Germany: cycling is worth supporting!
David Lappartient
Born on 31 May 1973 in Pontivy (Brittany), he initially pursued a career in regional politics. From 2008 to 2021, he was mayor of the Breton commune of Sarzeau, and since 2021 he has been president of the Morbihan department. As a sports official, he rose to become president of the French Cycling Federation in 2009, a position he held until 2017. In September 2017, he succeeded Brian Cookson as head of the International Cycling Union (UCI). He has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2022.
