Will UCI political issues overshadow world's?

By VeloNews Interactive, With wire services

It’s supposed to be all about who will become world champion but another race, for the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI), could overshadow all competition in the Spanish capital this week.

UCI president Hein Verbruggen is stepping down after 14 years in charge having introduced numerous reforms, including the recent and still unsettled Pro Tour series.

However the race to replace the 64-year-old Dutchman – who will continue his role at the International Olympic Committee as chief coordinator for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing – on September 23 has turned messy.

To begin with, the management committee of the UCI announced Monday that it will not even hold its traditional meeting at the world championships, opting instead to move the confab to the organization’s world headquarters in Switzerland.

The highly unusual move, announced in a statement on the UCI’s official website on Monday, marks the latest round of an increasingly bitter power-struggle.

The UCI said the vast majority of its management committee had agreed on Monday to leave Madrid, “deeply indignant” at the “hostile” attitude of the host Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) and instead hold a meeting on Tuesday in Geneva.

“The outrageous behaviour of the RFEC is inexplicable and incomprehensible on the part of the hosts of the world championships,” the Swiss-based UCI said in the statement.

Pat McQuaid has been groomed as Verbruggen’s successor, but some detractors have complained that, against UCI rules, the Irishman has benefited from a monthly salary while working at the UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland.

Despite admitting to living in an apartment which is paid for by the international body McQuaid has denied receiving any financial help from the UCI and is expected to stand as planned.

However that has done little to appease numerous detractors – most of whom have openly opposed his long-planned candidacy in an election which they claim is far from transparent.

The end result is that McQuaid will, on paper at least, have to fight off two rival candidates in Friday’s vote.

The official candidate list now includes Malaysian official Darshan Singh, a former member of the UCI management committee. Gregorio Moreno, who was put forward by the Spanish Cycling Federation, is also contending the election.

Both candidates have opposed McQuaid’s candidacy on the basis that he has been groomed by Verbruggen, thus leaving no room for a fair and democratic process.

Verbruggen admitted in an interview with Le Figaro on September 9 that he fully favored McQuaid’s candidacy.

“People complain that I’m not impartial,” Verbruggen said. “I’m not. I’ve got a favorite (McQuaid) in whom I have plenty of confidence.”

Another twist was the brief emergence of Verbruggen as a candidate. The Dutchman, much to everyone’s surprise, was put forward by his own national cycling federation a number of weeks ago when concerns over McQuaid’s bid seemed most shaky.

Verbruggen is unlikely to welcome another mandate but is scheduled to preside over an election which some – especially the Spanish federation – feel is undemocratic.

Spanish cycling chiefs on Friday lodged an official request with a tribunal in Switzerland (the home of the UCI) demanding the designation of an impartial delegate to guarantee the “principles of equality, transparence and liberty” throughout the election process.

The Spanish have already lodged a complaint with the IOC’s Ethics Commission but have not yet had a response. The feuding in the UCI has been going on for several months, but first came to light when Sylvia Schenk, now the ex-president of the German Cycling Federation (BDR), hit out at Verbruggen over the overt support given to McQuaid.

Schenk, who last week also slammed the UCI for its handling of the doping allegations aimed at Lance Armstrong, had lodged official complaints with the UCI’s Board of Appeal and Ethics Commission – although both rejected Schenke’s complaints last week.

Schenk has since been accused by Verbruggen of leading a “witch hunt” against the UCI. She too has also approached the IOC’s Ethics Commission.

It remains to be seen what emerges from those appeals, but Friday’s election – and the subsequent fallout – threatens to be dramatic for the sport given that Moreno is closely linked to the Vuelta a España organizers, who along with the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France have always opposed the UCI Pro Tour series in its current form.