The Union Cycliste International, or UCI as it’s more commonly known, has as grand a history as any governing body out there.
The UCI is at the very heart of everything cycling, issuing licenses, enforcing rules, banning dopers, overseeing everything from mountain biking to road cycling, track cycling, BMX, cyclo-cross and beyond. It has a huge influence in deciding the direction of the sports we love, and as such, it’s influence matters.
116 years ago when the organisation was founded in 1900, on 14 April in Paris to be exact, the members had a vision; to progress cycling in as many forms as possible, to prevent Team GB being dickheads – another story for another time – and ultimately, to make cycling the best sport in the world.
“In some ways it’s no surprise to see the UCI posting a picture of someone wearing provocative lycra”
Somehow we don’t think those founding fathers would be overly impressed by the UCI these days, or at least not in their social media staff posting booty-lead videos of twerking to their Facebook page.
Now, in some ways it’s no surprise to see the UCI posting a picture of someone wearing provocative lycra – in fact, that’s pretty much their job – but did the cycling world really need this link in their lives:
