Cyclo-cross supporters have made a last minute push to have the sport included in the French Alps 2030 Winter Olympics, despite the International Olympic Committee already ruling it out.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry made the governing body’s position clear earlier this month, stating that the French Alps Games would be strictly limited to snow and ice sports, with no summer disciplines or seasonal crossover events considered. That, in theory, should have ended the debate. However, backers of the sport have since written directly to Coventry and IOC members urging a rethink.
The campaign has attracted some high profile support. World class cyclists including Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel and Puck Pieterse sent videos to the IOC making the case for inclusion, while prominent French cycling figures such as Thibaut Pinot and Lucie Lefevre also backed the bid. Pinot even joked he might come out of retirement to compete if the sport were added. Supporters argued that the venue’s proximity to Belgium and the Netherlands would draw crowds of more than 30,000 spectators.
The IOC, however, is leaning on the Olympic Charter, which limits the Winter Games to disciplines practised on snow or ice. While cyclo-cross is raced in cold and muddy conditions during the autumn and winter months, it does not technically meet that requirement.
The door is not entirely closed for the future though. Coventry has announced a working group to review the long term Olympic programme, and a relaxation of the rules is being examined with Salt Lake City 2034 in mind.
