The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is pleased to announce that Philippe Gilbert (BEL) and Ruth Winder (USA) have been elected to represent road cycling on the UCI Athletes’ Commission, in a vote organised during the 2021 UCI Road World Championships held in Flanders (Belgium) from 19 to 26 September.
Philippe Gilbert and Ruth Winder were chosen from among four candidates – two men and two women, Sofiia Shevchenko (UKR) having withdrawn her candidature before the election – by athletes registered for the event’s Elite competitions.
Philippe Gilbert obtained 65.9% of the votes for the male candidates, while Ruth Winder received 83.3% of the votes for the female candidates. The voting participation rate was 83.8%.
Members of the UCI Athletes’ Commission are elected for a four-year term which will take effect once all its members have been elected (ie after the elections organised at the last UCI World Championships of the year, all disciplines included).
This election is part of the renewal of the UCI Athletes' Commission for the 2021-2025 period. Its new members are elected by their peers during the 2021 UCI World Championships for the various cycling disciplines.
Since 2017, the Commission has been composed of 20 members, with each discipline or specialty – cyclo-cross, para-cycling, BMX Racing, mountain bike cross-country, mountain bike downhill, trials, BMX Freestyle, road, track and indoor cycling – being represented by two riders, one man and one woman.
The President of the UCI Athletes' Commission, a position currently held by Katerina Nash, is elected by the members of the Commission and sits for a four-year period on the UCI Management Committee, the Federation's executive body, which operates under the authority of the Congress.
The Commission has an advisory role which enables it to submit proposals to the UCI Management Committee. Its field of action mainly concerns the improvement of conditions for the practice of high-level sport, the protection of athletes in all its forms, the promotion of ethics and sportsmanship, the establishment of a direct link with the Federation's decision-making bodies, the information for athletes on significant regulatory changes and the orientation of athletes after their sporting retirement.
Key election figures:
Men Number of votes Percentage Philippe Gilbert (BEL) 205 65,9% Toms Skujiņš (LAT) 101 32,5% *** Abstentions *** 5 1,6% *** Invalid ballots *** 0 0%
Women Number of votes Percentage Varvara Fasoi (GRE) 39 12,5% Ruth Winder (USA) 259 83,3% *** Abstentions *** 13 4,2% *** Invalid ballots *** 0 0%
Number of registered ballots 311 Number of rejected ballots 0 Number of eligible voters 371 Participation rate 83,8%
Subject to changes enforced by the ongoing global health crisis, elections for the remaining members of the UCI Athletes’ Commission will be held on the following dates:
Track: Roubaix (FRA), 20-24 October 2021
Indoor cycling: Stuttgart (GER), 29-31 October 2021.
The renewal process for the UCI Athletes’ Commission will come to an end with the election of its President, which will take place between November and December 2021.