UCI’s Advocacy Commission at Velo-city 2014.
From left:Alain Rumpf (UCI), Patrick François (UCI Advocacy Comm.), Pia Allerslev (UCI Advocacy Comm.), Tracey Gaudry (UCI Advocacy Comm.), Tim Blumenthal (UCI Advocacy Comm.). Source: www.uci.ch

The Velo-city Global conference that took place in May this year had all the hallmarks of a successful gathering of the cycling world: the city of Adelaide bore witness to workshops, debates, and fruitful discussions among a wide range of participants from around the globe.

The highlight of the conference was the official launch of the World Cycling Alliance (WCA), which intends to promote cycling on the world stage, notably in institutions such as the UN, World Bank and OECD. But that is not all. Another global development for cycling advocacy took place in Adelaide that week: the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), world governing body for sports cycling, joined the conference for the first meeting of its newly-established Advocacy Commission.

The Commission is chaired by Tracey Gaudry, UCI Vice-President and CEO of the Amy Gillett Foundation, an Australian road safety charity. The Commission announced its ambitious plan to help develop cycling on the international level – not just as a sport, but as a leisure activity, a means for fitness and a mode of transport as well.

Ms Gaudrey spoke of the Advocacy Commission’s plans at a Velo-city session on the global future of cycling chaired by ECF Director for Development, Kevin Mayne. She expressed how keen the UCI is to add value to cycling advocacy, and that cycling safety and development are now firmly on the agenda of the elite cycling governing body. She said: “The future of our great global sport depends on a healthy grassroots and a vibrant cycling sector. In partnership with others, we want to make our contribution to the acceptance, growth and sustainability of the cycling community.”

ECF whole-heartedly welcomes this initiative and looks forward to strengthening their already fruitful relationship of working together to make the world more cycling friendly. Kevin Mayne from ECF said: “We have had very useful meetings already, and we look forward to working closely with UCI in the future. We have an awful lot in common, and it’s great to have UCI with us as part of the advocacy community”.

Alongside Tracey Gaudrey, the Advocacy Commission is composed of Pia Allerslev, (Vice-Mayor of Copenhagen), Patrick François (President of the European Cyclosport Association) and Tim Blumenthal (President of People For Bikes). Several of whom already have close working relationships with WCA and its national members.