L’Union Cycliste Internationale Blames Local Organizers for Lack of Coverage at the Women’s Gravel World Championship

There are a few disappointments greater than gathering with friends for a much-anticipated sports event, only to find that the game is nowhere to be found! Imagine the scenario: snacks, drinks, jerseys, and eager fans all set for the big game, only to face a complete blackout. This is precisely what countless Gravel World Championship enthusiasts experienced when the women’s race vanished from screens!

Anxiously, fans scoured TV channels and online platforms, but to no avail. The much-anticipated women’s race had vanished into thin air. To make matters worse, no single entity is stepping forward to shoulder the blame for this broadcast blackout. Instead, fingers are pointed in all directions, leaving fans in frustration and bewilderment.

UCI Blames Local Organizers

After this faux-pas, the UCI, which is in charge of sports cycling globally, is laying the responsibility of coverage at the doorstep of the local organizing committee. In an official statement, the committee said the race had no live coverage due to “no TV production.” The statement was released an hour after the women’s championship race had kicked off in Veneto, Italy.

Read More: 6,000 Cyclists Set to Participate in a Bike Ride Through Vehicle-Free Streets

To curb the damage, the statement continued by encouraging fans to join in the excitement of the race online. It urged them to follow the race via the riders’ lap time. The statement concluded, “A summary of the race will be posted online as soon as possible, and numerous highlights of the competition will be broadcasted during the Men Elite race on Sunday.”

The statement also assured fans that, going forward, “UCI will make it mandatory for event organisers to provide TV production for both the Men Elite and the Women Elite races.”

Limited Broadcast Coverage Everywhere

Even on grounds at the Gravel World Championship, information and coverage of the event has been limited at best. Consequently, fans, riders, and media personnel disappointedly responded to the news. Adding to the disappointment, the media press room replayed the 2022 men’s race at the finish in Veneto. That screen was eventually replaced with a WhatsApp group that showed texts and inaccessible audio updates.

Eventually, a Google Docs sheet displayed minimal information about the riders in the lead group. All in all, this experience was not worth the trouble despite the event being an absolute barnburner. While UCI still faces backlash for the mistake, sources have confirmed that UCI President David Lappartient will not attend the event this year.

Watch This Story: Hailie Deegan’s Journey to Redemption in NASCAR 2024