Ruth Winder elected to the UCI Athletes’ Commission

The UCI has announced that Ruth Winder of the USA and Philippe Gilbert of Belgium have been elected to represent the discipline of road cycling on the UCI Athletes’ Commission. Voting was held during the World Championships held in Flanders from 19 to 26 September. Winder and Gilbert were selected from a total of four candidates – two men and two women by riders registered for the elite races at the recent World Championships.

The voting participation rate was almost 84 per cent. Winder received around 83 percent of all votes for the female candidates while Gilbert obtained almost 66 percent of the votes for the male candidates. Both riders will serve a four-year term which will commence once all disciplines have elected their representatives. Track cycling will elect its representatives in Roubaix from 20-24 October, and indoor cycling in Stuttgart from 29-31 October. The renewal process will come to a conclusion with the election of the President between November and December 2021.

The UCI earlier announced its renewal of the UCI Athletes’ Commission from 2021 to 2025. Since 2017, the Commission has consisted of 20 members, one male and female, in the disciplines of cyclocross, para-cycling, BMX Racing, mountain bike cross-country, mountain bike downhill, trials, BMX Freestyle, road, track and indoor cycling.

The role of the Commission has been consultative, submitting proposals to the UCI Management Committee with the aim of improving conditions, protecting riders, and promoting ethics. It provides a link with the Federation’s decision-making bodies, informs athletes of regulatory amendments, and provides advice on life post-cycling. The Commission had a role in establishing the minimum salary for female professional road cyclists and furthering gender parity regarding Olympic participation from Paris 2024 onwards.