The solution is on its way. A new, worldwide Mountain Bike Organization has been founded, the MTBSO. This rule change is one of the things that triggered them. Check mtbso.com or look them up on Facebook. Today there was an article on pedalmag.
This part of the article is most relevant for this topic:
The trigger for the founding was the growing resentment amongst bikers about the general behavior and increasingly stricter regulations of the world cycling union UCI. The well-known last drop was the decision that UCI-riders as of next season are no longer permitted to compete in non-UCI sanctioned events. We don’t have to put up with this, according to founder, passionate mountainbiker and professional within the mountainbike-industry Maarten Essers. “Lots of bikers who race in the Crosscountry or Downhill competitions like to compete in Enduro races or other events as well. They do so for training or pleasure. Disciplines like for example Enduro are not sanctioned by the UCI, which takes away a lot of freedom from these riders. We interpret this rule as an attempt from the UCI to gain more income. Events, who do want to attract high profile riders, are herewith somehow forced to join the UCI in order to get these riders. And of course there are costs involved to get your event sanctioned by the UCI. It needs little explanation that the independence seeking mountainbikers find themselves robbed of a big chuck of their freedom and pleasure.”
They still want to suck the life out of mtb racing - but not just yet. They want to do it slowly.
Something like that?
The solution is on its way. A new, worldwide Mountain Bike Organization has been founded, the MTBSO. This rule change is one of the things that triggered them. Check mtbso.com or look them up on Facebook. Today there was an article on pedalmag.
This part of the article is most relevant for this topic:
The trigger for the founding was the growing resentment amongst bikers about the general behavior and increasingly stricter regulations of the world cycling union UCI. The well-known last drop was the decision that UCI-riders as of next season are no longer permitted to compete in non-UCI sanctioned events. We don’t have to put up with this, according to founder, passionate mountainbiker and professional within the mountainbike-industry Maarten Essers. “Lots of bikers who race in the Crosscountry or Downhill competitions like to compete in Enduro races or other events as well. They do so for training or pleasure. Disciplines like for example Enduro are not sanctioned by the UCI, which takes away a lot of freedom from these riders. We interpret this rule as an attempt from the UCI to gain more income. Events, who do want to attract high profile riders, are herewith somehow forced to join the UCI in order to get these riders. And of course there are costs involved to get your event sanctioned by the UCI. It needs little explanation that the independence seeking mountainbikers find themselves robbed of a big chuck of their freedom and pleasure.”
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