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Osama Al Shafar, former UCI vice-president, has died
Osama Al Shafar, the UCI vice-president from 2021-2025 and head of the Asian Cycling Confederation from 2017-2025, has died.
Al Shafar, a prominent figure in sports and business from the United Arab Emirates, held a number of roles in cycling and beyond. He first entered the world of sports administration as president of the UAE Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, later becoming president of the continental governing body. He was also the head of the UAE Cycling Federation until this year, and played a key role in developing and launching the WorldTour-level UAE Tour races.
According to reports, Al Shafar died as a result of an accident while in Uzbekistan. He was 50 years old.
Al Shafar has been remembered in a statement from the UAE Tour as "a pioneer, a leader, and a driving force behind the sport’s rise in the region." David Lappartient, UCI President, wrote that "Osama was a true friend, and we mourn his loss."
Escape Collective sends its condolences to those who knew and loved him.
Named the Mech, it can be configured to fit regular hangers or be directly fitted to a UDH frame (the stiffer option). There are cages for 46 and 52T cassettes, and a variety of cable fins for compatibility with common 12 and 13-speed drivetrains. Ratio has also teased that more 11, 12, and 13-speed options will soon join the offerings. The entire derailleur can be rebuilt with basic tools, and Ratio claim some of the trickier elements are fully contained to keep things simple.
The derailleur is largely made of machined aluminium and Nylon components, all of which are manufactured in the Lakes District or Kent (UK). Expect to pay £345 / US$377 / €328 / AU$581. Hopefully, more to come as we’ve expressed interest in reviewing this product. In the meantime, more at Ratio Tech.
Wiebes 'okay' after being hit from behind
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) revealed on social media that she was hit by a driver while out for a ride. Fortunately, the reigning Tour de France green jersey winner seems not to have been hurt in the incident.
"Luckily I'm quite okay but this could be way worse, especially because I got hit from the back," Wiebes wrote alongside an image of her bike in the aftermath of the collision.
"Thanks to the persons who stopped to check I'm okay."
Renshaw leaves Astana for Decathlon
Mark Renshaw is taking on a new challenge. After spending the past two seasons as a sports director at XDS-Astana, first joining the Kazakhstani squad to help Mark Cavendish in pursuit of his record-setting 35th Tour de France stage win, Renshaw is leaving that team to join Decathlon-CMA GCM for the coming season.
As team GM Sébastian Joly said in a statement, Renshaw "will be dedicated to the sprint project" of the French squad, which has signed rising star Olav Kooij to lead the way in the bunch kicks. Meanwhile, Decathlon has also announced that fellow retired pro Heinrich Haussler is also coming aboard as a sports director, tasked with focusing on the Classics.
Almeida renews with UAE through 2028
Vuelta a España runner-up João Almeida will ride on with UAE-Team Emirates XRG through 2028, the team announced on Tuesday. The Portuguese all-rounder enjoyed a career year in 2025, winning three WorldTour stage races before finishing second behind Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) at the Vuelta.
In its statement, UAE said that Almeida "will continue to spearhead our GC ambitions across Grand Tours and stage races, as we build towards 2026 and beyond."
The Baumier B01 is a Canadian-made 3D-printed titanium and carbon all-road bike
Montréal-based Baumier claim to have developed the first 3D-printed carbon and titanium Allroad frame. Called the B01, the frame combines carbon fiber tubes and titanium lugs to reportedly take advantages of the former material's lightweight, stiff performance with the strength and durability of the latter. Using braided dry carbon fibre, injected with what the brand refers to as a "bio-based resin," it claims to have full control over a sustainable manufacturing processes.
Available today for pre-order in Canada and the U.S., the B01 comes in three configurations: Hors-Catégorie, Lifetime, and Timeless, with each receiving a different build kit that's been selected by the brand. Additionally, B01 bikes are equipped with Baumier’s house-made carbon fiber wheels, providing riders with a complete bike, built from start to finish in the brand's Montréal HQ. Deposits for a complete bikes are US$1,800 with final pricing ranging from US$18,000 to $25,000 depending on build kit. Baumier.
Lazer launches revamped Impala with new “DualCore” safety tech
Lazer has unveiled a redesigned Impala trail helmet featuring what the brand is calling DualCore EPS. Essentially, this is a twin-layer foam system that the brand claims offers a “groundbreaking" advancement in mountain bike protection. Developed with input from pro downhiller Jono Jones, the Impala KinetiCore is the first Lazer model to use the technology.
DualCore pairs a low-density inner foam with a stiffer outer layer, aiming to better manage both rotational and direct impacts along with a range of kinetic energies. Lazer says the combination disperses energy more effectively than a single-density shell, building on lessons learned from its KinetiCore platform, first launched in 2022.
Beyond the safety story, the new Impala includes a range of modern trail-helmet features: an integrated action-camera mount, a breakaway three-position peak, goggle-strap grippers at the rear, and a glasses stowage dock under the visor. A RECCO search-and-rescue reflector is also built in.
Available in three sizes and eight colours, the medium Impala KinetiCore weighs a claimed 370g and retails for £199.99 / $199.99 / €199.99.
We will have more to share on the helmet in the future, with a review on its way.
Canyon sales fall 7%
Canyon's sales fell 7% year-to-date to €611 million (US$709 million) in the first nine months of 2025, as oversupply and discounting affected the demand, particularly in e-MTB, MTB, and urban markets, according to the company's latest financial results. The company said road and gravel segments remained comparatively strong, but its EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) margin still declined to –29% from –19% a year earlier.
Canyon's majority owner, investment firm Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), wrote down its Canyon investment by 43% to €261 million at the end of 2024, and now values it at slightly higher €267 million. Canyon said results were still affected by the temporary suspension of some of its e-MTB models following quality issues identified in late 2024.
These are the first financial results published since Canyon founder Roman Arnold returned as executive chairman in September to lead the company.
Starling shifts Core frame production from UK to EU
British MTB brand Starling Cycles has announced it's moving production of the front triangles for some of its steel Core models, including the Murmur and Twist, to Fort Frames in the Czech Republic. The company said in a website post that the switch will let it build larger batches while "staying true to our handmade ethos". Rear triangles remain made by ORA in Taiwan, and all the specialist Rare and prototype models (like the 170 mm-travel, 26in-wheeled Dive) will continue to be made in Bristol, UK.
Starling said designs and materials remain unchanged, with Reynolds 853 top and down tubes brazed together alongside the usual CNC parts. Assembly of every frame, prototyping, custom sizing, and the workshop repair programme also stay in Bristol.
The manufacturing shift also reflects a move away from build-to-order: Starling plans to now hold frame stock in Bristol and is looking to build a dealer network.
Rapha founder Simon Mottram backs boutique builder Quirk Cycles
Quirk Cycles has secured Rapha founder Simon Mottram as a lead investor in its current funding round, where the London-based frame maker seeks £500,000 (US$657,000) to scale production and launch three new models in early 2026.
Mottram said he was drawn by Quirk's "authenticity" and ambition to set "a new benchmark in performance and design," and noted that the brand is defining what's next for boutique performance cycling. Quirk owner Rob Quirk declined to disclose the numbers behind Mottram's investment while the round remains open, but said his involvement is "a huge vote of confidence" in the company's strategy.
Positioned at the high end of the market, Quirk says demand for its steel and titanium bikes has proved resilient despite the wider market difficulties. Quirk's current frameset options span road, all-road, gravel, and mountain bikes.
Wheels Manufacturing is now making chainrings
Wheels Manufacturing has long been a company with a deep catalogue of CNC-aluminium components and spare parts, but surprisingly, chainrings weren’t on the list.
That changes with the initial launch of SRAM 3-bolt-compatible mountain bike chainrings in a variety of colours. Currently, it’s limited to 30, 32, and 34T sizes, all in a 3mm offset, and with a choice of T-Type (SRAM) or HyperGlide+ (Shimano 12 sp) tooth profiles. Wheels Manufacturing has teased that more sizes and fitments will come.
The 1x-only chainrings are manufactured by Wheels Manufacturing in its Colorado facility and priced at US$75 each.
Curve’s CarboKev is now official
Earlier this year at Spoken, local Aussie company Curve showed a prototype of its in-house bonded carbon and titanium gravel race bike - the CarboKev.
Now the bike is official, combining 3D-printed titanium lugs with titanium seat stays and toptube. Meanwhile, the downtube, seat tube and chainstays are carbon fibre. Where bonded joints are used, they are of the double-lap variety, with the carbon tube effectively sandwiched in place.
The bike offers clearance for up to 29 x 2.2in tyres and uses Curve's own carbon fork with internal routing that fits a narrower 1 1/8" upper headset. It can be ordered with a regular 27.2 mm seatpost or an Integrated post. Curve is quoting 10-12 month lead-times, with a frameset price of AU$12,000 excl. local taxes (approx US$7,800). More at Curve Cycling.
Velocity USA Releases Blunt 35 Rim in 32” size
Slowly but surely, 32-inch wheels are gaining traction in the mountain and gravel bike sector. Michigan-based rim and wheel manufacturer, Velocity USA, is the most recent brand to release a product specifically designed for the emergent category. As of December 2025, Velocity will make its Blunt 35 alloy rim profile available in a 32-inch diameter. Built from US-sourced 6061-T6 aluminum and formed in Grand Rapids, MI, the 32" Blunt 35 is claimed to offer a combination of strength, precision, and tubeless performance.
Offered in black, silver, or polished finishes at launch, other anodized color options are planned for the future. 32" Blunt 35 rims can be ordered through Velocity dealers or at www.velocityusa.com for US$228. The brand will have appropriately-sized spokes available, and its wheel department can build wheelsets in the new size.
Remco rejoice? The Giro will reportedly feature a long TT
In news that could tempt Remco Evenepoel to head to the Giro d'Italia next year, Het Laatste Nieuws reports that the 2026 edition of the race is set to include a mostly flat time trial of 40 km in Tuscany.
Though once a relatively common part of the Grand Tour playbook, TTs of that length have become increasingly rare lately – and a test so likely to favor the world's best time trialist surely will not go unnoticed by Evenepoel as he and his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team mull his calendar for next season. The full route of the Giro will be officially revealed on December 1. [Het Laatste Nieuws]
Sklar Bikes launches Super Something V2 gravel bike
Custom framebuilder Adam Sklar of San Francisco, CA-based Sklar Bikes released his brand's first made-in-Taiwan framesets back in 2022. The first offering, which consisted of a steel frame and fork in stock sizes, was the Super Something gravel bike, incorporating sizing and geometry data from the builders' previous ten years of fabricating custom bikes.
For 2026, Sklar has announced an updated version of the Super Something that, according to the brand, "exists about 60% of the way along the gravel bike spectrum – from tarmac to mountain bike – offering a confident balance of speed, agility and confidence-inspiring capability.”
The Super Something V2 will include a frame and fork made from "lightweight double-butted, heat-treated chromoly steel," with the option to add a paint-matched carbon fork. The frame features UDH dropouts and custom chainstay yoke that support all 1× drivetrains, clearance for tires up to 700×52mm, full rack/fender compatibility via multiple mounting bosses, and flat mount brake calipers.
Framesets come in two colors for US$1,600, and full builds are available starting at US$3,719. International shipping is available for an average cost of US$250.
Eurobike sets up advisory board after Mobifuture U-turn
Eurobike has created a Trade Show Advisory Board to "further deepen the dialogue with national and international partners and the entire industry," the organiser Fairnamic said in a press release.
Prague has submitted a bid to host 2029 Tour de France Grand Départ
Christian Prudhomme made a trip to Czechia last week to formally receive the nation's pitch to host a Tour de France Grand Départ in the not-too-distant future, possibly as soon as 2029.
"It's a very good candidacy,” Prudhomme said, according to Czech media. “Prague is a beautiful city and the Czech Republic knows how to organize big events. We are carefully examining this candidacy."
Czechia (or 'the Czech Republic'; both are still accurate but in 2018 the European Union updated its guidelines in favour of 'Czechia' for reference to the country), has competition from Luxembourg and Slovenia in the race for hosting duties. Barcelona is already in place for 2026, Edinburgh in 2027, and it's expected that a French region will take over for 2028 after two years away from home.
Christoph Roodhooft teases Van der Poel's Christmas CX schedule
The cyclocross season is well underway, the UCI World Cup is set to kick off next weekend in Tabor, and yet we're all still on tenterhooks as to when the men's elite world champion is likely to make his first appearance. It's been a long time since Mathieu van der Poel has raced a full CX season, but team boss Christoph Roodhooft has given an indication as to when he might make his long-awaited season debut in the rainbow bands.
"Around Christmas," the Alpecin-Deceuninck team boss told Sporza at this weekend's Flandriencross, "then he will be seen somewhere."
The CX Kerstperiode begins on 20 December with the World Cup round in Antwerp, an event the world champion has won seven times, most recently in the 23-24 season. That seems a good bet for a starting point – it worked for him last year when he commenced a reduced programme at Zonhoven on 22 December, and won all of his eight races. His actual programme should be revealed in the next couple weeks, after which point we can expect Wout van Aert to reveal his own, crucially including at least a few opportunities to compete sans Van der Poel.
Brand and Nys triumph at Flandriencross
Lucinda Brand took her seventh win of the season at Flandriencross on Sunday, doubling up on a bumper weekend that began with victory at Merksplas. Feeling a little public pressure to score a 50th consecutive podium, Brand led from the first lap right to the end, holding a pretty steady margin over European Champion Inge van der Heijden.
The battle for third was tighter as Aniek van Alphen and Marie Schreiber fought shoulder to shoulder, but Van Alphen came out on top with a well-timed attack in the final lap. Brand, Van der Heijden and Van Alphen have now shared four podiums in a row, the latter the only one yet to get a win.
In the men's race, Thibau Nys was in a vengeful mood, but a flying Cameron Mason made life very difficult for the Belgian national champion throughout the race. Both formed part of the six-man group that took the lead early, until Mason attempted a solo move. Unfortunately for the Scot, still searching for his first major victory, Nys was able to regain contact, and it came down to a two-up sprint for the win.
Multi-hyphenate superstar Lotte Kopecky returned to competition this past week at the Belgian Track national champs in Gent, where she made a swift return to the top step of the podium in the Omnium, two months after crashing out of the Tour Cycliste Féminin de l'Ardèche – which ruled her out of the Track World Championships in Santiago, Chile, a major objective for the prolific medal winner.
"I wanted to give my body time to recover," Kopecky told Sporza in Gent. "I chose not to push myself any further for the Track Cycling World Championships, because that was pretty much impossible. I think it was the best decision to give myself some rest and immediately start thinking about next season."
Kopecky's appearance at the national champs marks a return to happy hunting ground for the 16-time gold medalist, whose 2025 omnium title is her fifth in the multi-stage event.
"It went quite smoothly, but that doesn't change the fact that I started with question marks," said Kopecky. "I hadn't raced since September, certainly not on the track ... The recovery is going well, but the injury still raises questions, definitely. A protrusion of a vertebra was broken, and the surrounding muscles also took a significant hit.
"It's going well for now, but I hope it won't affect me later when the workload increases and I race more," Kopecky added, looking ahead to the 2026 road season. "It's still a long way off, but I'm already looking forward to it. I hope to be back in the spring. I'm really looking forward to what's to come, that's the most important thing."
Brand on the verge of landmark tally with Superprestige Merksplas win, Nieuwenhuis also back on top
Lucinda Brand and Joris Nieuwenhuis took elite victories at 'Strawberrycross' Merksplas on Saturday, round four of the season-long Superprestige series.
Brand stayed calm after a threatening early move found an advantage, eventually going solo about halfway through, leaving Aniek van Alphen behind. New European champion Inge van der Heijden's third place was enough to hold onto the series lead, but it is finely poised with Van Alphen now just one point off the leader's 50, Brand now fourth on 44 (having only raced three of the four rounds so far).
In the men's race, Nieuwenhuis took his third win in what might be considered a comeback season, a week after respiratory issues held him back at the European Championships. It was not without mishap as Nieuwenhuis navigated tricky conditions and an immensely competitive field, however, the bearded Dutchman seemed to get stronger as the laps went on, and on the final passage across the sand, Nieuwenhuis surged clear. Second-place Niels Vandeputte took over the Superprestige lead from Michael Vanthourenhout.
Elite women's top 5
Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) 45:20
Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) +0:10
Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) +0:13
Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez) +0:14
Amandine Fouquenet (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) +1:38
Elite men's top 5
Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley Racing Team) 1:00:26
Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:06
Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) +0:07
Jente Michels (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:08
Cameron Mason (Seven Racing) +0:27
Ferrand-Prévot targets Tour of Flanders and Liège prior to Tour Femmes defence
Reigning Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is laying down her cards prior to the 2026 season. Not only does she aim to defend her Tour title, but she's also hoping to add a couple of major classics to her already-bulging palmarès.
"I also want to try to win Flanders and Liège at the beginning of the season," Ferrand-Prévot told the Rouleur Live audience in London on Friday night. "This year, coming back into road cycling, I was quite up and down I would say. I performed well in the Tour, but I would like next year to perform more at the beginning of the season and then in the Tour de France too. That's also another challenge for me to have two peaks in the season, and I really love this idea also."
After her break from road cycling to pursue other goals, including a successful quest for Olympic MTB gold on home soil in 2024, Ferrand-Prévot started her first full road season back with a baptism of fire at the UAE Tour. But from there on, she powered through the spring with third at Strade Bianche and second at the Tour of Flanders, before then taking a landmark victory at Paris-Roubaix.
Ferrand-Prévot's spring ended with 12th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, then she took a break from competition after an early withdrawal from the Vuelta a España Femenina, which was followed by a history-making Tour.
Evenepoel compares new team with old: 'Everything is a bit more structured'
Like many of his road racing peers, Remco Evenepoel is getting stuck back into training in advance of the 2026 season, which, for the transferring class, also means adapting to a new environment.
"I think I've made the right choice," Evenepoel said of his move from Soudal-QuickStep to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, speaking with Johan Museeuw in a two-hander interview for HLN. "I'm going to adapt to the new philosophy as best I can. And see what results it leads to. My first impressions have been very positive.
"Everything is a bit more structured. For example, by January 1st, every rider will already know their complete training and race schedule for 2026. That's how I like it. The team, including riders, is over 200 people. Each has their own specific role and responsibilities, which were more cumulative at Soudal-QuickStep [where there were nearer to 80 people in total]."
Evenepoel also spoke about his storied wind-tunnel testing with some of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe's performance team – despite the fact that Evenepoel will stay on much of the same equipment, his numbers cannot be shared inter-team, nor can Specialized pass on their own previous testing.
"During my wind tunnel testing at Specialized in California, I was assisted by a large crew. Back then: three people. The input from aerodynamicists Dan Bigham and [Technical Performance Manager] Jonny Wale was especially enormous. Not that they could change much. But their small, sometimes crazy ideas certainly added value."
Israel-Premier Tech withdraws online presence in advance of rebrand
Israel-Premier Tech announced on Friday that the team would "be going offline for a short while from tomorrow, Saturday 15 November, before we return to reveal the team's new name and identity."
Less than 24 hours after the news was posted, it disappeared, along with any trace of the team's social media or website.
A screenshot of the now-invisible post on the team's Instagram page.
Presumably, the site and social media profiles will be reactivated with the new name after "a short while" has passed, retaining all followers, and reinstating any shared or collaborative posts, but it remains to be seen just when that might happen.
Lael Wilcox eyes Mark Beaumont's around-the-world record in 2026
Ultra-endurance cyclist Lael Wilcox has chosen her next big challenge. Speaking at Rouleur Live in London on Thursday, Wilcox revealed that she will attempt to break the outright record for a supported ride around the world starting in June 2026.
"I set the women's around the world record last year, but during that ride, I was self-supported and I picked a really mountainous route. I went through all the major cities and was carrying camping equipment and gear. I finished in 108 days," Wilcox told CyclingNews. "In the end, it was the coolest thing; I got to go after this Guinness World Record, and it felt like a goodwill tour of the world ... [But] I was left thinking, 'well, what athletically could I actually do?'"
The 39-year-old holds the women's record for an unsupported ride of 108 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes, set in 2024, but now she's after Mark Beaumont's 2017 time of 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes.
"As a woman, is it possible to beat the men's record, which is 78 days? You have to average – in the end – 230 miles a day. I can imagine doing it because I've raced across the US in an average of 235 miles [a day] for 18 days. So, I was like, physically I can do this, with the approach of efficiency; having a full support team, flatter route and trying to keep momentum."
MADE and Bespoked shows announce 2026 dates
Fans of handmade bikes can start planning their 2026 calendars, as both MADE and Bespoked have announced several dates and locations for next year.
Bespoked will return to the Dresden, Germany venue it used this year, but will have a new London venue and expand its Osaka, Japan slate. MADE, meanwhile, will return to Portland's Zidell Yards venue for its 2026 edition, held August 21-23. The show expects more than 200 builders and brands will exhibit.
Bespoked will open its 2026 tour April 24-26 at Copeland Park, Peckham in south London with an expected 70+ exhibitors. The Dresden show follows September 11-13, and then a late-October date (exact dates TBD) in Osaka. As previously announced, Australia's Spoken will take place June 21-26 in Sydney.
Israel-Premier Tech tease big reveal of new identity
The team known as Israel-Premier Tech will unveil its new name after a offline period on Saturday, November 15, the team announced in an Instagram post [ed. – invisible from Saturday amid online blackout]. The team's branding ties to Israel became a major source of controversy in the sport in the 2025 season, with protests at the Vuelta a España forcing the neutralization of two stages, and the team was disinvited to or withdrew from several other late-season races.
In the wake of that, the team announced a name and branding change, and last week co-title sponsor Premier Tech said it would end its support at the end of 2025, meaning a wholesale refresh of the name and branding will be coming soon.
IPT also confirmed that Chris Froome will not continue with the team. The 40-year-old four-time Tour de France winner is still recovering from massive injuries suffered in a training crash in August and has not been linked to any teams for the 2026 season.
Historic Team Amani women's squad aims for Tour de France Femmes by 2028
Team Amani will launch Africa's first-ever women's UCI continental team in 2026, with the ambitious goal of competing in the Tour de France Femmes, Giro d'Italia Women, and Vuelta a España Feminina by 2028.
The Ethiopian-registered squad features riders from Ethiopia and Rwanda who showed promise at the 2025 Pupkewitz Megabuild Windhoek Women Tour -Africa's only UCI women's race - securing two stage wins and a 1-2-3 overall finish led by Rwanda's Xaverine Nirere.
Founded in 2020 to address inequality in cycling, the Amani Project already runs men's road and gravel programs. The women's team is backed by sponsors including Factor, POC, and Rapha, and has recruited South African star Ashleigh Moolman Pasio as mentor and ambassador.
"Rather than following the traditional model of sending African riders to Europe and hoping they adapt, Amani is building high-performance infrastructure in Africa," Moolman Pasio explained, emphasizing sustainable development before creating European pathways.
The squad begins European competition in spring 2026, a first for most riders. While reaching the sport's pinnacle within three years is an enormous challenge, co-founder Mikel Delagrange sees it as validating their belief that African athletes can compete at the highest level with proper resources. The team officially launches at Rouleur Live in London this Thursday.
The team formerly known as Israel-Premier Tech will probably have a Swiss license in 2026
According to Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the team that raced as Israel-Premier Tech this season will race under a Swiss license next year. The squad is in the process of rebranding after announcing that it would be dropping "Israel" from its name and after Premier Tech said last week that it would no longer sponsor the team, although any new title sponsors have yet to be announced.
As for Premier Tech, the Canadian company is reportedly considering sponsoring another pro cycling team. Several squads are in the running to secure their support with Alpecin-Deceuninck the apparent front-runner at the moment. [X]
Winter Olympic Federations don't want cyclocross in the Winter Games
The Winter Olympic Federations, an association of federations for sports that compete in the Olympic Winter Games, put out a statement this week expressing their opposition to putting "certain additional disciplines" into the Winter Olympics. The statement comes as the International Olympic Committee mulls the addition of more sports to the Winter Olympic program, with cyclocross mooted as an option – although under current rules, only sports that take place on snow or ice are eligible to make the cut.
For the Winter Olympic Federations, that prohibition is in place for a reason, and changing the rules would be bad for the "identity" of the Games.
"The Winter Olympic Federations are firm in our belief that such an approach would dilute the brand, heritage, and identity that make the Olympic Winter Games unique – a celebration of sports practiced on snow and ice, with distinct culture, athletes, and fields of play," read the statement.
