Belgian Biking has determined to remove bonuses for cyclists who win medals at main occasions such because the UCI Highway World Championships, saying the excellent performances prior to now 5 years have made the apply ‘unsustainable’.
The nation gained 5 street world titles prior to now three years, with Lotte Kopecky profitable back-to-back street race titles and Remco Evenepoel doing the identical within the particular person time trial after profitable the street race in 2022.
Based on a report in Sporza, the Belgian federation made the choice as a result of the variety of medals and their related bonuses tripled between 2019 and 2023 and threatened the organisation’s funds.
Bonuses have reportedly included €25,000 for a world title within the street race for Kopecky and €6,000 for Evenepoel’s time trial title, and in 2023 totalled €125,576, in line with Het Nieuwsblad.
Belgian Biking CEO Nathalie Clauwaert mentioned, “Now we have discovered that the system – because it has been for years – is now not financially sustainable”.
The bonuses are along with prize cash provided by the UCI and are of specific curiosity to riders of smaller disciplines that do not benefit from the salaries of a rider like Evenepoel, however scrapping the incentives is necessary to make sure the way forward for different programmes.
“It’s a measure that now we have coordinated internally with the riders and nationwide coaches,” Clauwaert mentioned. “We all know that it isn’t a preferred measure, however we might nonetheless depend on understanding.”
The prices to nationwide federations have risen with elevated prices for flights to far-flung areas like Australia in 2022 and Rwanda subsequent 12 months.
“I additionally communicate to fellow federations and they’re having a tough time holding their nationwide applications operating. There are a number of causes for that,” Clauweart added.
“For instance, there was a rise within the prices of lodge stays and flights. Wage prices have additionally elevated and there’s an internationalisation of the game. These days we frequently must journey a lot additional – simply consider the World Championships in Wollongong. After all, all of that has its value.”
The bonuses are separate from these supplied by the Belgian Olympic committee which awards €50,000 for people profitable a gold medal – Evenepoel claimed two this 12 months in Paris, with €30,000 for silver and €20,000 for bronze.
