It's a strange sight that we see every year, one that appears to be unique to cycling – riders at training camps with their new teams standing out among the crowd clad in the colours of their former teams.
The UCI contract rule, which upholds that strange state of affairs – 2.15.139: 'The riders may not, for the duration of the present contract, work for any other team or advertise for any other sponsors…' before the contract switchover date of December 31 – may now be changing, however.
Currently, riders are obliged to promote their contracted teams until the end of their contracts, while teams and sponsors hold the right to use images of those riders and can use them for advertising over the same period.
As a result, we've seen Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's new star signing Remco Evenepoel attending his new team's press events and training camps wearing a blank non-sponsored hoodie and his 'old' Soudal-QuickStep kit, while other transferring riders have to do the same.
UCI Director of Sport Peter Van Den Abeele confirmed to Belgian cycling magazine Knack that the sport's governing body is seeking to change its regulations, with the issue discussed at a recent meeting of the UCI's Professional Cycling Council.
"We are working on it with the AIGCP [the association of professional cycling teams] and the CPA riders' union," said Van den Abeele.
"The regulation change will definitely happen, with contracts starting on November 1. The starting year is yet to be determined in consultation with all stakeholders."
Any such change would presumably require alteration of all current rider contracts to begin on November 1 and end on October 31. However, it seems that all parties are in favour of updating the regulations.
Richard Plugge, former AIGCP CEO and current Visma-Lease A Bike CEO, told Knack as much.
"Teams are in favour of changing the contract term with November 1 as the start date," he said.
