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"A degree of frustration and disappointment all round has been expressed over the recent decision to drop the Time Trials from the Olympic track program," said Cycling Australia’s communique for July.
"This final outcome certainly did not reflect CAÂ’s submission to the UCI.
"We hasten to add that this ‘situation’ should not reflect on BMX, with whom we welcome closer links as a result of their Olympics status. We hold some concern with the removal of two cycling medals while athlete numbers were not reduced. CA will continue to explore options to lobby for change on this issue."
Behind the scenes, many national cycle federations are urging the UCI to publish the full results of the March survey of 24 federations.
Openness is supposed to be enshrined in the UCI’s ‘rules of good governance’. The organisation is meant to meet the "strictest criteria in terms of transparency" and "democracy."
However, to date, the UCI has refused the demand for transparency and will not comment on accusations it "rigged the vote" by including road events on the what-should-we-cull survey even though the UCI had already decided no road events would be culled.
There are no Olympic rules preventing the UCI from running the survey again, this time with all events being incorporated, including the men’s and women’s road time trials. It’s these two events which might be at the top of any re-run survey.
Taking part in the Olympic Games tends not to be a top priority for pro road cyclists whereas it’s the main goal for track cyclists, many of whom receive salaries derived from support from national governments keen to pay for medal winning success.
The UCI has stressed the men’s kilo and the women’s 500m track time trial will remain in the UCI World Track Championships but without an Olympic focus the disciplines will likely wither and die.
