After a long career as a pro cyclist, Michael Rogers has accepted a new position at the UCI. The 41-year-old is now the ‘Head of Road Cycling and Innovation’.

 

“Cycling and technology have been my lifelong passions,” explained Michael Rogers overnight when announcing that he’d accepted a new position with the UCI. “In the new role I will work together with [UCI] partners to co-create an exciting future for this beautiful sport.”

 

For much of the past year, Rogers has worked with the UCI, but his previous position was titled ‘Innovation Manager’. The change of role provides an exciting new direction for the former rider from Canberra, one that offers plenty of scope at a time of considerable change for the sport of cycling. Exactly what the new job entails remains to be seen but the UCI, under the presidency of David Lappartient, has embraced new technology while also recognising the significance of relatively new cycling disciplines such as freestyle BMX and gravel riding.

 

Rogers is excited about the prospect of creating a bright future for competitive cycling, and he now has a job that allows him to utilise his considerable experience as a road cyclist.

 

“I never imagined that I would one day find myself at the table with the visionaries, thought-leaders and innovators of the sport, and to be working together to navigate exciting new opportunities brought about by digital transformation, the increasing participation of women in cycling, and the growth of the sport in regions such as Asia and Africa.”

 

The first three-time winner of the TT world championship (2003, 2004 and 2005) was forced to end his career in 2016, earlier than he would have liked, because of a heart condition. He has remained heavily involved in cycling, briefly working with a virtual training platform start-up, Virtu Go, before shifting his focus to administration at the UCI.

 

RIDE Media has closely followed Rogers’ career from his early days of international competition, on road and track, through to the world championship successes and the frustration of a false positive test for clenbuterol that forced him to take a pause from racing while in the prime of his competitive career.

 

He is a stage winner at the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, with his final race victory coming in Luchon-de-Bagnèresduring the 2014 TDF.

 

We will follow up with an interview about Rogers’ new role with the UCI in the coming days.

 

 

– By Rob Arnold