Tokyo 2020 Cycling Venues Still Up in the Air

(ATR) Around the Rings learns that the UCI and Tokyo 2020 are still to agree to the final venues plan amid cycling’s serious concerns about moving the velodrome and BMX out of the Japanese capital.

The UCI has been at loggerheads with Games organizers for more than six months over proposals to relocate the venues to Izu – two-and-a-half hours drive away – to save costs.

UCI president Brian Cookson told ATR last month he remains "very concerned" about the plans. Talks with the IOC and Tokyo 2020 officials took place on the sidelines of the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur.

There have been several meetings since - the latest round of talks were last week - but ATR understands that both sides have failed to strike a deal.

The UCI is holding out hope that the final venues plan will be as close as possible to the original Tokyo 2020 bid book proposal.The federation is unhappy with the proposals to relocate its popular sports events so far from the main Olympic hub and has expressed concerns about low spectator capacities and cycling’s post-Games legacy.

Cookson recently presented three alternative venue proposals within the Tokyo metropolitan area for the velodrome and two other venue options for BMX. The UCI says it would cost less than the $52 million it would take to modify Izu's existing velodrome facility.

After a series of delays, Tokyo 2020 had wanted the cycling venues locked down by the end of September at the Sept. 23-24 meeting of the UCI Management Committee.

But ATR is told that the UCI doesn’t want to rush into any decision. Approval of the cycling venues plan for the Tokyo Olympics could now be further delayed.

Cycling's standoff with Games organizers is one of a series of challenges confronting Tokyo 2020. In July, the Olympic stadium plan was scrapped and sent back to the drawing board; last week the Olympic emblem was dumped in the wake of plagiarism claims.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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