Lappartient warns Netherlands and Belgium for missing Mixed Relay: "It's sad"

For the unbiased viewer, the Mixed Relay at the World Cycling Championships in Switzerland was a beautiful spectacle, where Australia was victorious by a tiny margin. Notable absentees were the Netherlands and Belgium, who are getting their asses kicked by UCI president David Lappartient for this.

The Frenchman was lyrical about the course of the event in Zurich. "It is a wonderful discipline; we have witnessed that again," he told De Telegraaf. Soon, he started talking about the absence of the Low Countries. "I fully understand that it is a discipline in its own right, but sadly, major cycling nations like the Netherlands and Belgium decided not to participate. For some nations, it is difficult to line up three strong men and women, but not the Netherlands and Belgium."

The Netherlands has had success in the event in the past. "The Netherlands won in 2019 when it was a World Championship event for the first time. Also, during the European Championships, it was the best. I sincerely hope the Netherlands and Belgium will be involved," Lappartient said. "They should also realize that their participation is important for our sport. We hope this event will get Olympic status, and yes, everyone will want to participate, but that has to be earned. All the countries are responsible for that, and each must contribute to make that happen," the UCI president added.

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"Everything takes time to develop, and so does this"

The Mixed Relay at the Games is an essential goal for Lappartient. "You see more and more gender-equal parts at the Games. We saw the athletics relay the other day in Paris, but the triathlon was fantastic. Surely it is beautiful that men and women can achieve performance together." Several prominent figures in cycling have already expressed criticism of the event: for example, it is difficult to get three men and three women together to train on it. "It will be difficult to implement that in the already packed calendar, but you can also say that it is precisely special that this part is only run at those two events and perhaps soon at the Games." Lappartient may succeed Thomas Bach as president of the IOC.

Despite the absence of the Netherlands and Belgium, Lappartient is convinced things are moving in the right direction for the Mixed Relay. "We started the Mixed Relay in 2019. Then there were 11 countries; now there are already 20. Everything needs time to develop, and so does this." Does the event have a future at the World Championships? "Definitely," the 52-year-old Frenchman said decisive.