Velobs

Brandt: "We can’t get lost on the way any longer”

"Nowadays, there are no miracles anymore, no dramatic changes: a young rider who has talent will become a good professional racer easier than ever."

Christophe Brandt, can you in a first phase introduce your team Color Code - Biowanze ?

Wallonia is a small territory in which the Sports Minister has promoted the creation of two teams, Wallonia-Brussels and Color Code-Biowanze, which consists exclusively of U23 riders. It works in the continuation of what the federation does with the youth, up to the entry into the new talents category. Wallonia-Brussels, where all riders are professional, rather represents the intermediate step towards leading teams as Lotto-Belisol, where one of our riders, Boris Valley, signed in for 2014. It’s a progression throughout a  100% French speaking project. Today, a good Walloon rider knows that the path is clear to progress.

Why have you joined MPCC ?

Joining MPCC was obvious to us. Cycling has changed today. There is more discipline, supervision is more serious. Team budgets are more limited than before, and therefore therefore it is essential to make a difference by investing in training and education. Boris Valley’s transfer to Lotto-Belisol shows other young riders that the route is traced thanks to this range of training aid. Nowadays, there are no miracles anymore, no dramatic changes: a young rider who has talent will become a good professional racer easier than ever. We can see it  in many countries, such as France, where a new generation gets great results: it is a country promised to have the best riders in the world in a few years and it is through training.

What do you teach young riders ?

All the driftings of the past are linked to a lack of supervision. At amateur level, runners would seek advice from the wrong people. We do take young riders when their junior years are complete. That is to say, when cycling is still a game for them and they must make the transition, take care of themselves and train accordingly. We provide them a well-marked road with a well-organized management : the whole system is working with a coach, and a medical service beside, to which they must refer any problem. The referring doctor is not here to give medical advices, he is not involved in the physical preparation. Everyone keeps his own place and role. As a result: the riders are well educated and have a response to each of their questions.

"It is the lack of structure that in the past, has led some young people to drift into doping."

With the pyramid system, they also have their questions answered on the good progress of their career,  have less doubts and do not slip.

It is the lack of structure that in the past, has led some young people to drift into doping. Today, they are taught to train and live their passion. The mentality of the riders has changed as the rules are clear. By us, five blood samples a year are done with each rider. No one is tempted to cheat because it would be seen very quickly. It is no longer possible to get lost on the way and the kids know that if they are serious and they work well, they’ll climb the stages of the rocket. The work previously done only  with professional riders has moved to the youth. A new talent-team recruits from the junior ranks, and does not wait for a few years before it identified talents.

Do you prefer that a rider formed in your team reaches the high level within a team also member of MPCC ?

I would like above all that all teams adhere to MPCC, and also the organizers,  the sponsors ... MPCC rules are logical and normal. Applications for membership are not impossible to meet. What MPCC offer is to the advantage of teams and it is important to see more and more structures from Continental division join the movement. This means they have a medical consultant, a coach, a full executive staff. It also reinforces the link with the sponsor: it is important to know what it invests. The Belgian Federation, a member of MPCC does now issues continental licenses only to structures which are also members of MPCC. This is a sign of a sportive seriousness, but also medical, banking and organizational seriousness. This is essential because  the reconstruction must begin through the base of the pyramid.

by Velobs

Doctors of MPCC's teams members sign up not to using tramadol

Safeguard the riders’ health

MPCC has always endeavoured to defend the riders’ health and it is in this sense that have been established the controls of cortisol rate in several major competitions this year. The battle for tramadol to be registered in the list of prohibited substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency, follows the same logic. During the last meeting of MPCC teams doctors, 17 of them were attending, as for the referring doctor Armand Megret and the representative of the UCI Mario Zorzoli, problems with this drug have been the focus of debate. Gérard Guillaume, representing the MPCC teams doctors, said that this drug was "dangerous in competition" while Mario Zorzoli drew attention to its "side effects". Tramadol causes drowsiness and conditions that could lead to falls in the race.

The request would have significantly decreased among the riders

WADA keep on observing about this but MPCC is pleased to hear from the teams doctors that due to advertising by the movement about the side effects of tramadol, demand would have decreased considerably among the riders. On February the 7th, teams doctors had agreed to follow the proper medical use of tramadol and related substances: we must go further, and Mario Zorzoli said he was ready to ask the legal department of the UCI to support the request made to WADA, "since the majority of the cycling world agrees." However, the representative of the international board has reminded that a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) allowed the exceptional use of that substance. Doctors of teams members of MPCC are committed to no longer use tramadol in competition.

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General meeting of 10/22 : report

"I'M CLEAN !"

MPCC have known a radical turning point the last 12 months, as MPCC is now recognized as an interlocutor by all the stakeholders of the professional cycling. It is the first time that the MPCC General Assembly met in Paris with such a large number of members: 68 members at the end of this year, when there were only seven members in the previous year. The different cases of the past 15 years, especially the "Armstrong case", led some forty professional sports groups to join the rules of MPCC. After stating loud and clear in 2013: "Doping, that's enough," in 2014, our riders will communicate on the basis of a new message: "I'm clean" because the Movement is convinced that today, cycling became the sport of anti-doping !

"IT'S THE FRIST TIME IN SPORT THAT EVERY COMPONENTS OF CYCLING GATHERED IN A FORMAL WAY TO CONSIDER THE FUTURE IN A CREDIBLE MANNER" R. LEGEAY

In 2013, MPCC was open to other components of professional cycling: not only the organizers of cycling races but also the national federations and the sponsors, which number (higher to ten) now enables them to vote in General meeting. Thierry Huguenin, Head of Sponsorship at FDJ, notes : "It is not a coincidence to see many historical sponsors present in cycling for 15, 20 or 30 years (LCL Belgian national Lottery, Cofidis, FDJ, AG2R-La Mondiale, PMU ... joined by Argos Oil, Belisol, Endura, IAM, NetApp), being among the first sponsors getting involved with MPCC." Roger Legeay, President of MPCC, also welcomed the presence of several presidents of National Federation during this meeting: "It’s the first time in sport that every components of cycling gathered in a formal way to consider the future in a credible manner."

During the General Meeting, six teams were confirmed as full members of the MPCC after a secret ballot. They were on probation so far, for their first year of membership within MPCC. Moreover, after the temporary suspension of the team Europcar, General Meeting voted to reinstate the team within MPCC, with a probation period to be observed until next General Meeting. After this one year period, the team will regain its full membership in MPCC. Health, ethics and the image of cycling are the main values promoted by MPCC. It is noticed that our movement is based on the basic principle of volunteering.

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Marc Frederix : "The future of cycling is shaped now !"

"Thanks to MPCC, sponsors have been asked to join in the debate for the first time."

Many teams are MPCC members and in some cases, the sponsor is also a full member of MPCC. What differentiates them within MPCC?

In the case of the Belgian National Lottery, the team and the sponsor are both members but with different interests. Teams are involved with the sporting aspect, wishing for all teams to comply with the same antidoping rules, while sponsors are more concerned with media exposure and how cycling is perceived by the public.

The involvement of sponsors that are MPCC members go beyond the scope of a simple commercial partnership with the team.

The Belgian National Lottery has been involved in cycling since 1985: the partnership with the team has been built on common values. Underlining these values is extremely important to us, it represents a way to help building the future of cycling. This sport can be perceived with negativity in some countries. Maybe its organization has not been professional enough, and the interests of riders, sponsors and the public have not been considered enough in the past. Thanks to MPCC, sponsors have been asked to join in the debate for the first time.

What will help building this future of cycling?

Greater credibility, obviously, but also considering all cycling's stakeholders. We, sponsors, had never been heard by governing bodies before.

"We want to focus on riders development. Today, more and more sponsors follow this path."

Specifically, what does the Belgian National Lottery do for the future of cycling?

As a sponsor, what is important for us is detection and guidance of young talents. We want to focus on riders development. Today, more and more sponsors follow this path, as Francaise des Jeux for instance. In our case, developing young talents is favoured over bringing in riders from other teams. We attach great importance to giving young riders the chance to develop their talent and qualities and guide them in their further development as cyclists.

A general assembly of MPCC will take place on Tuesday: what is the role of sponsors during those meetings?

We are less involved in medical issues than in matters of public relations. We have a role to play when it comes to communication and marketing. Very often, governing bodies are more concerned with what happens in their sport while we tend to be more interested in how cycling is perceived from the public perspective. Our expertise contributes to have a better perception of cycling.

by Velobs