The global antennae of the UCI World Cycling Centre

The eleven training and education centres, spread across all continents, are intended to help develop cycling worldwide. "We simply cannot bring everyone to Aigle," explains Salomé Ernotte, who coordinates the WCC satellite network. "We don't have the space, time or staff for that. The satellites do what we do here in Aigle on a smaller scale."

Thanks to the satellites, more riders can participate in training camps and more candidates have access to UCI training courses for trainers or mechanics. The satellites also play an important role in talent detection. Riders can be tested on site. The athletes with the greatest potential are then invited to Aigle to follow a more extensive training and education programme.

As early as 2002, the year the WCC was founded in Aigle, the first satellite centre opened its doors in Shuzenji, Japan. However, it was not until 2022 that the satellite centres really began to operate at full capacity. With the appointment of a coordinator – French former BMX competitor Salomé Ernotte – someone was specifically tasked with managing them for the first time. At the same time, a reform plan was also put into effect.

"In the past, each satellite centre did its own thing," explains Ernotte. "Since the reform, there are clear follow-up rules. At least once a year, the satellites must submit an activity report and each year they must also draw up an activity programme for the following year. At the same time, a procedure has been developed to support the satellites in finding funding."

No funds flow directly from the WCC to the satellites, but Aigle does help them find the appropriate funding channel to set up training camps or trainer courses, for example. The satellites' activities can be financed from three sources: the UCI's solidarity programme, the International Olympic Committee's Olympic solidarity programme and/or local authorities, often in the form of subsidies from the tourism budget.

The reforms are bearing fruit. "Since 2022, seven new centres have opened their doors," says Ernotte. "The latest addition was in Rwanda, inaugurated at the end of February. Recently, the UCI Management Committee approved another new application for a satellite in Johor Bahru, Malaysia."

As a result, the influx is also increasing year on year. Last year, 222 athletes were trained via the satellites. Ernotte is convinced that sooner or later this will produce a top athlete. "In addition, we also trained 179 coaches in the satellites last year. Several coaches who completed their level 2 training in a satellite centre then went on to Aigle for level 3. We would like to encourage this type of pathway."

Since the reforms of 2022, the satellite centres have been labelled 'continental' or 'regional'. This distinction is based on the number of Olympic disciplines they can offer with the available infrastructure and the number of national federations they can serve. The satellite centre in Rwanda, for example, which does not (yet) have a velodrome and focuses entirely on road cycling, is regional. Those in Japan and the upcoming one in Malaysia are the two others with the 'regional' label.

In Aigle, they receive an average of six to seven applications per year to open a satellite centre. Various criteria are taken into account when assessing these applications. For example, there must be an international airport nearby and the roads must be decent and safe for training. "But the first criterion is, of course, the need for a centre in that location," says Ernotte. "That in turn depends on how well developed cycling is in the surrounding countries."

The WCC bases this on the UCI classification of national federations. Depending on their financial and infrastructural needs, the 205 affiliated federations are divided into four categories. A rich cycling country like Belgium belongs to category 1. The WCC focuses on the federations in categories 3 and 4. According to the current classification (for the period 2023-2025), no less than three-quarters of all federations belong to these so-called developing federations. These include all African federations.

With the exception of all microstates, such as Andorra and Monaco, all Western European countries are classified in categories 1 and 2. Nevertheless, a satellite centre was established in Anadia, Portugal. "Anadia is intended for the Eastern European federations," explains Ernotte. "When we opened this centre (in 2009, ed.), there were few national federations in Eastern Europe with the necessary infrastructure to house a satellite centre themselves. In Portugal, everything is available – from a velodrome to a test lab – and there is no visa requirement, which facilitates access to internships and training courses."