Richard Plugge, the Visma-Lease a Bike manager and architect of the proposed One Cycling reforms, has conceded that the Saudi Arabia-funded enterprise will not go ahead as hoped.

In an exclusive interview with Escape Collective, Plugge recognized a reality that has been clear for some time: the project hit a roadblock in the UCI and its current president, David Lappartient. “Change is something that scares people away,” he said. But Plugge remained committed to finding some other path forward to shake pro cycling from its status quo. 

In July of this year, Lappartient and the UCI sent a letter – published in its entirety here for the first time – addressed to UCI WorldTeams, UCI Women’s WorldTeams, UCI WorldTour organisers, and UCI Women’s WorldTour organisers that stated explicitly that the One Cycling project contravened UCI regulations and included threats to remove UCI licences from any entity that stayed involved in the project.

This article was published by Escape Collective in September, 2025. You can read the full article here.