The Olympic dream of cyclocross becomes complicated with the rejection of the snow federations

The possible inclusion of cyclocross in the program of the 2030 Winter Olympics, an idea that had been gaining traction in recent months, has just encountered its strongest resistance to date. Several snow and ice sports federations have publicly expressed their rejection of opening the door to disciplines like cyclocross or cross country running, a position that further complicates the chances of CX achieving its long-desired winter Olympic status.

Snow and ice federations warn: “The identity of the Winter Games is diluted”

According to CyclingNews, a block of federations that includes sports such as skiing, skating, biathlon, curling, luge, bobsleigh, or skeleton has issued a joint message stating that incorporating disciplines unrelated to snow and ice “would alter the essence that has defined the Winter Games since their inception.”

Their central argument aligns with what we have already analyzed in previous articles: the current Olympic Charter is clear in requiring that the disciplines in the winter program be conducted on snow or ice. Although cyclocross occasionally competes on icy terrain, its identity is built on mixed circuits, grass, mud, prairie, or urban parks, and not on permanent winter surfaces.

RECOMENDADO

The UCI gives the green light to 32" wheels: "MTB is the laboratory of cycling"

The black tires will be old and slow, according to Vittoria

Leadership change at BMC: John Glett will replace David Zurcher as CEO in January 2026

Pirelli completely renews its Cinturato Gravel range

What metrics are used to discover new cycling stars?

World champions, Tour winners, and other great cyclists still without a team for 2026

The criticism has gone beyond the regulatory aspect. Some voices within these federations believe that if disciplines like cyclocross were truly “essential” within the Olympic movement, they should have already secured their entry into the summer program. In other words, the problem would not be winter, but its global perception as a minority sport outside of Europe.

The reaction comes at a key moment. Let us remember that the proposal to include cyclocross in the 2030 Games originated from local authorities and entities in the area of La Planche des Belles Filles, in the French Alps, which had even outlined the possibility of hosting official CX races within the Olympic calendar.

The chair of the Olympic Program Commission, Kirsty Coventry, opened a review of the format a few months ago, which led to UCI and World Athletics publicly supporting the candidacy of cyclocross and cross country.

Despite the rejection, there remains moderate optimism within the cycling community. In fact, in the United States, there is already discussion on how cyclocross could be integrated into the 2034 Games if Salt Lake City ultimately hosts the event, which would provide a particularly favorable environment for a sport that has a very solid base there.

Sources from USA Cycling cited by CyclingNews even indicate that the chances of cyclocross debuting in 2030 exceed “50%,” highlighting that both Sebastian Coe (World Athletics) and David Lappartient (UCI) have prioritized this issue within their respective agendas.

Another point that detractors have emphasized is the imbalance between summer and winter Games.
While the former accumulate more than 300 events, the latter barely exceed a hundred. Adding more disciplines further pressures the logistics, costs, and sports fit of the event.

In short, the battle to open the Winter Games to sports not born on snow now enters a decisive phase. Cyclocross has managed to generate debate, prominence, and institutional support, but it faces deep resistance from those who believe that the Winter Games must preserve a strictly “white” framework.