UCI President David Lappartient travelled to Kazakhstan at the end of last week to talk to representatives of the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation and government officials about how to move cycling forward.
Mr Lappartient met with a delegation from the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation led by its President Darkhan Kaletayev, as well as the Minister of Culture and Sports Arystanbek Muhamediuly and Vice-Minister Saken Musaibekov.
Mr Lappartient pointed out that Kazakhstan was one of Asia’s key cycling countries capable of leading the development of our sport on the continent. In addition to a UCI WorldTeam and a UCI Women’s Team registered in Kazakhstan, the central Asian country has two UCI Continental Teams and a UCI Track Team. Kazakhstan also hosts the two-day Tour of Almaty, which is part of the UCI Asia Tour.
While in the Kazakh capital of Astana, Mr Lappartient visited the city’s Saryarka Velodrome, which has already hosted major UCI events, such as the opening round of the 2011-2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup and the 2015 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships.
The UCI President said he would continue to collaborate with the Asian Cycling Confederation and the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation to build on the country’s solid cycling foundations. The aim was to capitalise on existing infrastructure to promote the development of different cycling disciplines. He added that the UCI and its World Cycling Centre would be available to provide any training, expertise and technical support necessary.
Prior to his arrival in Kazakhstan, Mr Lappartient was in China for the GREE - Tour of Guangxi, the UCI Cycling Gala and meetings with Chinese sports leaders.