Very electoral week for David Lappartient. Last Sunday, the French leader was re-elected by acclamation, in Brussels, for a second term as president of the European Cycling Union (UEC). Saturday March 11, in Paris, he will hand over the keys to his office as president of the French Federation (FFC), a function which he chose to give up after eight years in office. Europe rather than France, therefore. A way for David Lappartient, 43, to prepare a campaign for the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI)? He answered, without detour or evasion, the questions of FrancsJeux.
FrancsJeux: What reaction does your re-election, by acclamation, to the presidency of the European Cycling Union inspire in you?
David Lappartient: I want to clarify that I was the only candidate for my succession. But finding myself alone in the running undoubtedly constitutes recognition of the work accomplished during the 4 years of my first mandate. The 50 member countries of the UEC wanted me to continue. That being said, being elected by acclamation is very nice.
What do you want to accomplish during this second term that you did not achieve during the 4 years of the first?
The first term was dedicated to putting a lot of things in place. Now I want to consolidate the building. The European Championships, in particular. This competition must become a real event. We have a contract with the EBU (European Broadcasting Union), we must take advantage of this to increase the broadcasting of the European Championships and increase their value. Another ambition of this second mandate concerns the European Omnisport Championships in 2018, in Berlin and Glasgow, where cycling will share the spotlight with athletics, swimming, gymnastics, triathlon, rowing and golf. We worked a lot on this project. I want to see it come to fruition, with the hope that it will be very successful. Finally, we attach great importance to the European Games in Minsk in 2019, where cycling must be represented by its four Olympic disciplines, road, mountain biking, track and BMX. We only had three in Baku in 2015.
Why did you choose to give up the presidency of the French Cycling Federation, of which your successor, Michel Callot, will be inducted at the end of the week during the general assembly?
The reasons are multiple. I have been elected to the FFC for 20 years, including 16 years in the executive office and 8 years as president. You have to know how to leave room. My international functions – the presidency of the UEC and the Professional Cycling Council, the vice-presidency of the UCI – are taking up more and more of my time. I did not want these activities to be to the detriment of France. And then, after having accomplished so much over the past 8 years, I asked myself whether I would still be able to carry out a wave of reforms. Before making my decision, I made sure that there were people capable of doing it for me. Michel Callot, my successor (he is the only one in the race for the presidency of the FFC, editor's note), undoubtedly has the capacity.
How do you envisage the place and position of the UEC within the International Cycling Union?
Cycling remains a sport with a European tradition. I hope that Europe will have more and more influence, while supporting the global development of our disciplines. I want a strong and influential European Union.
Does the presidency of European cycling constitute a springboard for you towards an equivalent function at the UCI?
I have never hidden that the presidency of the UCI would interest me one day. I have not changed my mind. It's all a question of time. I would like to chair the International Cycling Union. Brian Cookson (photo above, with David Lappartient), the current president, having announced his candidacy for a second term, it would be logical for me to wait until 2021 to get started. But nothing says that this logic will be respected.
Could you start campaigning in the next election, scheduled for September 2017 in Bergen?
I have not made my decision yet.
How do you judge Brian Cookson’s first term as president of the UCI?
I wish for the UCI a president who presides. I am very attached to the role of elected officials. In my eyes, it is up to the president to provide leadership, especially in the current period, marked by major issues and strong tensions within world cycling. The UCI needs a strong leader, a man who makes the decisions. However, I find that, sometimes, this role is carried out more by the UCI staff than by Brian Cookson. But he knows my position. I have already spoken to him about it.
