'It would change everything': is cyclo-cross coming to the Winter Olympics?
'It would be huge', says national coach following Lord Coe's prediction that it could feature in the 2030 Winter Games


Inclusion in the Winter Olympics has the potential to rewrite the landscape of cyclo-cross, says GB national coach Matt Ellis.
"From a GB perspective it's massively exciting," he told Cycling Weekly this week. "It would, I believe, dramatically change everything."
He was responding to recent comments by Sebastian Coe in a Guardian interview, in which the International Olympic Committee member, and IAAF president, hinted strongly that the discipline could be included in the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.
“I think there’s a good chance it’ll happen,” Lord Coe said. “And I think it’s come at the right moment, because [IOC president] Kirsty Coventry is certainly prepared to think differently about the programme....”
This latter point is good news, because a new take on winter sports would be necessary from the IOC were give cyclo-cross the green light. As it stands, only sports practiced on snow and ice are allowed in the Winter Olympic Games. Coventry has been reexamining this.
There is precedent for running cross on snow and ice – the current Val di Sole event, for example. But it isn't cyclo-cross as most of us know it – or as the world's top riders train for.
Coe also said that cross-country running, which campaigners have long backed for Olympic inclusion, could share the same course as the cyclo-cross.
Ellis, who has headed up British Cycling's cyclo-cross programme since 2017, added: "It would take time to have a knock-on effect, but I think on all different levels, it will massively change it.
"From the GB perspective, there's potential to put in place development programmes and more of an official funded pathway," he added.
The effects, he said would extend all the way down to the youth riders.
"You would open up the pool of development, he said. "You're going to broaden the pyramid at the bottom for development – there will be more riders involved in our pool of talent.
"There's a lot of short-term excitement," Ellis added, "but then once it starts getting a bit more notoriety, and then you get the actual Winter Olympics. Suddenly, you've got a whole new audience – a shop window for more people to come and get involved."
He cautioned about getting too excited about the prospect though, and referred back to a time during his career when precisely the same thing was being discussed – to no avail.
"When I raced, my first World Championships were in Slovakia. They were doing it there to showcase that cross could be run on ice, with an eye on trying to get it into the Winter Olympics," he said. "There's always been small rumblings, but this has been by far the biggest thing I've ever heard about."
As to when we would be treated to a definite answer, Ellis does not know, and the goalposts keep changing.
"They said it was going to be announced at last year's cross Worlds, and they said it might be announced in March after the IOC presidential election. And then I've heard again, it could be sometime in the autumn. At this point," he said, "I would hope sometime this winter."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
After cutting his teeth on local and national newspapers, James began at Cycling Weekly as a sub-editor in 2000 when the current office was literally all fields.
Eventually becoming chief sub-editor, in 2016 he switched to the job of full-time writer, and covers news, racing and features.
He has worked at a variety of races, from the Classics to the Giro d'Italia – and this year will be his seventh Tour de France.
A lifelong cyclist and cycling fan, James's racing days (and most of his fitness) are now behind him. But he still rides regularly, both on the road and on the gravelly stuff.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.