VIDEO SHOWS: MIXED ZONE INTERVIEWS WITH INTERNATIONAL CYCLING UNION (UCI) PRESIDENT, DAVID LAPPARTIENT, AND HEAD OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE'S (IOC) OLYMPIC PROGRAMME WORKING GROUP, KARL STOSS, ON POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE WINTER OLYMPICS RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 4, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. INTERNATIONAL CYCLING UNION (UCI) PRESIDENT, DAVID LAPPARTIENT, BEING INTERVIEWED 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UCI PRESIDENT, DAVID LAPPARTIENT SAYING: "Ice and snow are the DNA of the Games, of the Winter Games, and it has to stay like this. However, it doesn't mean that you can't bring other disciplines that are part of the…. look at the cross-country running, it is also in the winter, like cyclocross. So we can potentially extend to address also climate change, to maybe bring more universality, to bring also stars, but without losing what is its DNA." 3. LAPPARTIENT BEING INTERVIEWED 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UCI PRESIDENT, DAVID LAPPARTIENT SAYING: "But as an IOC member, we always have to say 'okay, is it good for the games or not?' And I truly believe that also with climate change, to have some winter disciplines like cyclocross within the Games could be a good asset for two reasons. The first one: you have stars like Mathieu van der Poel, Remco Evenepoel was also the cyclocross world champion; (Tadej Pogacar) started with cyclocross. So many of our top cyclists were or are cyclocross men or women. Second point: the economy in cyclocross is quite good. As an example, last Sunday there was a UCI world championships in the Netherlands. Just on Sunday, 40,000 tickets sold and 4,500 VIP tickets. So there is, yes, an economy, and for the OCOG (Organising Committee of the Olympic Games), when you introduce additional disciplines, it's also in mind not to have more deficit but at least to be able to bring more revenues – and I think with this in mind, cyclocross could also be a great asset for the Games." 5. LAPPARTIENT 'S LAPEL BADGE 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UCI PRESIDENT, DAVID LAPPARTIENT SAYING: "This is among the discussions we have with the French OCOG. This is in their plan, potentially. They are now evaluating. They came to the UCI (with) the options, with potentially cyclo-cross. So let's see, they will confirm what they would propose to the IOC and that will be an IOC decision." 7. HEAD OF THE IOC OLYMPIC PROGRAMME WORKING GROUP, KARL STOSS, BEING INTERVIEWED 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE IOC OLYMPIC PROGRAMME WORKING GROUP, KARL STOSS, SAYING: "Maybe we are also discussing to bring the Winter Olympics a little bit earlier to do it in January because it has an implication for the Paralympics as well. The Paralympics are now in March, and this is very late because the sun is strong enough to melt the snow. So maybe the Paralympics will be in February and the other edition will be in January. That could be also a part of our discussion of time." 9. STOSS BEING INTERVIEWED 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE IOC OLYMPIC PROGRAMME WORKING GROUP, KARL STOSS, SAYING: "I think the IOC should stay flexible and to have an open race for the future, and not to say there are just six candidates and we will choose just one of these ones – no, to keep it open for the future and also for the different countries, because for many countries, winter sport is very important. Also for the tourism and for the economy, and that's the reason why we stay always in a flexible way for the future." 11. STOSS BEING INTERVIEWED 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English)HEAD OF THE IOC OLYMPIC PROGRAMME WORKING GROUP, KARL STOSS, SAYING: "In Europe, we have the problem that we need high altitude for the future. This year is an exceptional one because it's very cold in Europe as well, all over Europe, and we could produce lots of artificial snow as well. And we have a lot of countries – but if the increase of the temperature is going on for the future, there will be just 10 to 12 countries in the world who are able to organise Olympic Winter Games in 2050 or beyond. And this is the question we have to answer for te future, but we would like to do it in this way, to do it in Europe as well as in the America – that means in the U.S. or in Canada – or in Asia, in these countries I mentioned before." 13. STOSS BEING INTERVIEWED STORY: Future editions of the Winter Olympics could be moved to January from their current February slot, while events like cycling could also be included, International Olympic Committee members said on Wednesday (February 4). Climate change is forcing the IOC to review all aspects of its winter sports bonanza, with the Paralympics, which traditionally follows the Olympics by a few weeks, potentially to be held in February, instead of their current, warmer slot in March. Running and cycling disciplines are often mentioned as likely candidates. Some winter sports federations, however, are cautious of such a move as it would cut into their traditional market. International Cycling Union (UCI) chief David Lappartient told reporters that major cycling stars could take part in cyclocross – a cycle race with steep hills, muddy trails and obstacles that is already attracting big audiences. The last time Winter Olympics kicked off in January was 62 years ago, at the 1964 Innsbruck Winter Olympics which opened on January 29 of that year. With temperatures rising across the globe, natural snow is becoming less plentiful in some regions and water availability for snowmaking is falling as a result of climate change, putting the global snow sport industry at risk. By 2040 only 10 nations would be able to host the snow sports of the Olympic Winter and Paralympic Games, according to an IOC study a few years ago. The 2022 Beijing Games became the first Winter Olympics to use virtually 100% artificial snow by deploying more than 100 snow generators and 300 snow-making guns working flat out to cover the ski slopes. (Production: Iain Axon, Karolos Grohmann)
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