Van der Poel, Pidcock & co could chase double Olympic gold as February decision nears on 2030 cyclocross bid

Cyclocross could be added to the Winter Olympics programme in 2030 as part of an overhaul under new IOC president Kirsty Coventry.

According to World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, both cyclocross and cross-country running have a “good chance” of being included in the 2030 Winter Olympics, which take place in the French Alps. The IOC has signalled that up to four additional sports will be added to the programme in 2030.

Such a move would open the door to a rare double opportunity for riders like Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Tom Pidcock and Thibau Nys, athletes who already compete at the highest level across disciplines, offering them the chance to chase Olympic gold at both the Summer and Winter Games. Whether Van der Poel (30) and Van Aert (31) will still be active by 2030 remains to be seen, but for the next generation the prospect is significant.

Speaking to the Guardian, Coe said that he had spoken on the matter with UCI president David Lappartient, and he suggested that cyclocross and cross-country running would take place on the same course.

“Sharing the same course in 2030 with cyclocross is really where our thinking is going. We’ve already had good conversations,” Coe said.

“David’s up for it. I’m up for it. Obviously with the IOC there would have to be a variation in the charter, because it has to be with snow and ice, and there’s not been an obvious abundance of that recently. But it is, ostensibly, a winter sport, and cross-country would make more sense in the winter.”

According to the Olympic charter, “only those sports which are practised on snow or ice are considered as winter sports,” but there have been reports that some indoor sports such as judo could move to the Winter Olympics as part of any overhaul of the programme.

“I think there’s a good chance it’ll happen,” said Coe. “And I think it’s come at the right moment, because Kirsty is certainly prepared to think differently about the programme.”

Earlier this year, L’Équipe reported that the local organising committee of the 2030 Winter Olympics was among those lobbying for the inclusion of cyclocross. La Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges has been proposed as the potential venue for cyclocross in 2030.

The decision regarding new disciplines at the 2030 Winter Olympics will be taken in February at the IOC session that precedes the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.