Michael Rogers has quit his role as the UCI’s Head of Innovation and Esport, leaving a gap in the governing body’s management and hierarchy less than four months from the Paris Olympics, with the new format Esport World Championships due to be held in Abu Dhabi in October.
The three-time World Time Trial Champion had held the key role at the UCI for three and half years, working on new equipment rules and controls for the Olympics, the fight against mechanical doping, the SafeR race safety project and the new format Esports World Championships.
The UCI has changed their rules regarding equipment in several areas in recent months, sparking debate and doubts about its objectives.
Last month, the UCI approved the use of the innovative but striking Giro Aerohead II time trial helmet but banned the use of the Specialized head sock that had been used since 2022. They announced a review of their own rules governing helmet design and the “wider trend in time trial helmet design, which focuses more on performance than the primary function of a helmet.”
Rogers had previously denied that he was going to leave the UCI or change roles due to differences inside the sports governing body but in an email seen by Cyclingnews he confirmed his time at the UCI ended on March 31. He also posted a brief message on Linkedin.
“After 3.5 great years at the UCI, the time has come for me to bid farewell,” the Australian wrote.
“It has been a fun chapter full of travel experiences, collaboration, challenges, moments of reflection, valuable learning opportunities and friendships with staff, commissaires and external partners. I look forward to our paths crossing again in the near future!”
Rogers did not reveal what he plans to do next.
After retiring in the spring of 2016 due to a congenital heart defect, he worked on several projects with Bjarne Riis and then with the NTT Pro Cycling team as technical partner manager.
During his long professional career, Rogers raced for Mapei, T-Mobile, HTC-Columbia, Team Sky and Tinkoff-Saxo. As well as his time-trial world titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005, he won a Tour de France stage and two stages at the Giro d’Italia in 2014, the Tour Down Under in 2002 and the overall classification at the 2010 Tour of California. He rode the Tour de France 11 times, finishing ninth overall in 2006.
In 2013, Rogers tested positive for Clenbuterol after the Japan Cup, but avoided a ban after successfully arguing the result was sparked by contaminated meat in China.
Rogers indicated in the email seen by Cyclingnews that his responsibilities would be temporarily divided between UCI staff, with Andrei Krasilnikau and Thibault Gerard taking care of ‘equipment topics’, while Jacob Fraser and Sam Greminger would respond to correspondence about Esports.
