Cyclingnews: The hidden environmental footprint of the WorldTour calendar
December 2024
Cyclingnews
Editorial Feature
The multi-continental calendar takes cycling to the global stage but with lengthy transfers and teams flying riders around the world – what's the cost to the planet? This feature ran as the site’s headline feature and is subscriber exclusive content.
A timely feature which dives into the environmental impact of the WorldTour’s calendar, looking at each Grand Tour and calculating the emissions.
I spoke to each Grand Tour organiser, multiple carbon experts and industry experts to understand the impact of the calendar and what the solutions could be.
What stood out the most to me was how flights are often baked into Grand Tour routes, and this is simply seen as a ‘so be it’ rather than a concern. It will be interesting to see how the UCI looks at restructuring the calendar from a sustainability standpoint as it has promised to do so.
This article is behind a paywall. If you would like to read the feature without a subscription please email me: emma@emma-cole.co.uk