Dear Club Presidents, 

Welcome to the new year and thank you for the energy and commitment clubs have already brought to the season ahead. 

It was great to see 2026 get underway with a successful Westbridge Funds Road National Championships, and with many of you now fully immersed in your event calendars. Early momentum like this is a credit to the volunteers, officials and organisers who make cycling happen week in, week out, and I want to sincerely thank you for that effort. 

Over recent weeks, some clubs may have seen commentary relating to a proposed Special General Meeting. I want to acknowledge that this discussion reflects genuine pressure being felt across many parts of our sport, and it’s important that we address it clearly and respectfully. 

We know that clubs are facing real challenges. Volunteer capacity, insurance costs and the complexity of delivering events continue to place strain on those working hard at the grassroots. These issues are being felt across Australian sport, not just in cycling, and they did not emerge overnight. AusCycling recognises this reality and remains focused on practical, sustainable responses. It is important that clubs feel heard and supported and know that feedback and consultation with clubs and members continues to shape our priorities and the work we are doing.

Since unification, AusCycling has concentrated on strengthening the foundations that protect clubs and participants nationally — particularly safety, insurance, integrity and governance. A nationally consistent framework is essential to managing risk, reducing duplication, and maintaining eligibility for funding and international engagement. These foundations are not always visible day-to-day, but they are critical to the long-term health of the sport.

At the same time, we are acting directly on issues raised by clubs. Current and upcoming work includes: 

• New membership products in 2026 to improve affordability and value. 

• A new membership platform and improved event system integration to reduce administrative workload

• Updated junior selection policies following an independent review 

• Establishment of a national Road Racing Taskforce in early 2026 to address long-term structural viability 

AusCycling respects the right of members to seek change and to engage in discussion about the future of the sport. Any decisions of this nature, however, need to be considered carefully, with a clear understanding of their implications for insurance, safety, funding and Australia’s standing internationally.

We understand that clubs have been receiving communications from individuals on the topic of SGMs, and you may be wondering or have concerns about how your contact details have been sourced. Under S173 of the Corporations Act, AusCycling is required to provide access to the club register for legitimate purposes. Circulating a call for a General Meeting is a legitimate purpose and as such AusCycling has provided a copy of the club contact register to two clubs.

It should be noted, however, that either sharing the club contact list and / or circulating communication, such as newsletters and unsolicited opinions, are unlikely to fall within the definition of legitimate purposes and potentially breaches privacy laws. AusCycling is aware of potential breaches and is reviewing the matter.

Despite these distractions, our focus remains on stewarding the sport responsibly — supporting clubs today while protecting the long-term future of cycling in Australia. We will continue to engage openly with clubs, listen to legitimate concerns and work collaboratively on solutions that strengthen participation and reduce burden at the grassroots.

Thank you again to the many club volunteers who have already kicked off the year with such commitment. Your contribution is recognised, valued and central to everything we do.

Key Project Updates 

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Road Taskforce Update  

AusCycling is launching a Road Taskforce to assess and respond to systemic pressures on the road cycling ecosystem, including rising costs and compliance requirements for running events on public roads. The Taskforce will undertake a significant consultation process and lead to a set of evidence-based options and recommendations.

Shane Mattiske has been appointed to lead the Road Taskforce which will operate over the next five months. Shane is an experienced sports executive with a long involvement in road cycling through Randwick Botany Cycling Club in Sydney. 

The Road Taskforce has commenced preliminary research and will announce opportunities for clubs and members to contribute their views and experiences in March.

Project Ascent

B2032+ Project Ascent is now entering its decisive phase — refining and locking down the Strategy following extensive consultation across the AusCycling landscape. Clarity of focus — identifying the few AusCycling levers that will make the biggest difference to rider and coach development — is the key.

Our final National consultation, including with one of our greats and AOC Chef de Mission Anna Meares, reinforced consistent themes: 

• Elevate expert pathway coaching with practical, embedded coach development and mentoring

• Simplify the Performance Pathway — particularly terminology and how to navigate the route to excellence

• Align and, where needed, reimagine the domestic competition calendar to better serve the newly defined Pathway standards and experiences needed

• Respond strategically to the evolving endurance landscape, especially the migration of Australian talent into European professional structures.

In addition to our extensive consultation across the country, the Project team has also brought key Paralympic stakeholders together to shape a dedicated Para Pathway B2032+ Strategy.

With the project finish line in sight, the next eight weeks of Project Ascent sees a core focus on finalising outputs, testing the strategy and presenting to the AusCycling Board final recommendations, before circulating more broadly with our community network.

Membership Project

The Membership Relaunch Project remains one of our core strategic imperatives for 2026. Progress remains on track, with marketing campaign activity testing and learning throughout December and January; whilst the implementation and change management plans are being finalised for the launch.

Club Forum #2 on 1 April, will provide clubs with a comprehensive overview of the upcoming rollout of new membership products and the accompanying digital platform. We encourage everyone to attend this webinar, which will walk clubs through what’s changing, why the changes are being made, and how clubs can best prepare to adopt and promote the new offerings.

Club Engagement Survey

Recently you would have received a link to the 2026 Club Engagement Survey. We encourage all clubs to take the opportunity to complete this survey, to help us better understand your feedback on our club services. Your contributions help us continually improve our offerings and focus our efforts on supporting our clubs and members. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and we will report on the findings to clubs and provide how we will action the feedback by the 2026 Annual General Meeting.