Candidacy for the FFC Presidency: Michel Callot, between Continuity and Transformation

Two and a half months after our meeting with Teodoro Bartuccio, we went to meet the other candidate for the presidency of the French Cycling Federation, and not the least, since he is the outgoing president. This week, Michel Callot welcomed 3bikes with exemplary courtesy, reflecting a man of values. Generously opening the doors of his office, he shared with us his enlightened vision and his undiminished passion for cycling.

By Jeff Tatard – Photos: ©FFC/DR

Since 2017, Michel Callot has led the FFC with determination, taking a clear-sighted look at a sport in constant evolution. As he aspires to a new mandate, his track record and projects highlight a leader attached to the traditions of cycling, while remaining resolutely focused on the future and the challenges of a changing world. Portrait of a leader between heritage and ambition.

A captain in the storm

Having taken over the presidency in 2017, Michel Callot found himself steering the FFC through tumultuous waters. Between the COVID-19 health crisis, the transition from CNDS to ANS, and the new sports laws of 2019 and 2022, his mandate was not without its upheavals. Yet, he manages to present a record that he describes as solid: a financially stable, structured federation, resolutely focused on the future.

Callot didn’t just stay the course: he reinvented the FFC. The diversification of disciplines – with the integration of e-cycling, gravel, and pumptrack – is an illustration of this. In parallel, he redefined federal action by integrating societal issues, such as mobility and health, while supporting the sustainable development of clubs and committees.

“We have modernized our tools, strengthened our economic model, and promoted feminization in all our disciplines,” he emphasizes. With the Paris 2024 Olympics crowned with nine French medals, Callot can also be proud of French cycling shining on the international stage.

The challenges at the grassroots level

However, not everything has been easy. The decline in the number of licensees remains a shadow on the picture. Aware of this problem, Callot is committed to revaluing the role of clubs, pillars of French cycling. His response is pragmatic: adapt to modern practices while consolidating infrastructures, such as BMX tracks, which still struggle to cover the territory.

His objective is clear: to evolve clubs towards a more inclusive model that goes beyond mere competition. “We must support clubs towards broader associative projects, capable of welcoming more licensees while offering a more diversified range of activities,” he explains. In short, Callot not only wants to stabilize membership numbers; he wants to reinvent the attractiveness of cycling.

An ambition without borders

For Michel Callot, cycling is not limited to sports practice. It is a social lever, an environmental vector, and a school of life. Through programs such as Elles Arrivent, which promotes women’s cycling, or initiatives for young people via the SRAV (Savoir Rouler À Vélo – Learning to Ride a Bike), he strives to build a more inclusive and future-oriented federation.

The development of women’s cycling is among his top priorities. Convinced of its potential, he wants to strengthen the bridges between clubs and initiatives like the Ambassadrices. The Elles Arrivent program, in partnership with the Women’s Tour de France, embodies this desire to multiply opportunities for female practitioners and leaders.

A modernized vision

Michel Callot constantly insists on the necessary modernization of the FFC. This involves digital technology, particularly the digitalization of licenses and the development of new tools to lighten the administrative burden on clubs. But he also places great hopes in media infrastructures: “The rise of a federal Web TV is essential to increase the visibility of cycling and give clubs the means to share their events.”

In parallel, Michel Callot is enthusiastic about virtual cycling. For him, e-cycling is both a sporting and recreational opportunity that can attract new audiences. With the creation of a national circuit, he strives to give this emerging discipline a place, while providing clubs with the tools to embrace it.

A leadership philosophy

Far from the disruptive speeches of his opponents, notably Teodoro Bartuccio, Michel Callot defends a realistic and pragmatic vision. For him, “managing the common federal good requires time, consistency, and solid experience”. An approach he advocates in the face of the complex challenges of a federation that must reconcile sports performance, societal transformation, and financial balance.

Callot also advocates participatory and transparent governance. He wishes to strengthen the links between clubs and the FFC, notably by appointing an elected official responsible for relations with the territories. Similarly, he wants to encourage exchanges between clubs so that the successes of some inspire others.

Cycling as a societal project

Beyond sporting performance, Michel Callot sees cycling as a response to the major challenges of our time: sustainable mobility, public health, inclusion. For him, every bicycle that rolls is an ambassador for cycling. “The more French people cycle daily, the more our sport will shine,” he affirms with conviction.

In this perspective, he advocates for a Federation rooted in society, capable of embracing varied projects, ranging from education to soft mobility, while remaining competitive on the international stage.

A message of unity

On the eve of this new election, Michel Callot addresses a message of enthusiasm to volunteers, licensees, and cycling enthusiasts. He calls on them to continue working together to adapt to societal changes while preserving the values of cycling.

For him, this sport, with its diversity of disciplines and exceptional athletes, is an inexhaustible source of joy and self-transcendence. By relying on the vitality of clubs and the richness of the associative fabric, Callot wants to build French cycling that combines tradition and modernity, competitiveness and inclusion. With a rich track record and a clear vision for the future, Michel Callot positions himself as the architect of a French cycling resolutely focused on the future.

As this election approaches, the entire 3bikes team wishes good luck to both candidates and hopes for a respectful and constructive campaign. We believe it is essential to better know and make known these men who each carry a unique vision for the future of French cycling, leaving everyone to form their own opinion.

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