The Oceania Cycling Confederation (OCC) welcomes Tonga as a new member, following the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Congress in Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday 25 September 2025.

The Cycling Federation of Tonga was officially affiliated with the UCI and OCC at the Congress, bringing the total number of national federations affiliated with the UCI to 206.

Tonga’s affiliation continues the growth of the OCC, with membership expanding to 15, comprising 12 Full Members and three Associate Members.

Elections for the UCI Management Committee for the 2025-2029 period were also held at the Congress. Tony Mitchell as President of the OCC will continue on the UCI Management Committee for a third term, having first been elected in 2017.

OCC Executive Board Member and AusCycling Director Anne Gripper was also re-elected to the UCI Management Committee as the second representative from Oceania.

OCC President and UCI Management Committee Member Tony Mitchell said, “The UCI and OCC welcomes Tonga as a new national federation. We are delighted to have the Cycling Federation of Tonga as the 15th member of the OCC, and I and the OCC Executive and staff look forward to working with them to grow cycling in their nation and across the Pacific.”

“Over the last 12 years the OCC has worked to grow cycling in our region and in that time our membership has increased from four, to 15, including 12 Full Member nations. This growth has allowed us to deliver increased resources and development opportunities across the Oceania region, including Pacific Cups for road and mountain bike and the return of cycling to the Pacific Games in Tahiti in 2027.”

“We continue to engage with prospective nations in the Oceania region to affiliate with the UCI and OCC.”

“The OCC congratulates David Lappartient on being re-elected unopposed as President of the UCI for another four-year team. Having worked alongside him on the UCI Management Committee for the past eight years I know he will continue to champion cycling globally and support our development goals in Oceania.

“I also extend my congratulations to Anne Gripper on her re-election to the UCI Management Committee. Having worked closely with Anne since 2021 on both the OCC Executive and UCI Management Committee, I know she will continue to make a valuable contribution to cycling in Oceania and globally.”