Professional women’s cycling is “built on fragile foundations”, The Cyclists’ Alliance has warned, in response to the UCI’s consultation on improving the sport.
The Cyclists’ Alliance (TCA), an independent body that represents the women’s peloton, sent a 16-page document to cycling’s governing body, with a set of clear recommendations that it would like to see implemented. Seen by Cycling Weekly ahead of the closure of the consultation, it will be published on Monday 4 May.
The document, signed by TCA’s president, Grace Brown, argues: “The UCI has stated that women’s cycling has experienced ‘remarkable growth’ in recent years. However, as noted above, we are gravely concerned that this momentum has not led to a ‘stronger structure for women’s professional cycling.’
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“Despite outward signs of progress, the sport remains built on fragile foundations. As Elisa Longo Borghini recently warned: ‘I’m afraid that the [Women’s] WorldTour could implode at some point.'”
“A fair, stable and sustainable economic model is essential to the sport’s future,” the body says. “At present, no such model exists. The current framework is structurally imbalanced, the development pathway is fragmented and under-resourced, and mounting regulatory burdens and operational costs have driven a significant reduction in the number of registered professionals.
“Women’s cycling is a compelling product with demonstrable appeal: broadcasting data consistently show that when audiences have access to the sport, they watch it. The fanbase exists, and it will grow as exposure and the quality of the viewing experience improve.”
TCA also calls for more medical screening and training, in particular to help with REDs, better concussion protocols and management, and also for “a more robust framework enabling riders’ ethics and safeguarding concerns to be swiftly addressed and resolved”.
