WHO SPEAKS FOR THE RIDERS?

The formation of two riders’ unions on both the women’s and men’s sides of the sport could be about to change the shape of top level cycling. Paul Knott investigates further

- Paul Knott

There aren’t many certainties in cycling, but if there is one it’s that the sport’s power brokers are only ever one step away from an argument about who gets paid, who has the power to decide things or simply what form the sport takes. Race organisers, national governing bodies, teams and even the UCI are in a fractious alliance, ready to crack as easily as a rusty old frame whenever the sport hits a bump in the road.

But throughout decades of wrangling over how the sport works, the loudest voices have rarely been those most central to the drama – the riders themselves. That means everything from safety to the way races are designed and raced has rarely had those pedalling the bikes at its heart. Part of the reason is the peloton has struggled to speak with a single voice. Unsurprisingly a global sport like cycling contains riders from a variety of economic backgrounds, cultures and countries who speak a plethora of different languages.

Add in the instability of employment inherent in the sport and consensus has often proved hard to find and someone to speak on it harder still.

Nominally the voice has been the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA). Since its formation in 1999 it has been working on behalf of professional cyclists, through their national rider associations, to have a say on improving everything from in-race safety conditions, to care outside of the race, transfers and hotel conditions.