Lance Armstrong urges riders to 'take back power' amid coronavirus uncertainty
Wages have been slashed across the peloton as teams struggle financially due to the pandemic
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Lance Armstrong has urged pro riders to "take back power" after their paychecks have been slashed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
A number of teams have reduced riders' salaries and temporarily laid off support staff as budgets tighten and their sponsors brace for the financial turmoil caused by the virus, with the suspension of the racing calendar also reducing any promotional benefit their sponsorship could reap.
"All the pro riders who are sitting at home now, who are unsure if they will receive their pay next month and if their team will survive this: this is your chance," Armstrong said on his podcast, The Move. "Now is the chance to start from scratch, get a seat at the negotiating table and take back power. If you don't seize this opportunity now, you may never get it again.
"Just think about that. Talk to each other as a platoon and unite. You are the actors in the play, and without the actors, the play is cancelled."
>>> What will happen to pro cycling? Exploring the economic landscape after coronavirus
Last month, Mitchelton-Scott's Brent Bookwalter said the current riders' union, the CPA, is not equipped to stand up for the interests of pros.
Lotto-Soudal, Bahrain-McLaren and CCC are among the team who have been forced to suspend contracts of staff and reduce riders' salaries. Meanwhile, teams that have so far escaped financial hardship have been stepping up efforts to combat the virus.
Team Ineos have been helping their sponsor deliver free hand sanitiser to NHS hospitals, with star rider Geraint Thomas also planning three 12-hour Zwift rides replicating NHS workers' shifts to raise money for the National Health Service.
In terms of the financial future of teams and riders, M2 Sports' Steve Fry believes some teams may be able to weather the storm better than others, depending on financial setup, but that if squads do fall by the wayside it will be riders further down the food chain, or that are younger and less established, that will be hit hardest.
"As is always the case, the place where it hits the hardest is further down the chain. So for those domestiques and younger riders that have maybe only have a couple of year’s experience in the WorldTour and haven’t maybe fully established themselves in terms of either being a race winner or a valued domestique, they become surplus to requirement very, very quickly, unfortunately," Fry told Cycling Weekly. "That’s just the way it goes. If teams go by the wayside it will be those guys who suffer."
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
-
Watch: Canyon unveils a very Miami Canyon Aeroad CFR, custom-made for the Blazers
Bicycle manufacturer, Canyon Bicycles, today unveiled a Miami Blazers’ custom Canyon Aeroad CFR, meant to serve as a visual representation of Miami’s vibrant culture
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
'The darkest day in British cycling' - British riders mourn loss of AT85 Pro Cycling
Matt Bostock says Tim Elverson run squad ‘gave him confidence’ to take next step in his career, Alex Richardson says British Scene has lost ‘a platform’ for young riders to develop
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Eight of the best cycling films streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and iPlayer
The best cycling-related films and documentaries available to watch online
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
F1 star Valtteri Bottas spotted out riding with Lance Armstrong
Alfa Romeo driver joined controversial American for Colorado spin on Sunday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'I think doping might actually be more popular': Mixed reviews as Lance Armstrong gets into the NFT game
If there's one thing worth reading this weekend, it's the replies to Lance Armstrong's tweet about acquiring an NFT
By Jonny Long • Published
-
'I was almost dead': Jan Ullrich speaks out on his recovery on Lance Armstrong's podcast
The former Tour de France winner spoke about how finding friends in Armstrong and others after re-adopting a healthy lifestyle
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
Seven things we learnt from the new Lance Armstrong documentary
The 48-year-old sheds new light on the biggest doping scandal in sporting history, and is as combative as ever
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Floyd Landis responds after Lance Armstrong calls him a ‘piece of s***’ in new documentary
Floyd Landis has responded after Lance Armstrong called him a “piece of s***” in a new documentary.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
'I'm not going to lie to you now': New Lance Armstrong documentary to air
The documentary features new, extensive interviews with Armstrong as well as a number of his former team-mates, rivals and friends
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Doping researcher who defended Lance Armstrong receives doping ban
The expert argued at the time that doping was widespread in the peloton
By Jonny Long • Published