'The sport remains built on fragile foundations' – The Cyclists' Alliance responds to UCI with warning that pro cycling is in danger

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.'

"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.'"

TCA writes that a "highly unstable professional pathway" has been created, with important development races disappearing, teams folding, instability for riders outside of the WorldTour, and a decline in Continental teams.

"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."

Crediting the Rapha Roadmap and Joe Laverick's article 'The Peloton Economy', TCA makes four recommendations: more spectator-friendly race formats, including ticketed events; a coherent strategy for fan engagement through TV and other platforms; a better link between value creation, profits, and the burden of costs; and an economic model which supports a development pathway.

Recent controversy over the lack of television coverage of women's races, including Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liège is referenced, as TCA argues for longer live broadcast requirements, which consider when the important parts of races occur, and also the possibility of racing being moved from behind paywalls.

The letter also makes it clear that TCA thinks that the women's cycling calendar is scheduled poorly, with a third of all Women's WorldTour race days concentrated in a block between 3 May and 7 June.

"In the second half of the 2026 season, from July to October, there are only 22 race days (31% of the total), and only 13 possible race days if a rider is not selected for the Tour de France Femmes," Brown writes.

"This concentration of races, particularly in May, places unnecessary pressure on riders and teams, increasing the risk of injury and burnout early in the season."

In response to this, the body suggests rescheduling the Vuelta Femenina to follow the men's Vuelta a España in September, as opposed to its current May date.

The section on safety feels the most critical, with Brown writing: "We respectfully urge the UCI to consider and implement our suggestions in this section as a matter of urgency."

On course design, TCA recommends that there should be mandatory, independently audited course safety standards; use foot-less sprint barriers in finishing straights and ski-style safety netting on high-speed descents; create a stand-alone independent event safety manager function; and eliminate "hazardous" sharp turns in the final 500m of races.

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".

The full letter will be published on Monday, on The Cyclists' Alliance website.