RIDERS UNITED FOR PEACE, SAFETY AND NEW PROJECTS
from 22/03/22
Last week, on the eve of the Milano-Sanremo and Trofeo Binda weekend, the general assembly of the world association of riders took place. CPA president Gianni Bugno opened the meeting by expressing his sadness at the dramatic international situation, which has indirectly affected the world of cycling and many of its actors. The riders, including Philippe Gilbert, thanked their representatives for the way they are working behind the scenes to find a solution for their colleagues whose jobs are at risk and expressed the solidarity of the whole group with the families involved in the war. «Sport does not discriminate in any way; men and women of all origins, skin colour, nationality and religion live together in brotherhood in the group. We are all united in peace and we don’t conceive of divisions».
After presenting the budget, illustrating the accounts and the work to optimise the transition fund, they discussed the new projects developed for women's cycling, including the prize management system which women cyclists will be able to use on an equal footing with their male colleagues.
With regard to race safety, the CPA agreed with the AIOCC, the association that brings together the organisers of professional races, to assess month by month the problems that emerged and the improvements that could be made to individual events based on what was reported in surveys by participants and delegates. The need emerged, especially for smaller races, to include former riders in the staff of the organisation in order to put their experience at the service of the events. The CPA reminded the importance of introducing a mandatory minimum distance between riders and vehicles and the AIOCC agreed that some work should be done in this regard. The CPA also asked the UCI to hold a meeting of the safety commission to receive updates on the work done and is optimising a new app that will be useful for improving the communication between the cycling stakeholders.
With the other parties the use of riders' sensitive data will have to be discussed again, as the boom in esport events has made it increasingly valuable for spectacle and business, the CPA demands that the privacy of the riders is always respected and that the athletes must have the right to choose how their data are used. The CPA will return to meet with the AIGCP, the union that brings together the teams, to discuss the joint agreement: the international riders’ union will demand an increase in the minimum wage and support for the transition plan that the CPA is working on. The aim is to offer professional cyclists around the world the opportunity for post-career retraining through education programs and partnerships linked with companies interested in their qualities.
«Professional athletes have particular characteristics and strengths: they know how to plan their work in the best possible way, they grit their teeth when the game gets hard, they endure fatigue like few others, and by travelling they learn foreign languages and how to relate to people of all cultures» recalls Bugno. «After a life on the saddle they can become champions in many other roles, we want to give them as many opportunities as possible to realise themselves. The hugs between rivals who fought for the victory with all their strength for 300 km as soon as they crossed the finish line in Via Roma, impressed me. They are yet another proof that cycling is friendship».
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