A new season working for riders well-being

The season has begun, and between one meeting and another, we caught up with Alessandra Cappellotto to find out what goals the international women’s riders association is working towards.

CPA Women managing director gives an honest and positive assessment 10 years after the launch of the Women’s World Tour, which in 2016 paved the way for the creation of the women’s section of the CPA in 2017. «In recent years, women’s cycling has taken many small steps that have led to the creation of the movement we see today. There has not been a single achievement, but numerous ones in a constantly evolving process. There is a lot of interest in women cycling, we must keep it high and strengthen it, and then grow it further in the coming years. Everything must be sustainable, we have to be patient, don’t rush. We are a family, we collaborate with other stakeholders so that races are increasingly show events where there is interaction with fans and sponsors» explains the 1997 San Sebastian world champion.

Compared to when she was racing, salaries and protections have definitely increased, but so have responsibilities and pressures. The cyclist’s job has become more difficult, riders are reaching the world stage at an increasingly young age, they have to train much harder, and they are under constant scrutiny from the media and social media.

«That’s why we work closely with national associations, which understand the culture, customs and legal frameworks of their respective countries. At the international level we maintain a strong presence at races with our delegates» continues Cappellotto, who has clear goals to strive for with the same energy as when she was racing.

«Our priority is to move forward with AIGCP and finalize the joint agreement, while also establishing a transition fund, as the CPA did for men’s cycling in the past. There is a clear and urgent need to expand the pool of strong female athletes to strengthen the peloton and support young talent. With a packed calendar, Il Lombardia remains the only missing Classic, a Monument that would be the icing on the cake for women cycling» concludes Alessandra, wishing all pro riders a year full of success and satisfaction.