A group of current and retired female cyclists "launched a riders union to represent the interests of professional female racers" when dealing with the Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) and pro teams, according to Fred Dreier of VELO NEWS. The group, which calls itself the Cyclists’ Alliance, is the "brainchild of retired riders Iris Slappendel and Carmen Small, and current racer Gracie Elvin, who races for Orica-Scott." Slappendel, who retired from full-time racing in '16, said that the group "aims to help riders better navigate" the various elements of pro cycling that do not involve riding a bicycle: contract negotiation, dispute resolution and planning for retirement. Slappendel is the group’s exec director. She said that she developed the idea for a riders union "after her two-year stint as an athletes representative with the UCI athletes’ commission" from '15-17. She said that the mechanics of the governing body "prevented her from enacting real change in women’s cycling." She said, "I had big hopes for the [UCI commission] but it didn't really have the power that I had hoped for. I could not really make changes there" (VELO NEWS, 12/19).
