'Funding crisis' – The Cyclists' Alliance at risk, turns to crowd funding to try and keep running through 2026

The Cyclists' Alliance (TCA), the independent women's cycling advocacy group, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to secure its immediate future. Facing a significant "funding crisis," TCA aims to raise €150,000 to sustain operations through 2026, including salaries for its three full-time staff members. This urgent appeal highlights the precarious financial situation of an organisation critical to rider welfare and professionalisation in women's cycling.

This development underscores the persistent fragility of financial structures within women's professional cycling, even as the sport experiences growth. TCA, founded in 2017 by Iris Slappendel, Gracie Elvin, and Carmen Small, has been instrumental in advocating for minimum salaries, maternity leave, and improved working conditions, directly influencing UCI regulations. Its potential collapse would leave a significant void, removing a vital independent voice and support system for female athletes navigating an often-challenging professional landscape.

While the sport's profile rises, the reliance on crowdfunding for a key advocacy body reveals a deeper systemic issue. The peloton's progress may be visible, but its foundations, it seems, are still built on hope and voluntary contributions rather than sustainable, institutional support.