The professional riders` union the CPA (Cyclistes Professionels Associés) has responded to criticism from Geraint Thomas and calls for a one-rider electronic ballot system in the upcoming elections for president, asking the UCI legal department to give its opinion on the validity of the current CPA statute and election rules. Last week David Millar confirmed he will challenge incumbent president Gianni Bugno when the CPA election is held on September 27 during the World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria. It is the first time two candidates have fought for the role of CPA president. The CPA represents all riders at WorldTour and Professional Continental level and is the umbrella group for national level rider associations. It is recognised by the UCI and is funded via a two per cent tax on rider prize money, with representatives tasked with defending riders` interests and outlining concerns about safety, salaries and any other problems.ADVERTISEMENT This year`s CPA election comes at a key time in professional men`s cycling as the UCI tries to push through major reforms of the sport for the 2020 season, while teams are struggling to find sponsorship and the likes of Velon, the AIGCP teams association and major race organisers are fighting over the governance and future business model of the sport. Riders have gradually obtained more recognition and are now considered stakeholders in the sport but very few take a stand for the common good of the peloton. Rider strikes and protests are rare. Some fear retaliation from their teams and race organisers, while others put their own interests first. Cycling`s historic nations and their national rider associations hold a strong influence on the CPA. However, the Belgian and Dutch rider associations recently quit the CPA, leaving just Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and North America as constituent bodies. The CPA has recently created a women`s organisation, but this has been challenged by the independent Cyclists` Al ...
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