Hairpins Not Hairshorts

When Drops Cycling built a pro-team in 2016, it was with a specific goal in mind: to contribute to the growth of women’s cycling while giving predominantly British riders a place to develop.

Things got off to a good start. They become a fast-growing female squad and after several strong race results, they went from 42nd to 7th in the world rankings. Things looked promising. Sponsors were interested. They thought they’d be able to pay riders a living wage.

Then late in 2018, almost predictably, things changed. Drops got dropped by their title sponsor, Trek. A precarious off-season followed. Management and riders took to crowdfunding to keep the team going.

Lizzie Holden - a 21-year-old rider from the UK and a third-year-pro with Drops - says that despite team ambition, they had to make sacrifices. Drops failed to get invites to several early season races; rather than fold the tent, the team took the decision to keep racing despite not being able to pay riders a dime.

“No one wanted to be in the position of having to reach out on Twitter for fundraising but that’s where we found ourselves,” she explains over the phone. Even with a modest operating budget of between 50 and 100,000 pounds, Holden says “it came down to riding with no salary or not riding at all.”

Support from Cannondale and the approximately 25,000 pounds raised through private donations helped them team push on into 2019. Some race results have followed: Holden finished 3rd at the GB National Road Race championships. Elinor Barker, another Drops rider, formerly with Wiggle High-5, finished 10th at the same event

Still, Holden says, the team sits on a precarious ledge. While sponsorship and the desire to pay real wages is sincere, financing woes have made team progress challenging. No one wants to run the team another year if it means riders can’t collect a proper salary.

“Many of the World Tour races like Ride London are offering real prize money, the same prize money as men, but the interest just isn’t there yet. Things need more time to build.”

Where does stability come from in women’s racing when even in the men’s peloton, teams struggle to survive?

“Under-investment, under-development, and inconsistent focus on women’s professional cycling and youth development programmes, as well as a staid approach to team and athlete management with a lack of emphasis on engagement,” are some of the main issues facing women’s racing, as outlined in The Rapha Roadmap. But there are many others.

The rise of women’s tennis shows that equal pay and gender equality is achieved by a combination of things: among them, action by race organizers, riders, and governing bodies. The reward of investment in opportunities for women and equal prize money is a healthier sport with a deeper talent pool.

As Drops has learned, raising money to properly capitalize a pro-team is challenging, even when men’s and women’s teams share sponsors. Industry efforts like Rapha’s to establish foundations are encouraging and a step forward, but not nearly enough.

To race competitively, and to run complete European race programs, teams have to cover travel, trainer, coaching, equipment, wrenching and director costs and more.

That kind of many doesn’t yet exist in the women’s peloton with any kind of consistency. Drops is still focused on upcoming races while Holden believes women’s cycling is going well, particularly in the UK. However even after racing professionally for the last three years, she’s not sure how to add greater stability so women’s teams can thrive.

“I guess it starts with having the budget to get the best out of the riders - to raise the quality of the riders, that’s the starting point where interest will follow.”

From there, she says, it’s really anyone’s guess.