Former rider turned directeur sportif Carmen Small says that her new venture with The Cyclists’ Alliance is about creating something for women's cycling and not just “bitching about what we're not getting." Small is one of three members on the board of The Cyclists' Alliance alongside founder Iris Slappendel and Orica-Scott rider Gracie Elvin.
"We want to create a better environment for the riders to be able to negotiate and know what their rights are. We can’t just sit here and complain and say this isn’t right, we have to do something about it,” Small told Cyclingnews. "We need to look at the economics of the sport and how we bring in more sponsors, what is the value.
"Our value isn't going to be the same as the men, and it's about understanding that and how to bring more fans and sponsors and partnerships into the sport. It's bigger than just a normal union, it's not just about bitching about what we're not getting. It's about creating something that's ours."
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After more than a year’s worth of work, The Cyclists' Alliance was announced last week as the first women’s-only rider's union. The door has been left open for men to join in the future, but its primary focus is to push on the women’s side of the sport. In its press release, Small made a bold statement, saying that she believed women's cycling was on the verge of becoming one of the most commercially lucrative women’s sports. She expands on that for Cyclingnews, saying the sport needs to utilise its stories as it finds its own path.
"I think we are moving in the right direction, but we have to do it in our own way and it might not be how the men do it. I think that is the million dollar question because we don't have the answer to that yet. I think we will progress to that point," explained Small.
"Women’s cycling isn’t about the cycling, it’s about the empowerment and the inspiration. The racing is fun to watch and it's exciting, but it's also the background to it and the stories."
Fighting for your rights
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