The UCI has announced that five riders are candidates to be the road representative on the UCI Athletes’ Commission. One female and one male rider will be elected to represent the discipline on the Commission.
The candidates are:
- Sofiia Shevchenko (UKR) – Liv Cycling Team (CTW)
- Ruth Winder (USA) – Trek-Segafredo (WTW)
- Varvara Fasoi (GRE) – Eneicat – RBH Global – Martin Villa (CTW)
- Toms Skujiņš (LAT) – Trek-Segafredo (WTT)
- Philippe Gilbert (BEL) – Lotto Soudal (WTT)
All riders at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships Men and Women Elite races in Flanders, Belgium, will be able to cast a vote for one female and one male representative. Polling stations will be established before the signatures are taken at the start of the road races and at the exit of the mixed-zone of the women’s and men’s elite road events.
The members of the Commission will be elected for four years, starting from the 2021 UCI Congress until the UCI Congress in 2025. It was announced in December of last year that the UCI will be renewing the Athletes Commission for the 2021-2025 period. The commission has had 20 members since 2017. Every discipline (cyclo-cross, Para-cycling, BMX Racing, MTB cross-country, MTB downhill, trial, BMX Freestyle, road, track and indoor cycling) is represented by one female and one male rider.
The role of the Commission has been consultative, submitting proposals to the UCI Management Committee with the aim of improving conditions, protecting riders, and promoting ethics. It provides a link with the Federation’s decision-making bodies, informs athletes of regulatory amendments, and provides advice on life post-cycling. The Commission had a role in establishing the minimum salary for female professional road cyclists and furthering gender parity regarding Olympic participation from Paris 2024 onwards.
The results of the election will be announced by the UCI on 28 September 2021.
