Retired Olympic champion Grace Brown sees "the perfect opportunity to continue to have a positive impact" as president of TCA, women Cyclist's Alliance
Cycling
Grace Brown completed a dream 2024 season. In her last year as a professional, the Australian established herself as the best time trialist on the planet. She finished with the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, won the rainbow jersey at the Zurich World Championships and won the Chrono des Nations.
After hanging up her bike, the 32-year-old is already working on her future. She is still involved in cycling and has become the president of the TCA (Cyclists' Alliance). For those who don't know what it's all about, it's the union that represents professional cyclists at UCI Women's World Tour events.
"TCA's mission is deeply aligned with my vision and passion for cycling, women's sports and gender equity. The role of president was the perfect opportunity to continue to have a positive impact on women's professional cycling, despite my retirement from racing," she said.
"I had a relatively short career in professional cycling, but in that time I witnessed major changes in the sport. The most tangible change has been the pay for female cyclists, which has more than quadrupled for high-value riders in the last five years," Brown commented.
"We are also seeing teams with greater resources across the board. One of the best changes has been the increased broadcasting of women's racing, which in turn has brought more fans to our sport."
"Despite the positive growth in the sport, there are still areas that are lagging behind. We are especially aware that growth at the top doesn't always translate downward," Brown noted.
"With the level of the women's peloton increasing every year, the dangers of the sport are becoming more apparent. This is something that all cycling stakeholders, including cyclists, must work together to improve."
"It is also crucial that women cyclists recognize that, while the top level of the sport has seen a great improvement in their conditions, this is not universal. We need to continue to advocate for the conditions of women cyclists at the continental level, as well as those competing in disciplines other than road," Brown concluded.
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