"The CPA should not be the one delivering this kind of news" - Intermarché and Lotto riders lied to and left without a contract with little communication

The merger between Intermarché - Wanty and Lotto is one that will bring two World Tour teams together next year, but not with their combined set of leaders. A few of the main figures will be leaving whilst others stay, but few riders knew or even currently know who actually is staying. Head of the Cyclist's association Adam Hansen is very critical of this and revealed that he himself has had to tell some riders they did not have a contract for next season, as the teams had either not shared or given them misleading information.

"Team registrations were due on October 15th, which meant we had to assist several riders with insurance and pension plans to ensure they complied with the Joint Agreement for self-employed riders. And then there's the team merger, easily the biggest workload and headaches at the moment" Hansen said in a message shared on social media. "The Vuelta was stressful enough, and it feels like it only just ended, yet here we are again with another major issue". Due to financial issues for Intermarché - Wanty, the entire merger project was even at risk, but ultimately it came through with the 'new' team taking Lotto's current license. 

But this also means a lot of staff and also riders will be left without a job, for the time being. But it's the lack of communication which has sparked the true criticism. "At the CPA, we're really not happy with this situation. Everyone knows there are 44 contracts between the two teams but only 30 spots available".

"Riders not knowing whether they'll have a job next season, especially this late in October, is exactly what we don't want. I've had a call with the UCi and both teams together, and I've requested a clear list of the 30 riders who will remain, as well as the 14 who won't. On that note, I do want to thank the UCI for this".

"The riders deserved to know their situation, and they should have known months ago [...] What truly upset me was how many riders were uncertain about their future. Even more disappointing was having to tell some of them they didn't have a contract for next year, especially when they had been told otherwise," Hansen reveals. "In some cases, even their agents believed they were secure because that's what the teams had communicated. The CPA should not be the one delivering this kind of news, and not in October. It was heartbreaking for me personally".

The merger between the two teams is without a doubt the main topic of the week when it comes to the work Hansen does with the riders, however at the same time other projects are being worked on. One of them: A 'sprint handbook'.

"I've spoken with several sprinters about creating a sprint handbook and they like the idea. A simple, crystal-clear guide that outline in one-sentence points what is and is not allowed in a sprint," he explains. "The goal is to make it easy to understand and consistent for everyone". Additionally, this would reduce inconsistencies in the sanctions and yellow cards applied to the riders depending on the incidents.

"There's still some inconsistency with the yellow card system. Sprinters, by nature, are more likely to receive yellow cards because sprints are so tightly regulated. So we need to refine this further. A straightforward reference list of what is acceptable and what isn't could really help".