The International Cycling Union (UCI) has launched a centralized prize money management (CPM) system for women's professional cycling, administered by the Cyclist Professional Association (CPA), to begin on January 1, 2022.

However, the Federation of Cyclists, the women's cycling association, has requested more details and clarification regarding the new system, as well as consultation with the sport's governing body to ensure that the voices of women riders are represented in discussions surrounding prize money.

"We have asked the UCI to listen to the riders in this discussion as well; the TCA was not consulted on the original plan (first tier prize money and its deductions, second tier prize money and its payment). We at TCA encourage teams and riders to choose independent third-party delivery and have options other than CPM. Doing so will prevent monopolies, increase transparency of fees, and make them cheaper," the TCA said in a statement on Sunday. [The prize money belongs to the riders and they should have the right to participate in this discussion.

The CPM system will be introduced in 2019 for men's professional cycling and for the first time this year for the women's peloton.

The Chartered Professional Accountants Association (CPA) states on its website that CPM for men's cycling will more effectively meet the needs of riders, "improve transparency, make administration more even and effective, reduce rider costs, and ensure tax traceability."

The TCA explained that it is a two-tiered process whereby the net (after-tax) amount of the award is paid to the CPA who administers the CPM.

The first tier deducts 13.82% from the net amount to fund the Transition Fund (5%), the development of national athletes' associations (3%), UCI doping control (2%), CPA administrative costs (2%), and CPM system development costs (1.82%).

The CPM system for women's cycling follows the same process as men's, but the UCI confirmed to the TCA that it is not identical. The TCA also said that the Professional Cycling Council (PCC) will decide next year how the system will evolve in women's cycling.

However, the TCA points to some of the existing flaws in the CPM system in men's cycling, noting that the transition fund is currently operating at a deficit, of which the latest figure from the CPA is approximately €2.8 million.

"Therefore, the use of this transition fund should not be introduced for women's cycling; the TCA is not aware of any viable plan for the CPA or UCI to recover this deficit.

"Furthermore, given the relatively low prize money for women's cycling, it is also questionable whether a transition fund for women could provide enough money to be considered meaningful for post-career support."

Currently, male riders who have retired from professional cycling are entitled to seek a certain percentage from the Transition Fund to support their post-cycling careers, but the CPA has failed to meet these payments in the past.

In addition, the TCA noted that if a country does not have a national riders' association or if that association is not affiliated with the CPA, it is not clear where the amount deducted for the development of a national riders' association would go.

In addition, the amount deducted for anti-doping is deducted in addition to the fee paid by the tournament organizer or team as part of the registration fee.

The TCA also noted that 2% would be deducted for the administrative costs of the CPA and 1.82% for the development of the CPM platform, in addition to an additional administrative fee for the distribution of prize money in the second tier.

"It is impossible to select an independent third party, even if that independent third party is inexpensive and not a member of the CPA," the TCA wrote.

The TCA also expresses concern that the women's CPM does not include C1 and C2 races.

"We therefore request that the UCI discuss the inclusion of these race categories in future versions of the Women's CPM. Furthermore, we ask for clarification on how this system will ensure that organizers pay prize money within a reasonable time and thus address the issue of late, delayed, or unclaimed payments by athletes."

Cycling News asked the UCI for comments and additional details on the centralized prize money management (CPM) system for professional women's cycling.