The EF Pro Cycling team has taken the unprecedented step of offering a one-year contract extension to all riders whose contracts expire at the end of 2020 after taking a pay cut this year.

EF was one of several WorldTour teams that asked their riders and staff to take wage cuts to keep their teams alive during the coronavirus outbreak that forced the UCI to cancel all road racing events from mid-March to late July.

Team CEO Jonathan Vaughters said it was fair to offer contracts to players who had to bear the brunt of the pay cuts.

"The 2020 season was unprecedented in the entire sport and beyond. The riders worked with management to put the team's survival above their own and took pay cuts to help the team throughout the season and into the upcoming season. It was only natural to offer contracts for the 2021 season to all of the riders who took pay cuts," said team CEO Jonathan Vaughters.

"I am truly grateful to all the riders who helped the team this year. Despite the tough conditions, the team has pulled together, put on a beautiful, heartfelt race, and moved forward together."

"We're very proud of the team's performance this year.

After the COVID-19 lockdown, EF Pro Cycling took stage wins at the Criterium du Dauphiné, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Tour de France, two wins at the Giro d'Italia, and a mountain prize at the Vuelta a España with Ruben Guerreiro, He moved up to the top 10 WorldTour team.

However, several riders were left behind when racing resumed, competing in only a handful of events.

U.S. champion Alex Howes, who raced only two days late in the season, said on Twitter that he was looking forward to reuniting with Lachlan Morton, who renewed his contract with the team on Wednesday.

Moreno Hofland has only competed in two races since the season opener Tour Down Under. Hofland said he would accept an offer from BN De Stem.

"I will stay with this team; at the beginning of September the team announced that all applicants would be given a new chance," Hofland said. 'They're being reasonable because of the problems with Corona. I think that's great. To me, the Corona break was completely wrong.

Hofland said he was too eager and overtrained during the closure of COVID-19. Although he made a comeback at the Tour de Pollogne, Fabio Jacobsen's crash on the opening stage was a major psychological blow.

"It happened right in front of me. I can't not worry about that," Hofland said. On the next stage, "the stage got more difficult and we never recovered. In the test afterwards, I found out that I was completely screwed on that corona braking."

"It's a bit like what happened to Mathieu van der Pol. Only he could have done better and I could have trained crazier. I think I am doing well. Until the first race in Poland when I realized it was no longer possible."

In recent weeks, several riders have announced that they are leaving the team. Christopher Halvorsen left the World Tour team after losing motivation during lockdown and returned to the pro team level with Uno X.

In the past few weeks, the team has announced the departure of several riders.

Meanwhile, climber Dani Martinez has signed with Ineos, Tanel Kangert will join Mitchelton-Scott, and Sepp Vanmarcke and Michael Woods will move to Startup Nation in Israel.

Riders whose contracts expire this year include Sean Bennett, Giro d'Italia stage winner Jonathan Caicedo, Simon Clark, Mitch Docker, Jens Keukerer, Sebastian Langefeldt, Tom Scully, Rigoberto Uran, Julius Van den Berg, Tejay Van Garderen, and others.

It is not known which players have taken a pay cut, and it has not yet been announced which players have accepted contracts with EF Pro Cycling through 2021.