Deceuninck-QuickStep (open in new tab) rider Michael Morkoff (open in new tab) expressed frustration with the UCI and questioned the role of governing bodies in the sport after a series of recent safety-related incidents, simultaneously calling the CPA, a professional athlete association, "a worthless organization."

Morkov spoke to Cycling News after the second stage of the Tour de Wallonie (open in new tab). Morkov and many other riders complained about unsafe conditions, including "unbelievable" roads full of holes and temporary traffic poles lining the "incredibly dangerous" run-in to Wavre (opens in new tab). Race director Christophe Brandt apologized for the poor conditions.

At the Criterium du Dauphiné, a day after a slow start for the final stage in protest of the previous day's poor downhill surface, and at Il Lombardia, Max Schachmann was hit by a car and Remco Evenpole climbed over a low wall into a ravine on the infamous Solmano downhill This was two days after the crash.

Earlier this month, Morkov's teammate Fabio Jacobsen suffered life-threatening injuries at the Tour de Pollogne when he crashed into a collapsed barrier in a previously risky downhill sprint.

"Where is our federation? asked Morkov on Monday.

"The UCI has said many times that 'it's not our responsibility,' but I disagree, because as long as we participate in UCI races, the UCI is ultimately responsible."

"What is fresh in my mind is Fabio in Poland. That was a World Tour race and it was in bad conditions with barriers. There really should be a special UCI rule about things like this. They say, 'It's impossible to check the parcours beforehand,' but there should be fines and penalties to prevent race organizers from doing that."

"They always say it's not their problem, but I disagree. In the end it will be our problem. We can't do anything about it and we have no chance to say anything."

If Morkoff feels that riders have no say, it is certainly an indictment of the Cyclistes Professionels Associes, the international organization of professional riders.

The CPA, which is funded by a portion of race prize money and donations from the UCI, has been criticized for its ability to effectively stand up for the interests of riders, and this summer over 300 riders signed a petition calling for reform. The CPA has always stated that it is trying to do everything it can to improve rider safety.

"In my opinion, the CPA is a completely useless organization," Morkoff said.

"I don't know what the CPA is; I think it's affiliated with the UCI because the UCI created it."

"I know there are people doing something there, but they don't seem to be doing anything that we can actually see happening. They don't have the power to change anything.

Thus, Morkoff sees only "one solution," and that is change coming from the UCI, but he is pessimistic about it happening.

"What I don't feel is that the UCI is our federation. It should be, the UCI should work with the riders, but I don't feel that way, I feel like the UCI is against us, it's not our federation.

Morkov confirmed that he and his fellow riders would not be staging any protests at the Tour de Wallonie, insisting that they were "interested in the race, not the demonstration."

Asked how the riders could lobby the UCI, he seemed resigned to the fact that he could not force change on the upper management.

"Nobody has ever succeeded with that. It's like talking to a wall. All my career I've wondered what the ambition of the UCI is.

"As a rider, I don't think I can communicate with them; I don't know anyone at the UCI and I have no idea what they do. I just saw La Partiento talking about motor doping and other stupid stuff, but that's it. Instead of fining people for this nonsense, they should be doing something to improve safety."