Netflix's Tour de France documentary series "Drive to Survive" has struggled to secure the participation of several leading teams due to concerns over editorial control, privacy, polemics during the season's biggest race, and the fees paid to the teams.

According to Cyclingnews, UAE Team Emirates and Tour de France champion Tadey Pogachar are currently without contracts to participate in the documentary series.

Patrick Lefebvre, team manager of Quick Step Alfa Vinyl, confirmed in his weekly column for Het Nieuwsblad that his team will be participating, but Cyclingnews is unsure if Jumbo Visma and Ineos Grenadier have a contract It reported.

Ineos Grenadiers responded "no comment" to Cycling News' inquiries. Jumbo-Visma denied that they were not involved, but did not confirm their participation; according to Cyclingnews, the Dutch team is one of at least five WorldTour teams that will be competing in the 2022 Tour de France with Primoz Roglic and A documentary series following Wout van Aert will be produced, according to the report.

"It is true that UAE Team Emirates, like several other teams, was approached to participate in this program. However, the terms of being the protagonists of the first season were not agreed," UAE Team Emirates told Cycling News.

"We like the general idea, but there is no pressure to rush into anything. The door is open for us to get involved in the future."

"We are very excited to be a part of this,"

Emirates told Cycling News.

Netflix's F1 documentary Drive to Survive had similar problems in its first season, with major teams Mercedes and Ferrari not signing on.

On Thursday, Telegraph Sport reported that Netflix had signed a deal with eight WorldTour teams, including Tour de France organizer ASO and British team Ineos Grenadiers. and eight WorldTour teams, including the British team Ineos Grenadiers, are in discussions for a docu-drama series to be produced by Box to Box Films, which produced the Drive to Survive series.

The teams understand the potential commercial value of participating in a successful Netflix series. They have seen the success of the F1 documentary and how it has increased the fan base and interest in the sport.

However, they have concerns about video crews being fully integrated into the riders and staff during the most intense and important races of the season. They are particularly concerned that they have no control over the editing of the final documentary and worry that some scenes will offend or upset sponsors.

For example, Movistar's documentary series The Least Expected Day revealed controversies and tactical errors by the Spanish team.

According to Cycling News, each team offers 50,000 euros and the players are paid nothing personally due to their portrait rights agreement with the team. If the series is successful, additional revenue could be distributed.

ASO owns the filming rights at the Tour de France, but the Netflix documentary will require behind-the-scenes access to team cars, team buses, and hotels.

Lefebvre described the fee offered to the team as a "pittance," but the video crew will begin filming on the Belgian service course in a few days.

"Ideally, the upcoming Netflix series will take the entire cycling world to the next level. And I hope that my contribution to the team will increase accordingly. If not, I will make another series of my own. And it will go to the biggest bidder on the market," Lefebvre threatened in his column.

"I know how these documentaries go. We agree in advance who and what we're going to film, but in the end it's always the same thing: we're going to film the same thing.

"Other teams make different choices. For example, UAE Team Emirates is not participating. I can understand why. Financially--certainly for the team--peanuts; ASO goes through the register first, and then, as usual, there is little left. I have now verbally pledged, but with moderate enthusiasm and reservations. If the cost of joining the team does not go up in the future, it is not worth it."