Annemieke van Fruten admitted that she accepted a "significant" pay cut to keep Mitchelton Scott alive, given that the team's title sponsor has been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

In a roundtable interview on Zoom this past Monday, the world champion discussed the impact of the pandemic on the team, prioritizing public health when considering the post-COVID-19 women's calendar, and the importance of continuing anti-doping testing during the prolonged "blackout" period with new He spoke about the importance of creating a way to.

"The situation, as my team announced, unfortunately also involved pay cuts. Sadly, our sponsors are in a really bad situation and I really feel sorry for the people who work for this company," van Breuten said.

"It's not nice to take a pay cut after being World Champion. I won't talk about how much, but it's a lot. I hope that by taking a pay cut, it keeps the team alive and keeps (them) going.

Mitchelton Scott announced earlier this month that the players and staff had accepted a pay cut to keep the Australian team alive. This is the same as the other World Tour men's teams, the CCC team, Bahrain McLaren, Astana, and Lotto Soudal. Bigla Katusha is the first women's team to announce that its title sponsor has withdrawn, putting the team's future in jeopardy.

The COVID-19 coronavirus hit the women's calendar particularly hard, with 14 of the top 22 women's WorldTour events cancelled or postponed; the UCI suspended the WorldTour men's and women's races until August 1; and the UCI has announced that it is suspending the women's WorldTour WorldTour events until August 2.

In its first communication on the calendar revision, the sport's governing body said it would give priority to the three Grand Tours and five Monuments and announced that the Tour de France would be held from August 29 to September 20. However, information on the Women's World Tour was limited.

In an open letter to the UCI, the Cyclist Alliance (TCA) Athletes' Council expressed concern that women's cycling was not adequately represented in discussions regarding the post-COVID-19 international road calendar.

The UCI then consulted with CPA Women, Marianne Vos, a member of the UCI Athletes' Commission and the rider representative on the UCI Road Commission, the AIOCC, event organizers, and the newly formed women's team association UNIO, the general framework of the Women's World Tour revision was confirmed.

"We are really happy with the Cyclist Alliance. I saw that they wrote a letter to the UCI, and there was input from the women, and I think they spoke to the UCI to let them know that they should consider us as well, and I wish [the UCI] had surprised us and announced a women's calendar right away along with the men's calendar." Van Breuten said.

"On the other hand, we understand that the Tour de France is the most important race on the calendar. It is important for cycling in general that the Tour de France takes place. I wish the Tour de France well, but my health comes first.

"The women's calendar will be announced a little later, which may buy us some time. Health is our top priority."

Alessandra Cappelotto, manager of CPA Women's, told Cycling News that the association will continue women's races through the end of November, mainly major races, and organizers of men's and women's events will jointly reschedule both events simultaneously He said that the association has requested that.

Cappelotto also confirmed that the Giro Rosa has requested new dates for September 5-13 during the Tour de France. However, she emphasized that any possible schedule change would depend on government regulations in the new coronavirus pandemic.

Van Vleuten agreed that public health is a top priority, but said that if government restrictions are lifted and racing resumes, she would like to race the spring classics and the Giro Rosa during September, October and November.

"Hopefully the Women's World Tour races that were supposed to be held in the spring will be held in the fall and the races will run through November and we will have a great Flanders and Ardennes Classics," Van Vleuten said.

"I'm really looking forward to the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and I hope we can incorporate my favorite stage race, the Giro Rosa, and the British Women's Tour somewhere because they are beautiful stage races. I would love to race in England and show the rainbow jersey. These races are high on my wish list.

"I know (COVID-19) is not a good economic situation worldwide and it will affect all sectors. It's a really bad situation for women's cycling and cycling in general. But once we are able to race again and appeal to sponsors again, it will be for the better.

"As long as there are rumors of dates for the Giro Rosa and Tour de France in September, there is hope.

Racing is not the only aspect of the sport that has been put on hold due to health precautions surrounding COVID-19. Anti-doping testing protocols have been nearly shut down during the international social distance and self-quarantine restrictions, leaving an untested "blackout" period that worries anti-doping agencies.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced this month that it has developed a voluntary testing program in which athletes will conduct their own blood and urine tests while anti-doping control officers monitor them live via FaceTime or Zoom. Anti-doping officers then monitor the process of sealing and preparing samples for mailing while collecting data such as sample numbers.

"I think it's really good that we also need to do testing at this time. It's good to see some movement and some thought about how to organize the inspections in a very creative way," Van Bruten said of the self-administered inspection testing program.

"I was very happy to read about this [USADA pilot program]. I also recently received the message that I can still get tested and I think that is a good message for all athletes."

Van Vleuten rode 105km solo at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire After an attack, she won the elite women's road world title. However, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, she was only able to race in the rainbow jersey at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, which she won in February before the calendar was suspended.

"It's a pity that I can't show [the rainbow jersey] in the races. But I feel very lucky to be able to wear the rainbow jersey on the road every day.

"It's a shame for me and for my sponsors not to be able to show the rainbow jersey in the races. But I need to concentrate on what I can control.

"I'll be sad if I can't show it again, but at least I have a good record, one out of one, scoring 100% in the rainbow jersey.

The 2020 UCI Road World Championships retained its original date of September 20-27 on the mountain circuit in Aigle Martigny, Switzerland.

"This year's World Championships is a course that suits me very well, so I might have another chance," Van Vleuten said.