Lance Armstrong took advantage of the race hiatus during the blockade caused by the Covid 19 coronavirus to call on professional cyclists to unite and "regain strength" in their sport.

Speaking to his Instagram audience in a promotional video for his podcast "The Move," Armstrong addressed his former colleagues directly.

"To all the cyclists sitting at home, not knowing if they will get paid next month, not knowing if their team will survive, in the sport of professional cycling.

Several teams and their sponsors were in crisis as no races were held since the pandemic spread across Europe and around the world. Since the pandemic forced the cancellation of all races in March, several teams have cut riders' salaries and laid off staff. Bahrain McLaren, CCC Team, Mitchelton Scott, Astana, and Lotto Soudal are among the WorldTour teams that have announced reductions, and more are expected as the crisis drags on. The professional riders' union, the CPA, indicated this week that it is willing to accept pay cuts during the coronavirus outbreak. After consulting with the UCI and the team's representative body, the AIGCP, last week, CPA president Gianni Buño said the union is prepared to accept salary cuts on a case-by-case basis, but that the CPA will not agree to a full salary cut during the coronavirus outbreak. CPA General Secretary Laura Mora added that the players' organization has been in discussions with its agents for the past few weeks.

Armstrong said he believes now is the time for the professional peloton to unite and protect their interests.

"Now is our chance to reset the balance, secure our seats, and regain power. If we miss this opportunity now, we may never get another chance."

"Think about it," Armstrong continued. 'Talk to each other. The whole peloton is going to talk about it, and we're going to stick together. We've got to take advantage of this opportunity and get this power back. You are the actors in the play, and without actors the play cannot proceed."