Greg Van Avermaat said he is "open" to the idea of a pay cut as Boss, the title sponsor of his CCC team, reveals that the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has put its business in a difficult position.

With races cancelled until early June at the earliest, professional cycling teams are in a precarious financial situation, with the likes of Lotto Soudal, Astana, and Bahrain McLaren already taking pay cuts.

On Thursday, a report on the Polish website Rowery detailed how Dariusz Mirek, head of Polish footwear giant CCC, is considering cutting costs. The company's stock price is reportedly down 90% compared to 2018, and first-quarter revenue is down 9% year over year.

"A decision on the extent of our involvement in sports sponsorship will be made in the coming weeks. It could be painful, but it is necessary in this situation," Mirek said.

"Cyclists are not currently riding and will not be riding for a long time, so we will not be able to meet the marketing goals set for this sports project. We are fighting for business now, so there is no room for emotion when it comes to actions that will result in cost savings. It is immoral to cut employee costs by eliminating cyclists."

Mirek has been involved in cycling for 20 years and previously sponsored a second division team, but took over the former BMC Racing WorldTour team before the 2019 season. In addition to the WorldTour teams, he also sponsors the women's team CCC-Liv and the men's development team.

Speaking to reporters via videoconference Thursday afternoon, Van Avermaert was clearly aware of the financial problems facing the CCC.

"If they are sponsored by a supermarket, they probably won't take a pay cut. Because they are having a great time right now.

Regarding the pay cut, Van Avermaat said that he accepts the idea and that other players should accept it too. He wants to show solidarity with his sponsors, but further down the road, he hopes that solidarity will pay off.

"We're still discussing it, but I'm open about the pay cut. We'll have to see what happens, and that's the director's job, but I think the riders should accept it."

"I think it's normal in these times. I am not doing my job 100% because I can't race. We should be loyal to our sponsors and support them in times of crisis.

"The most important thing for me is that they can step up again after this virus is over, and it doesn't matter if they sponsor longer or go another year."