Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio has issued a pointed critique of professional cycling’s culture, arguing that the sport is stuck in outdated structures and values that no longer serve riders, fans, or its future. In her view, elite road racing remains trapped in a results-first mentality that fails to support athletes as people and leaves little room for long-term development or sustainable growth.
Rather than being about a lack of diversity or modernisation on the surface, Moolman-Pasio’s concern is deeper – a systemic failure to prioritise athlete wellbeing, emotional intelligence and leadership. “Your worth is your performance,” she writes, framing cycling as a sport that often treats human beings as replaceable data points.
A leadership loop with no escape
Moolman-Pasio identifies the root of the problem in the sport’s tendency to hire former riders into leadership roles without ever challenging the philosophies they inherited. It’s a system that perpetuates itself, resisting innovation and reinforcing the same rigid mentalities that have defined cycling for decades.
There is little collective vision, she argues. No shared mission across the sport to support riders beyond their race results. With everything tied to immediate performance, young cyclists are rarely equipped with the life skills or identity needed for the long haul. Once the wins dry up or contracts end, many are left adrift.
Performance over people
The cost isn’t just personal. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio highlights how this narrow definition of success limits cycling’s broader relevance. In a world where brands and audiences are increasingly drawn to authenticity, emotional depth and story-driven content, professional cycling is still selling the same highlight reel of podiums and power numbers. Increasingly, teams are taking to social media to tell their own stories, like FDJ-Suez’s recent Vuelta win, and delivering more views of brands than from simply racing.
“What inspires people,” she writes, “are the stories behind the stats. The mental battles. The community.” Victories fade. What stays with people are the values and lessons picked up through adversity. But those narratives are often absent from cycling’s self-promotion.
By fixating on constant winning, the sport risks alienating young people, casual fans and those looking for connection rather than domination. Most people don’t live in a world of victory. They live in a world of ups and downs, and want role models who reflect that.
Breaking a deeply entrenched cycle
Changing cycling’s culture won’t be easy. The complexity of the sport’s governance is a problem in itself. While the UCI technically sits at the top, the real influence lies in a power triangle split between the governing body, the major race organisers (like ASO, Flanders Classics and RCS), and the top-tier teams – especially on the men’s side. OneCycling is the latest attempt to shift the balance, but already looks somewhat diluted from the original vision.
That fragmented power structure makes coordinated change difficult. Reform requires a willingness to move away from short-term wins and begin prioritising long-term values: athlete development, leadership training, mental health, and storytelling that goes beyond watts and results.
Moolman-Pasio is clear that the current system still works for a small group – the familiar inner circle of teams, leaders and structures that have shaped the sport for years. But outside of that bubble, it is neither sustainable nor inclusive.
“The world has changed,” she writes. “Cycling hasn’t.”
It’s a call to rethink what success in cycling looks like. Not less ambition – but a better, broader kind. Not less racing, but more purpose. Not fewer results, but more stories worth remembering.
