I just quickly want to mention how far Bradley Wiggins has gone up in my estimation with his well-timed and addressed thoughts on women's cycling, (in particular road) and what he would do and may very well will do. Here's the link by the way, if you haven't been able to watch it yet, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/19668083.

Further to his point and too many commentators on the state of women's cycling, I can totally testify to the their point that women's cycling is arguably more exciting than the men's, it is also shorter on all the formats, be it road races, time trials etc.. so is less time-consuming and more action-packed in those hours for the viewing public, but they are not just poor relations to men's cycling, they are in a different family all together.

A lot of commentators have said that women's cycling should seek their own sponsors and be self-supporting, even Lizzie Armistead, the silver-medalist at the women's road race agrees with this view, women teams should not be a side project or completely attached to the men's teams and racing, but be on it's own, free-standing. Now, who I am to disagree with on the top women riders in the world and a patron of the women's peloton, but disagree I shall. I disagree at least for the short and medium term anyway. For I believe that for women's cycling to truly progress why not get the benefit of working with the male side of the sport? The UCI have decided, as to not deter sponsors for creating teams in this tough economic climate, to allow men's teams to be created with no pressures for an equivalent attached women's one. Now, this is rubbish because top women's teams operate on the fraction of the budget that men's do and when they can operate on £15 million of investment, is an extra million or less, (as the they would just be using the existing set-up for the men in terms of coaches etc...) that much of an ask, especially when minimum wage for woman road cyclist is several grand less on each stage on the levels of professionalism (something, for what it's worth, I find completely outrageous and shocking, no glass ceiling, but an actual fully legal, concrete one). If the most successful  women's team is having to fold, the likes of Nicole Cooke struggling to get a place on a team and the likes of Emma Pooley contemplating retirement, surely the UCI should think that clearly women's cycling is not going in the right direction.

However what makes gets me as that a lot of people who have viced their opinions on this subject seem to agree, not necessarily with the way the UCI are doing it, but for women's cycling to be independent even in the short-term as well as the future. I agree it should be independent, but when you look as the most recent success stories in women's cycling, both in terms of teams and races (the women's road calendar has been horrendously slashed this year, quite simply tragic), you will see that it was done as a partnership with the men's side of sport. HTC (under it various guises) was a huge success story in women's cycling as well as men's, the GP Plouay and the Tour of Flanders; where the women's races are held in conjuncture with the men's have proved massive success stories as they get the same exposure as the men. Likewise the World Championships and the Olympics, both are treated and covered with just the same amount of enthusiasm and attention as the men's.

This is why women's cycling, at least for the next five years, should be in league with the male side of sport also, for the women's side can only gain, they will not lose any independence as they could, as they do now, hold their own independent races if organisers were willing. Cycling has a shared history and will have a shared future, so why not, at least for now have a shared present? Women's cycling won't be indebted to the men because of the shared passion and love for the sport and for sport unites us all, so until women's cycling is in ruder health they should be able to benefit from men's cycling better position so that we are able to to seriously talk about a shared heritage and both in equal terms.

By all means please give your thoughts on any of the subjects that I will mention in my posts in the future. Would love it actually.