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Jimmy_Fingers
bothwell
edscoble
I don't think that's due justification. Just because other sports do it, doesn't mean cycling has to do it as well.
It's an existing issue that women pro riders don't have a minimum wage and often have to supplement their income through other work (Emma Pooley more or less lived off her winnings from triathlons to support her pro racing career). If you're going to give out money to stand at the side of the podium and hand out flowers, medals and jerseys then at least keep it within the sport. It's a bit arrogant and stupid to shed tears over hard up models losing some income while blithely ignoring would be pro riders who are already unable to stick in their chosen profession because they basically have no money. Let's not forget that, like models, being a pro cyclist is actually a job. It places demands on your time and life and, as far as men are concerned, pays for a place to live, bills, food and all those other life essentials and possibly a family as well. This whole "oh won't someone think of the poor models" is, in the current scenario of pro cycling, a complete and utter red herring. It doesn't merit any more consideration than this.