She has pedaled at high levels for years, has been a manager of important women's cycling teams, and continues to be involved in cycling. Natascha Knaven, wife of former professional Servais, mother of four cyclists, and manager of a youth team, has published an interesting reflection on women's cycling on her social media. We present her complete thoughts.

The UCI has made the WorldTour more professional: salaries have increased, and teams have been authorized to expand to 20 riders plus 2. But, curiously, the opposite is now happening. Some WorldTour teams are reducing to 14-16 riders, simply because salaries are growing faster than budgets. Where we thought we were creating more space, the road is narrowing.

Development teams are downsizing, Continental teams are disappearing, and the calendar below the WorldTour level remains fragile. Even the Scheldeprijs has been promoted to 1.Pro — a nice promotion on paper, but once again a higher barrier for young riders who need opportunities to race and learn.

Meanwhile, we're all talking about "Closing the Gap". But, let's be clear, you close one gap and another opens immediately. Because the entire structure is simply not sustainable. Women's cycling is growing in visibility and budgets, but the base remains too "narrow" to support the weight of this growth.

Some time ago, I wrote about the need for a "Development League" before the WorldTour: a learning ground where young cyclists, or those entering later, can grow and progress without being immediately thrown into the pressure of the highest level. Today, that idea seems more urgent than ever, and for visionary brands like @redbull, this is an opportunity.

Not to invest in the best team in the world, not to focus only on men, and not even to build around individual personalities, but to support an entire sport. To support a generation, to demonstrate being more than an energy drink: to have vision and the courage to contribute to shaping the future of women's cycling.

Redbull Women's Cycling League — how necessary and fantastic it would be... Red Bull could truly give wings to an entire new generation of cyclists. 🚴‍♀️💨