'We can't sit here and say all the problems are from outside' – Cyclist Alliance's Grace Brown spearheads unity campaign at a Tour de France Femmes where debate over rider respect is bubbling

Gold medalist Grace Brown of Team Australia poses on the podium during the Women's Individual Time Trial on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Pont Alexandre III on July 27, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images).

The timing for the Cyclists Alliance purple ribbon unity campaign, which is aimed at promoting solidarity within the women's peloton, seems apt, given the divisive controversy that has bubbled away in the background of a charged edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

The topic of mutual respect between riders and teams, and the safety ramifications that come into play when it is lacking, rose to the surface at this year's race after Demi Vollering's (FDJ-Suez) stage 3 crash and has caused some public back and forth among some of the team's sports directors.