There’s no doubt that it’s very exciting to secure a spot on a new team or have your contract renewed in a longstanding one, but it’s important to not get carried away with the excitement and forget to look at the details.
It’s all too easy to get swept away on a multi-year offer, a tempting race programme and even a good salary – but don’t forget the fine print which will matter at some point down the line. It’s not just about protecting yourself or demanding as much as you can, as no doubt most teams will offer all that they can on a most likely limited budget, it’s just about understanding so that there are no surprises later on.
1 Employed v self-employed
This is one of the first questions to ask (even before negotiating a salary as it will affect your payments and potentially your benefits). Will you be an employed member of staff receiving pay slips and direct payments each month taxed at source or will you be expected to be self-employed and invoice for your pay each month and organise your own tax return at the end of each tax year? There are pros and cons of each but just make sure you know which you are falling in to!
2 Equipment
It may seem obvious or a given but exactly what will you be provided with by your team? How many bikes, wheels, saddles etc? Make sure you are clear from the outset what equipment is now yours and gifted to you and what remains the teams and will need to be returned as and when. Also, what type and brand will each piece of equipment be? Is there any flexibility on ‘points of contact’? If you absolutely cannot get on with a certain brand, for example, but your potential new team is about to do a deal with them to be their exclusive partners – can you be excluded and if not, will this team really work for you?
3 Liability and insurance
Who is liable for the equipment provided to you defined in point 2 and does that cover all scenarios? In a race situation or if a bike is stolen from you while in your possession at home for example? Who is liable for the cost of replacing it or fixing it if it is lost or damaged. Similarly, what about you – what if the worst happens and you get hurt – in training or in a race. Will your team cover your transport home or to hospital (or home from the hospital) and what about if you can’t then ride your bike for a long period of time – will you still receive any pay or benefits? What about maternity pay if you fall pregnant while in contract… Your cover and benefits may depend on your type of contract – if you are self employed this will likely fall to you to organise for yourself or to rely on state provided benefits which will vary from place to place. However, a team may provide some of these benefits to employed riders. Just make sure you are clear from the outset what is included and don’t be afraid to ask as they can only say no.
4 Break clause(s) & termination
Check these points carefully and make sure you know what you are agreeing to. Is there a break clause in the contract – i.e. a defined point in time when the team can simply decide that they no longer want you in the team and end your contract. Make sure you are happy with this if so and if it is necessary to be included make sure it is mutual if you want it to be and to have your own option of walking away. Outside of this break clause what are the stated reasons for possible termination – again from the team’s perspective as well as your own.
5 Marketing & PR
Check if the team have included a clause regarding marketing and PR in your rider contract. Have they determined what rights they have for usage of your name and image by both the team and also their sponsors and how many days of your time they require for this aside from your riding and training responsibilities. Some teams will put this in a separate co-existing agreement. Make sure you are aware of the team’s partners particularly if you have your own personal sponsors, or intend to, so you can avoid any conflicts.
6 A bonus 6th thing to think seriously about
Get an agent!! Yes, OK, banging my own drum but let’s face it, this list isn’t exhaustive and a contract can be long and onerous to work through by yourself. Plus, it’s undoubtedly easier to negotiate on someone else’s behalf than for yourself so finding the right person to do this for you could save you plenty of difficult conversations and make you some more money. Worth thinking about! If you decide to go it alone then it’s worth remembering that we are only just about professionalising the sport so it’s always worth asking the question but sometimes not everything will be possible so work with your team and look after both them and yourself.
