Audrey Cordon-Lago, whose patience has been tested repeatedly in recent months, has reached her limits and reportedly submitted her resignation to the Zarf Cycling Team on March 22 after completing the Tour de Normandie Féminine.

"Since the beginning of this year, my salary has not been paid and my travel expenses have not been reimbursed. Not only financially, but the conditions under which we evolved were not really appropriate for a professional team. We could not continue under these circumstances," Cordón-Lago told Le Télégramme on Sunday (opens in new tab). [After a third place sprint at the UCI 1.1 Costa De Almería, a podium at Omloop van het Hageland, a fourth place at Le Samyn des Dames, and a second place at the Tour de Normandie Féminine in Flamanville on stage 2, he finished fourth in GC He finished 4th in the Tour de Normandie Féminin after finishing 2nd in Flamanville on stage 2.

However, three days after the French stage race, the UCI and the Spanish Cycling Federation launched an investigation into the Zarf Cycling Team based on allegations that some of the riders and staff contracted with the new UCI Women's Continental team were not being paid for their work Cycling News confirmed to Cycling News that an investigation has been launched.

Cycling News contacted the Zarf Cycling Team to clarify the team's financial situation, allegations of non-payment to some riders and staff, and allegations of lack of professionalism, to which the team has yet to respond.

Cordón-Lago said that he initially tried to put up with the nonpayment, but after repeated reminders and no progress, he left the team for "his own mental well-being."

"The team was new, I understood, and I told myself they just needed a little time to get their bearings. And financial concerns led to other concerns. We were understaffed at the staff level. At one point I said I was quitting," she told French media.

Cordon-Lago spent four years at Trek-Segafredo before leaving to lead the new B&B Hotels-KTM women's team scheduled for 2023, but the B&B Hotels-KTM team later collapsed due to lack of sponsorship. She then signed with the Spanish-registered Zarf Cycling Team along with Maggie Coles-Leister and Heidi Franz.

"After everything that happened to me last year, I didn't want to fight anymore, and I recovered from a stroke before the 2022 road world championships.

The team is run by owner Riad Beratresh and named after his grandfather, the late Abdel-Kader Zarf, a cyclist from the 1950s. 2022 started as a club-level team and in its second season became a UCI Continental team It was promoted to the UCI Continental team in its second season.

Along with Cordon-Lagotte's top results, others have finished in the top 10 in 14 events this year, and Zayed Ahmed also won a double national title at the Egyptian National Championships.

In a previous interview with Ouest-France (opens in new tab), Cordon-Lagotte explained that the management of the Zaf Cycling team suffers from logistical problems that prevent them from obtaining funds to pay riders and staff from their designated bank account She stated that the team has been unable to obtain funds to pay the riders and staff from the designated bank account. She said the team, riders, and staff are working to find a solution to this problem.

The Spanish Cycling Federation confirmed to Cycling News that if there is evidence of nonpayment, the team's bank guarantee could be accessed. The bank guarantee is equivalent to three months' wages and can only be accessed after a one-year waiting period, but the riders are working with the Cyclist Alliance to ensure that they can access the funds immediately if necessary.

Cordón-Lago said he is not angry with the Zarf cycling team and said in an interview with L'Equipe (open in new tab) on Monday that he does not feel cheated.

"No, I don't. I am more disappointed that they could not complete this project. But perhaps due to inexperience, they got a little lost and put everyone in a difficult situation," Cordón-Lago told "L'Equipe."

"Again, we didn't have to deal with the bandits as before. Actually, this situation is very sad. I realize that not only women's cycling, but also men's cycling, at this level, at the continental level, is a very precarious environment. And there is still a lot that needs to evolve, too many currents."

Meanwhile, several riders on the Zarf Cycling team are reportedly discussing not going to the starting line and perhaps not even competing until their financial situation is resolved.

However, some members of the team are continuing to race, most recently making the start line at Ghent-Wevelgem and Tour de Flanders, and will compete in Paris-Roubaix on Sunday.

"The situation is a bit unfair. Seeing a team continue to race without me in a race they were invited to because of me is a little frustrating for the staff and for my former teammates, even though I don't want them to race. But unless the UCI decides to stop them to pay the women," Cordón-Lago told L'Equipe.

Going forward, Cordón-Lago is considering switching teams, but will have to wait until the transfer window opens on June 1.

"To my surprise, many teams have contacted me in the last few days, knowing that my story is going down in Zarf. Cycling is a small world. My agent and I have started talking to a few teams. I am very eager to get back on the World Tour. Return to Trek-Segafredo: ...... Yes, it is possible. I am very calm. This season might be the best start of my career.

"The rest of this season should be thunderous if all goes well. In any case, what is certain is that, as I always say, it is you who decides when to stop your career. No one else. I will stay focused on my goals. I believe in that 300%. When death is near, we see life differently, we hang on, we fight harder. I am not afraid of anything now."