The management shake-up at UAE Team L'IMAD is set to continue with Head of Sports Cherie Pridham leaving the squad for pastures new, alongside sports director Dave Povall, following the departure of their team principal and other staff.
Pridham and Povall will work for Human Powered Health in 2027, the American team announced on Thursday evening. The squad is going through their own building process with a number of high-profile rider signings for next yea.
In experienced sports director Pridham, who has worked across top-tier men's and women's teams for decades, the team is gaining serious expertise in the team car, joining head DS Magnus Bäckstedt.
Latest Videos FromCyclingnews
But whilst it's a seemingly positive move for Human Powered Health, it's a more concerning departure for UAE Team L'Imad, who have already seen significant changes to their senior leadership structure this season.
Team principal Yana Seel left the team earlier in the summer, ending her contract early and citing "a divergence in our strategic visions for the team’s future development" as her reasoning in a statement given to Daniel Benson's Cycling Substack at the time.
The team have been without a replacement principal since then, with an interim staff member stepping up to take on day-to-day running of the team whilst they looked for a full-time replacement.
DS Michel Cornelisse is also confirmed to be leaving the team to join SD Worx-Protime, and there are uncertainties over the futures of DSs Lionel Marie and Paolo Slongo, who is Longo Borghini's personal coach. With Pridham, Povall and Cornelisse leaving, the squad is already losing a large portion of its performance team.
According to Daniel Benson, Pridham was in the running to step up into the role of principal, with team president Melissa Moncada saying: "I hope that she’s with the team. That’s not something that I have confirmation on. Cherie has been a valuable piece in our team. We’ve had many conversations with Cherie. [...] I hope that she continues."
However, since the Tour de France Femmes – where Pridham led the team to finish on the podium, as well as fifth and seventh overall – the British director has clearly made her decision to depart for pastures new.
"For me, good leadership is about listening and understanding, while still being calm enough to make clear decisions and maintain high standards when the pressure is on," she said in a Human Powered Health press release.
The reasons for the multiple departures at UAE Team L'Imad are not clear, and there have been more behind-the-scenes management shuffles over the past few years, but one possible source of tension is the future of Vuelta Femenina Paula Blasi, who is expected to break her contract to leave the squad early despite being one of their biggest talents.
Moncada called the failure to secure Blasi's contract "a stupid mistake" in her interview with Daniel Benson, and narratives around Blasi's future and leadership – or lack thereof – at the Tour de France caused friction between the media and the team, who felt unfairly questioned over the situation.
Answers to all of these questions are not yet clear, with no official word on Blasi's future, nor a new team principal in place at UAE just yet, but the continued departures do suggest that all is not yet settled at the team.
For unbeatable coverage across road, gravel and tech, subscribe to Cyclingnews. You'll get comprehensive race coverage of La Vuelta a España, subscriber-exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.
