Or for getting themselves to be taken seriously as cyclists. Unfortunately, the fact is that sex sells (and more specifically female sexuality), and that's usually because of the average attitude that's been expressed in this thread. And since sex sells, and the goal for most in anything is to make money, the women are going to be put out there in this way, with whatever way to coerce them to do it (money, fame, power, getting to continue doing it at that level) being employed.

The obvious parallel here seems to be Danica Patrick. Model first, race car driver second. And a pretty bad race car driver to boot. Only managed to win one race in a number of years. It's been pointed out several times that a male with a similar record would be long gone out of racing. But yet, Danica still races. Why is that? Danica's still there, simply because her modeling brings name recognition to the organization she races under. Unfortunately for her or other women trying to do the race car driver thing, it's also making it next to impossible for any woman to be taken seriously in such a venture.

And Danica isn't the first example of a woman in sporting events doing this, and won't be the last either.