Some of the biggest names in cycling - including the top three finishers in this summer's Tour de France - have written to their union demanding immediate changes to the way the organisation is run.
They accuse the Cyclists Professional Association (CPA) president Gianni Bugno of running a secretive dictatorship, although he has insisted he "deeply believes in the need of an association that represents you" and that he is "not the president of your association for economic interest".
The unprecedented letter - seen exclusively by Sky Sports News - contains 27 signatories from nine different countries, including Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Tom Dumoulin.
It calls for greater financial transparency from the CPA and an immediate postponement to the Presidential election, planned for Thursday, so that a fairer electoral system can be introduced.
The campaign is being headed by David Millar - the first British cyclist to wear the leader's jersey in all three Grand Tours - and according to Millar, many international cyclists are threatening legal action or indeed a strike, if the system is not changed.
Millar told Sky Sports News: "I think they have become complacent and consider the system to be the right system. I think that's why the riders are border-line revolting now - one rider, one vote, that's what it's about and that's what it should be. Almost 1,000 professional riders and they should each be able to vote and make the decisions for them-self. By doing that, that would bring the peloton together."
In a separate letter from his solicitor - also seen by SSN - Millar calls on cycling's governing body, the UCI, to intervene and crack down on what he says is CPA deception, and allow him to stand on a fair footing for the leadership of the union.
Millar says his presidential bid is doomed to fail, because of the CPA's antiquated voting system, which gives most power to representatives from Italy, Spain and France. He says the system is rigged, so that current President Bugno, is certain to be re-elected for another four-year term.
All international riders are allowed to vote in the leadership election, but those votes only count if the riders turn up in person at the formal election process which takes place in Innsbruck, Austria. They are now demanding the rules be changed, so that they can vote electronically.
Team Sky rider Chris Froome says he would like the election for the Cyclists Professional Association presidency to be postponed - and has not ruled out a strike.
"I think quite a few people really are worked up about it. It's been a long time since riders really had a voice in our sport. I wouldn't write off the possibility of it going to a strike or something else down the line.
"It's a pretty dire situation to be honest. Personally, I would love to see the election postponed, and to hold a meeting and discuss a way to re-do the election in a better way going forward."
Meanwhile, Tour de France champion Thomas told Sky Sports News: "There's a presidential election tomorrow [on Thursday]. We wouldn't have even known about it if David Millar hadn't thrown his hat in the ring in the first place. When we heard about it, the way they run it is completely unfair. We were upset and arguing that one rider should get one vote."
Bugno has responded to the claims, insisting the CPA has made progress in improving benefits for their members.
"As I told some of you, I'm not the president of your association for economic interest - in fact, I don't get any salary - but rather because I deeply believe in the need of an association that represents you in front of the different stakeholders, at a time where the rights of the riders risk being increasingly weakened," he said in an official statement.
"Unfortunately, next Thursday's elections cannot be postponed due to technical and accounting reasons.
"Nevertheless, there is the commitment of the entire steering committee to start, right after the elections, some consultation with you and with the whole group. The aim of this is to study and share rules that should be effective and - foremost - be shared by all of you.
"After all, we talk about a statute that was written in 1989 and certainly not either by myself nor by the current members of the steering committee, and at a time when cycling was quite different from what it is today.
"Anyway, please do not forget that this has - in any case - allowed in recent years to conquer goals which were very important and definitely not easy to get , e.g. minimum wages, insurance, safety, keeping of the prize money in favour of the riders and which the teams - through the work of private companies - want to get hold of."
The UCI General Assembly, which could ratify changes to cycling's leadership rules, are also meeting in Austria on Friday, at the culmination of the World Championships.