Cryptic crossword clue
Five compete in winter sports gear for workers 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word SKIVVIES

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
K
I
V
V
I
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "workers" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case workers = skivvies.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does SKIVVIES mean?

SKIVVIES noun
  1. Underwear, particularly men′s underwear.
SKIVVIES noun
  1. A female domestic servant, especially one employed for menial work.
  2. (Vietnam War) A prostitute.
  3. A close-fitting, long-sleeved T-shirt with a rolled collar.

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