Women’s Tour cancelled for 2020
The 2020 Women’s Tour has been cancelled, organizers announced on Monday.
Originally scheduled for June, the race was first called off in March with an eye towards finding a new date. As the cycling world works to find space in a contracted, reshuffled calendar, however, organizers decided to cancel for 2020.
“Following discussions with stakeholders and sponsors, as well as British Cycling and the UCI, we have decided to work towards June 2021 for the next edition of the Women’s Tour, and will not seek to re-arrange the race later in 2020,” said Hugh Roberts, chairman of race organizer SweetSpot Group.
“We recognize the unprecedented nature of the current global situation and the challenges for the UCI calendar and so wanted to take an early decision not to look for an alternative 2020 date.”
The 2021 edition of the race will start in Bicester and finish after six stages in Felixstowe, as was planned for this year’s race.
The decision to cancel The Women’s Tour altogether for 2020 marks another serious blow for the Women’s WorldTour. So far, only one race on the calendar has been held, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Not long after the Australian event, numerous other top-division women’s races were called off, and several races that had initially announced postponements have now ultimately been cancelled.
There was some positive news in Monday’s Women’s Tour announcement, at least, as organizers noting that they are working to put a live broadcast in place for next year’s edition of the race.
“With the extra time now available we look forward to making next year’s Women’s Tour even bigger and better than before and a fantastic celebration of cycling and Britain,” Roberts aid.
“We are now working with partners on our plans for the Women’s Tour to be live streamed for the first time in 2021 and are also exploring opportunities to bring the race closer to our fans than ever before in these challenging times, such as the opportunity to race and ride past stages on their home trainer.”
The post Women’s Tour cancelled for 2020 appeared first on CyclingTips.