Women's Tour of Britain not running in 2023

Comments

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553
    A real shame, it was arguably the WWT race with the best roadside support and set the standard for professionalism in race organisation.

    The benefits of Brexit just keep coming don't they?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Unfortunately I can't see it coming back in the foreseeable future. The cost of running it isn't realistically going to come back down so unless they can get an increase in sponsorship from somewhere at a time when companies are also struggling I don't see how the problem this year will go away. Another nail in the coffin of professional bike racing in the UK.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited March 2023
    andyp said:

    A real shame, it was arguably the WWT race with the best roadside support and set the standard for professionalism in race organisation.

    The benefits of Brexit just keep coming don't they?

    is it Brexit, or just local councils not having any budget for this?

    It seems a UK thing rather than a women's racing thing as women's racing seems to be going from strength to strength.

    From the sponsor perspective it seems a little short sighted as it has the potential to be the premier women's event in the future, but then those firms also probably had bad 2022s and have poor 2023 forecasts.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553

    andyp said:

    A real shame, it was arguably the WWT race with the best roadside support and set the standard for professionalism in race organisation.

    The benefits of Brexit just keep coming don't they?

    is it Brexit, or just local councils not having any budget for this?

    It seems a UK thing rather than a women's racing thing as women's racing seems to be going from strength to strength.

    From the sponsor perspective it seems a little short sighted as it has the potential to be the premier women's event in the future, but then those firms also probably had bad 2022s and have poor 2023 forecasts.
    The kind of sponsor that's interested in sponsoring an event like the Women's Tour will have European commercial aims. With Brexit, those sponsors are becoming fewer and fewer. The lack of funding for councils is also an issue, but the race needed commercial sponsors alongside local government.
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    It's going to need something miraculous for it to come back......Where are the sponsors with money going to come from? And local/regional councils aren't going to be able to cough up the cash.....

    Similarly, we can't raise the money/ find a venue to host a World Cup CX race, despite having several World champions in the last few years.....

    The money doesn't seem to be there; make the most of the 'super Worlds' in Scotland in August.

    Reminds me all too much of RallyGB disappearing down a black hole due to no backers.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 13,232
    Think I heard on an episode of The Cycling Podcast, might be misremembering, Lizzy Banks expressing concern over loss of sponsors, inc that Škoda had pulled out. Given their presence on many races, is indeed not good news for this increasingly self-isolated little island.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    It's really sad . Everyone knows why and yet it's like nothing can be done
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,572

    It's really sad . Everyone knows why and yet it's like nothing can be done

    Agree. It seemed a really popular race with the chance of establishing itself as one of the top 3 stage races on the ladies calendar.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253

    It's really sad . Everyone knows why and yet it's like nothing can be done

    What is the reason why? I can think of a few - none good but some cycling related.
    Twitter: @RichN95