The global’s fine girl cyclists expressed those sentiments while requested to touch upon last week’s news that the Amaury Sport Organization may additionally get rid of La Flèche Wallonne Féminine and Liège-Bastogne-Liège from the UCI Women’s WorldTour for 2020.
The arguable selection became the first reported ultimate week using DirectVelo, which quoted Tom Van Damme, president of UCI’s avenue commission. According to reports, ASO’s decision is reportedly tied to UCI’s requirement for Women’s world promoters to provide forty-five minutes of live TV or streaming insurance for every event starting in 2019. ASO did not pay for stay insurance for the races in 2019.
The selection did no longer sit well with the riders.
“I felt that women’s cycling was progressing finely, and to lose those two races is a huge knock on us,” stated Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM). It’s the principal week of the spring. If it’s simply coming down to TV insurance and cash, dropping it like that is tough.”
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (CCC Team) stated the selection represents an “old school mentality” on ASO.
“It would be extraordinary if ASO saw the value in women’s biking and invested in us to grow the profile of women’s biking because I consider they could obtain the rewards,” she stated. You feel disheartened because we try so hard, and there’s been a lot of first-rate momentum at the beginning of the season around women’s racing.”
“There has to be more to it,” said Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo. “It doesn’t make feel because we’ve proven there may be an urge for food for TV coverage.”
ASO no longer comments on the state of affairs. An ASO consultant confirmed that organizers for both races are discussing the state of affairs with UCI.
In 2018, the UCI decided on numerous reforms for the Women’s World Tour, consisting of the 2020 requirement for races to offer live television insurance at WorldTour races. At the time, UCI President David Lappartient criticized ASO for not doing extra to sell its ladies’ races. ASO owns Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Flèche Wallonne, and the La Course through le Tour de France activities within the women’s World Tour.
The standoff appears unresolved, and Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf stated that Van Damme is probably in discussions with various parties to broadcast each girl’s race. According to De Telegraaf, Walloon broadcaster RTBF is interested in promoting the women’s races at the two events.
The standoff places women’s teams in a difficult situation. Since La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, each characteristic enormous crowds and status—La Flèche Wallonne has been held every season for the ultimate 22 years—lady riders said they could now not be inclined to bypass both races, even though the activities lacked Women’s WorldTour category.
“I assume groups would nonetheless go,” said Leah Kirchmann (Sunweb). “There’s more cost associated with races with TV coverage, so we will see if this impacts which race teams pick out to do.”
Deignan stated the tiny size of the girls’ racing calendar, and ladies’ groups look for all possibilities to race. So, announcing no to an occasion might place each person in a challenging role.
Deignan wondered if girls’ groups could have more luck if WorldTour guys’ races got worried.
“I assume it’d communicate louder if the men said, ‘If you’re not going to have girls there, we’re no longer going to be there too,'” Deignan said. “Maybe we can get innovative.”
