Still no news on women’s racing from the UCI as La Course is postponed

The UCI has still not announced when women’s racing is expected to return after releasing an outline of the re-worked men’s calendar. 

On Wednesday (April 15), the UCI revealed new dates for the Tour de France and confirmed its plans for the Grand Tours and the World Championships, as coronavirus has completely upended the cycling season.

But the UCI offered no news on when women’s cycling will return, instead saying a revised schedule will be released by May 15 at the latest.

The UCI’s announcement came as the women’s one-day race La Course by Le Tour de France, scheduled for July 19, was postponed to a date yet to be determined.

In a statement, cycling's international governing body said: “The UCI, in parallel and in close collaboration with the different parties concerns, continues its work to be able to announce, on May 15 at the latest, a revised version of the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar.

“This calendar will nevertheless remain dependent on the world health situation.”

The UCI announced that the Tour de France would be pushed back from it’s planned start date of June 28, instead running from August 29 to September 20, with the World Championships running in their scheduled place of September 20-27.

According to the new plans, the Giro d’Italia would take place after the Worlds, with the Vuelta a España then following.

Women’s cycling union, The Cyclists’ Alliance, said: “We have repeatedly approached the UCI to be a part of the discussions concerning the 2020 UCI women’s race calendar. This announcement comes without the rider’s interests or voices represented.

“We continue to press the UCI that we want to be involved in future planning.”

Rider Alison Tetrick said on Twitter: “2020 is rough and scary, but with a pandemic and a complete shift in prioritisation, now would be a good time to embrace respect, equality, safety and opportunity.

“What better time to do what’s right than right now.

“Just be fair and equitable and respectful.

“Invest in humans and the sport, not a specific gender or identity.”

Executive director of the The Cyclists’ Alliance, former pro Iris Slappendel, said: “Not impressed by this, and that’s an understatement.”

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Along with aspects of daily life and all other sports, women’s cycling has suffered a major blow during the coronavirus crisis.

Dozens of women’s races have been cancelled or postponed as only one Women’s WorldTour event having been run this year, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in February.

A number of major races, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège, The Women’s Tour and the Giro Rosa, have all been called off.

The next Women’s WorldTour race scheduled to run is the Vargarda WestSweden team time trial on August 8.