"We are short 37,000 euros" - Disaster as lack of funding leads to cancellation of Bretagne Ladies Tour
Cycling
The Bretagne Ladies Tour, a women's stage race held in
Brittany, north-west France, has sadly been cancelled for 2025 due to financial
difficulties.
The race, won in both 2023 and 2024 by Olympic and world
time trial champion Grace Brown, was not included from the 2025 UCI Road
Calendar when it was released last year, which set the alarm bells off about
its future. And now the worst fear have been realised, as the race organisers
have confirmed they do not have the required funding this year.
"We are short 37,000 euros," race organiser Loïc
Déniel told Le Télégramme.
"We had almost all our stopover towns, we were sure to
have 20 teams, including four from the WorldTour, we were resolutely confident
for these five days of racing.
"Unfortunately, we were unable to raise enough budget.
As we expected a drop in subsidies from local authorities, we had taken the
lead by approaching private partners. This did not come to fruition and as our
association is young, we have no cash flow."
Despite the setback, organisers have already turned their
attention to the future and remain upbeat. "We are already working on the
2026 edition," Déniel added.
Two-time winner Audrey Cordon-Ragot expressed her
disappointment at the cancellation, emphasising the broader implications for
women's cycling.
"It’s sad. Many races depend on state subsidies, and
given the current situation, we know it’s tough. It’s really disappointing for
women’s cycling. It has been growing for several seasons, and now we have this
setback."
"The Bretagne Ladies Tour is an important race.
Personally, it gave me the confidence to perform at the highest level. Now,
young riders won’t have that opportunity. I feel sorry for them and for the
organisers who have worked so hard. Two months before the start of the Tour de
France Femmes, I don’t understand.
“Without races like this, how do we move forward? Should ASO
step in to support such events? Because, be careful! Without races like the
Bretagne Ladies Tour, there might not be a Tour de France Femmes in the
future."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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