The International Cycling Union (UCI) Women’s World Cup will be reduced by a round this year, after the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) announced the suspension of the GP Cuidad de Valladolid. The race, which was scheduled for June 3rd, was to have been the sixth of nine races in the 2012 series, which is now reduced to just eight; the lowest number since the year 2000, the third year of the series.
“The RFEC has received notice of the suspension of the Gran Premio Ciudad de Valladolid, fifth [sixth, actually - ed] round of the UCI World Cup women's race, scheduled for June 3,” the short RFEC statement reads.
While the RFEC statement does not elaborate as to the reason for the race’s suspension, it can be assumed that it has been cancelled due to the organisers’ difficulties in raising sponsorship and funding. A number of Spanish races have come under threat this season, as the Spanish economy suffers more than many others in Europe, including the WorldTour Volta a Catalunya - which is running currently - Vuelta a Pais Vasco, and Clasica San Sebastian.
The big men’s races have managed to obtain the necessary support at the last minute from a number of different sources, but it seems that the GP Valladolid has not.
2012 would have been only the third edition of the race, which was introduced in 2010 as a replacement for the GP Castilla y León, Spain’s previous World Cup race, which was last held in 2006. That first edition was won by German all-rounder Charlotte Becker (Cervélo TestTeam), while last year’s race was won by World number one Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit).
The Women’s World Cup will now have just eight races; the only years that have had fewer rounds were 1998 - its first year - and 2000 - its third; the number peaked in 2006, with twelve races, but has been fixed on nine since 2010. The loss of the event in June now means that there will be a gap of more than three months between the Tour of Chongming Island, on May 13th, and the Open de Suède Vargarda team time trial, on August 17th.
The 2011 World Cup was won by Vos’ Nederland Bloeit teammate Annemiek van Vleuten - who won the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the Open de Suède Vargarda road race, and the GP de Plouay-Bretagne - ahead of Vos - who won the Ronde van Drenthe, La Flèche Wallonne as well as in Valladolid.
Vos currently leads the 2012 series after her victory in the earlier than usual Ronde van Drenthe, earlier this month.
VeloNation has contacted the UCI for comment.
Revised 2012 Women’s World Cup
March 10th - Ronde van Drenthe (Ned) - won by Marianne Vos (Stichting Rabo Women)
March 25th - Trofeo Alfredo Binda (Ita)
April 1st - Ronde van Vlaanderen (Bel)
April 18th - La Flèche Wallonne (Bel)
May 25th - Tour of Chongming Island World Cup (Chn)
August 17th - Open de Suède Vargarda TTT (Swe)
August 19th - Open de Suède Vargarda (Swe)
August 25th - GP de Plouay-Bretagne (Fra)