One of Germany’s best-known stage races, the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour, is veering perilously near not being held this 12 months, because of an surprising last-minute price range shortfall of an estimated €200,000.
According to reviews in Sport im Osten, public funding from the area of Thuringia has been withdrawn for the six-day 2.Pro race, one of many oldest on the ladies’s biking calendar and which was set to rejoice its thirty seventh version this 12 months, from June 17-22.
Sport im Osten quoted race director Vera Hohlfeld as saying there’s “no life like risk of acquiring the funds deliberate upfront final 12 months.”
The estimated state subsidy for the race, which is now missing, is claimed to be round €200,000.
Sport im Osten mentioned it had obtained a written reply from the Thuringian authorities, referring to a tough price range state of affairs, ruling out “help within the required six-figure quantity” and saying that it was solely doable to supply monetary backing on a considerably smaller scale.
Former Thüringen winners embrace now-retired greats like World Champions Zulfiya Zabirova, Judith Arndt and Lisa Brennauer, double Olympic medallist Emma Johannson, in addition to Lotte Kopecky (SDWorx-ProTime) from the present peloton, who took the race in 2023. Last 12 months, the victory went to American all-rounder and former Tour Down Under winner Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health).
A petition to try to save the four-decade-old race has already been began at change.org. whereas former riders like Hanka Kupfernagal, who was born within the Thuringia area, have reacted strongly to the information.
“I assumed it was an early April Fool’s joke,” Kuperfnagel instructed Sport Im Osten. How are you able to not be pleased with an occasion that has grown over three many years and is broadcast day by day the world over? It is such an incredible commercial for the Free State of Thuringia.”
