It wasn’t until 2021 that the organizers of the Swiss national tour launched a women’s race. Now the future of the project is already in question again.
Marlen Reusser, last year’s winner of the Tour de Suisse Women, fell badly on the women’s Tour of Flanders on Sunday.
Gian Ehrenzeller / AP
In March, the organizers of the Tour de Suisse met for an emergency meeting, the content of which had remained confidential until then. On the agenda was the question of what the future holds for the women’s race, which has brought constant losses to the organizers since it was first held three years ago. There was even a debate about canceling the next event at short notice, which is scheduled to run from Villars-sur-Ollon to Champagne in western Switzerland from June 15th to 18th.
Although a significant decline is also expected in 2024, a majority of shareholders at the meeting spoke out in favor of sticking with the race at least this year. But not even the way in which the protagonists talk about the immediate decision when asked is congruent.
Joko Vogel, who runs the responsible event organizer Cycling Unlimited together with Olivier Senn, is determined: “The Tour de Suisse Women will definitely take place this year.”
Thomas Peter, the managing director of the Swiss Cycling Association, puts it in a much more defensive way: “We made a majority decision to hold the race this year as planned, if it is at all possible. However, a lot can still happen between now and June, for example the final sponsorship contracts could not be concluded, or security costs could increase due to changed requirements. Then we would have to weigh things up again.”
The situation is complex. Cycling Unlimited has five shareholders, each with a 20 percent stake. In addition to Senn and Vogel, there are Swiss Cycling, the sports marketer Infront and the Belgian cooperation partner Flanders Classics. In such a construct there are several ways to cover additional financial needs. For example, capital increases in which shareholders participate to varying degrees are conceivable. In principle, however, every decision must be made by a majority of shareholders.
In summary, this means: Different actors with potentially diverging interests must continually find a consensus at Cycling Unlimited.
The start-up funding has been used up
Swiss Cycling finds itself in a particularly unpleasant position. The cycling association played a key role in ensuring that the 2021 Tour de Suisse Women could even be launched by agreeing in advance to cover any losses. This was possible because public money had been received as start-up financing.
There is no longer any comparable financial support from the federal government. Therefore, Swiss Cycling could now find itself forced to put on the brakes earlier than other shareholders. The association cannot spend money it does not have.
“Swiss Cycling has invested more in the Tour de Suisse Women than other shareholders,” says managing director Peter. “We did this with great conviction to promote women’s cycling. It would be a great shame to have to say now that we are shortening the race or canceling it again.”
Other major events receive money from cantons or municipalities. This is not the case with the Tour de Suisse because it takes place at different locations every year. The organizers even have to invest several hundred thousand francs in securing the route. “Just waiving these costs would defuse the situation,” says Peter. But such accommodation is currently not in sight.
The high costs of the men’s Tour de Suisse can now barely be covered. But the women’s race is in deficit and, from Swiss Cycling’s perspective, its future is now completely open. “It would be presumptuous to give any guarantees for 2025 or beyond,” says Peter. “We are not at the point where we can plan for the long term.”
Hoping for stars like in tennis or skiing
Entrepreneur Joko Vogel also sounds disillusioned, but he suggests that he would like to give the project more time. “The hoped-for sponsor interest is missing,” he admits. “So far it hasn’t come through that there is great sport to be seen here. It would be important to find a large company that would like to take up the cause of supporting women’s cycling.”
Financing events in women’s sports is generally challenging, says Vogel, “apart from traditional sports like tennis or skiing.” He hopes that female athletes will emerge in the cycling sector in the next few years who will be as well known to the public as Belinda Bencic or Lara Gut-Behrami. “The problem is that we hardly have any stars so far,” says Vogel. “Marlen Reusser’s popularity helps, but other well-known figures need to be added.”
Reusser, who fell badly on the Tour of Flanders on Sunday and broke her right jawbone, both ear canals and eight teeth, won the Tour de Suisse Women 2023 and several other races. In order to find talent who could one day emulate her, Swiss Cycling runs the Fast & Female program. But such efforts will only pay off in a few years at the earliest.
Marlen Reusser triumphs at the Tour de Suisse Women 2023.
Youtube
Vogel doesn’t want to talk about giving up. But he also calls for a resizing of the Tour de Suisse Women. “If nothing changes, we have to make the race cheaper, for example reduce the number of racing days,” says the entrepreneur.
A shortening would presumably result in the women’s race losing its World Tour status again. The Tour de Suisse Women has only been part of the highest international racing category since 2023.
The protagonists can draw hope from the fact that women’s cycling is on the rise internationally. Thanks to wealthy sponsors, the budgets of the big teams have increased significantly, and the best drivers are also earning more and more. According to unconfirmed reports, Team UAE has just offered Switzerland-based Tour de France winner Demi Vollering an annual salary of €1 million.
Now the boom just has to be transferred to the races.