The Flanders Classics has raised the bar on its bold four-year "Closing the Gap" plan for equality, equalizing prize money for all six Classic races in spring 2023.

This new step is thanks to a new partnership between Flanders Classics and KPMG (open in new tab) and their efforts to professionalize women's cycling.

"Last season we announced our ambition to offer equal prize money for all races in 2023. Today we can already confirm that it will indeed happen this spring. Thomas van den Spiegel, CEO of Flanders Classics, which runs the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent-Wevelgem, Dwar door Fraunderen, Tour of Flanders, Scheldeprijs and Brabants Pile, said, "This season From the opening Classic, this is no longer just an ambition, but a concrete achievement," he said.

"Together with the new initiatives for 2023, the total investment in the project has already reached approximately €1.6 million.

In an interview with "Sporza" (opens in new tab), van den Spiegel said that offering the same amount of prize money between events is like the cherry on top of a bigger picture. 'We've already worked to upgrade the start fees, improve the races, and increase media exposure and air time. [But] we can't afford to be left behind in prize money. We want to lead by example."

"Women's cycling used to be called a cost by organizers. Now it is an investment. We want to be innovative and remain best in class. If we do that, other organizers will be forced to follow suit."

Flanders Classic, through its well-known four-year initiative, made a commitment to women's cycling.

The initiative, launched in 2020 in partnership with KPMG, aims to bring equality to all six women's and men's spring classics in three key areas: television coverage, classification in the international calendar, and prize money.

Last year, the Flanders Classic offered €50,000 to the women's Tour de Flanders to match the men's prize money.

The three Flanders Classic women's events are now part of the Women's World Tour. They are the newly upgraded Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent-Wevelgem, and the Tour of Flanders.

And there are two events that belong to the Pro Series. Dwars door Vlaanderen, which is part of the men's World Tour, was denied a license to be part of the women's World Tour this season. Scheldepreis remains a women's 1.1 event to give Continental teams the opportunity to participate, while the men's event is part of the Pro Series.

"The Tour of Flanders is a monument, with prize money of €50,000 for both men and women. The winner is awarded €20,000. In other races, in the lower categories, it is a bit less. These are not fat prize money, but surpluses: about 400,000 euros for the six races," van den Spiegel explained about the distribution of prize money.

Stephanie Pauwels, head of sales and marketing at KPMG, said that equal pay has even greater symbolic value than just monetary.

"The additional resources are a step toward the best conditions for women cyclists, both financially and competitively. This allows them to increasingly fulfill their ambitions to hone their skills full time, to excel, and to fully develop their sporting careers," Pauwels said.

." This initiative also leads to a snowball effect. Thanks to our support, we can effectively see other organizations around the world following the example of the Flanders Classic Women, such as the Tour de France."

Van den Spiegel also stresses that there are still steps to be taken to achieve a sustainable business model for women's cycling.

"The sport is becoming more popular. There is a new generation, women's cycling is attractive, and the story is perfect on its own. It has an independent future," he said.

The Flanders Classic is also investing in youth to develop the sport from the ground up. This year, U17 and U19 female riders will have the chance to compete in the Tour of Flanders Youth Day on May 21, while U17 and U19 riders will be part of the Ghent-Wevelgem race program on March 26.

"Until a few years ago, these races were inaccessible to young female riders. Last year's Tour of Flanders Youth Day paved the way for the talented riders of tomorrow to ride the Ronde for the first time. And this year, the momentum continues. Investing early in the careers of young riders will have a systemic and generational impact on the cycling world."

For more on the Women's World Tour, see Cycling News' 2023 Definitive Guide and our comprehensive guide to the 2023 Spring Classics Join Cycling News for live coverage of the 2023 Spring Classics, complete reports after each race, results, Check back for galleries, news, and features.