Organizers of the E3 Saxo Classic, which has hosted the low-level women's race for two years, announced Friday that they are canceling this year's race due to concerns that it will lead to a "mountain of debt."

The women's version of the event, dubbed the "Leadercourse," was to have been held in 2022 and 2023 as a UCI 1.2-ranked race and upgraded to a 1.1 rank this year. Unlike most other spring classics, the Leiedal Koerse was held at the end of April in parallel with the junior men's version and not near the dates of the men's World Tour races.

"The women's race was promoted to category 1.1 in 2024, and it was planned to hold such a race this year," race press officer Jack Cousens told Sporza. The women's race was to be held on Classic Friday of the men's World Tour race, the E3 Saxo Classic, starting in 2025, with the start and finish at the Forestier Stadium in Harelbeke."

"However, recent information obtained through various contacts has forced us to make a drastic decision. Due to several factors, the board decided to cancel the women's competition early."

The E3 Saxo Classic will be held between Milan-San Remo (no women's edition, but the women-only Trofeo Alfredo Binda will be held the following day) and Ghent-Wevelgem, where the men's and women's World Tour races are held.

The men's and women's WorldTour races in Bruges des Pannes take place midweek, just before the E3 Saxo Classic.

"First of all, there are calendar issues with moving the women's race. On the Thursday before the men's E3 Saxo Classic, the women's World Tour race will be held in De Panne and the following Sunday in Ghent-Wevelgem. Both are in compliance with the rules and dates," said Cossens.

Rising costs also proved to be a problem for the organization, he added.

"Adding a third World Tour race has proven to be impossible in the short to medium term. In addition, most women's teams have too few riders to split the race among several teams."

Cousens added, "The economic model for women's competitions is stalling. Organizational costs continue to rise and the attractiveness for sponsors remains below growth expectations."

"The board of Nieuwe Velovrienden, the organizer of the women's race, was considering whether it would be possible to hold the final edition in Bavikhof in 2024 with the junior but a negative economic model is also at work in this competition"

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"The organizers did not want to end up with a mountain of debt, fearing that the final edition would be too much in the red. Therefore, the board of Nieuwe Velovrienden decided to cancel the Leiedal Koerse women's race due to the lack of long-term prospects for the calendar and the lack of sound financial prospects."

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Of the major spring classics, only the Milan-San Remo, the Koerse-Brussel-Koerse, and now the E3 Saxo Classic have no women's race, and the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Omloop van het Hagelang have no men's counterpart.