No Consultation, No Advance Notice" - RideLondon Classic 2025 Forced to Cancel as UCI Changes Race Schedule

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No Consultation, No Advance Notice" - RideLondon Classic 2025 Forced to Cancel as UCI Changes Race Schedule

Organizers of the Ride London Classique announced Friday that they have had to cancel next year's race after the UCI changed the dates.

After the UCI announced the 2025 WWT calendar this morning, there were only a few changes to the dates, most of which were simply the races that were moved back to their original slots for the Paris Olympics in 2024. However, Ride London was postponed one week from the May 23-25 weekend to May 30-June 1.

Organizers claimed today that the change was made without "consultation or advance warning" and that they had no choice but to cancel the three-day stage race because of how early they needed to plan a major event in central London.

"We were very surprised to be informed by the UCI that the 2025 Ford Ride London Classic has been changed to a new date one week after the last weekend in May on the WWT calendar," said Ford Ride London event director and organizer Hugh Brasher, event director of Ford Ride London and CEO of organizer London Marathon Events (LME), released a statement. [This news comes despite the LME having previously been advised by the UCI that there would be no changes to the calendar until 2026.

"Major events in London are planned many years in advance and it is not possible for the Ford Ride London Classic to take place in central London on the new dates unilaterally proposed by the UCI. An alternative date at this time of year would be impossible.

Brasher said there would be no concessions from the new dates proposed by the UCI and described it as a sad day for women's cycling.

"The UCI will not reverse this decision, nor will it allow two women's World Tour events to be held on the same weekend," Brasher insisted. 'Therefore, sadly, we will not be able to host the Ford Ride London Classic in 2025. This is a very sad day for professional women's cycling."

RideLondon began as a legacy event for the 2012 British Olympic Games and has been held seven times since the first edition in 2016. It began as a one-day event on the streets of London with The Mall as the finish line, was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to a pandemic, and then reappeared in 2022 as a three-day stage race in Essex and London.

The most recent event was won by Lorena Wiebes and SD Works Pro Time, and although there will be no race in 2025, the Ford Ride London-Essex 100, 60 & 30, and Ford Ride London Freecycle will be held as scheduled on Sunday, May 25, 2025 will be held on.

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