Flanders Classics has raised the bar in its bold four-year plan for equality - Closing the Gap - implementing equal prize money across all six of its 2023 Spring Classics races.
The new step is thanks to a renewed partnership between Flanders Classics and KPMG and their efforts to professionalize women's cycling.
“Last season, we expressed our ambition to offer equal prize money for all races in 2023. Today, we can already confirm that will indeed be the case this spring. As of the season’s opening classic, this will no longer just be an ambition but a concrete achievement," said Tomas Van Den Spiegel, CEO of Flanders Classics, which runs Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tour of Flanders, Scheldeprijs and Brabantse Pijl.
"Together with the new initiatives in 2023, the total investment in the project already amounts to some €1.6 million,” he said.
Van Den Spiegel said in an interview with Sporza that offering equal prize money across events was the cherry on top of the bigger picture. "We've already been working on upgrading the start fees, improving our races and more media coverage and broadcast hours.
"But you can't get left behind with prize money, and we want to show that this is the momentum. We want to lead by example.
"Women's cycling used to be described by organizers as a cost. Today it's an investment. We want to be innovative, and we want to stay first in our class. And so I think other organizers will be obliged to follow."
Flanders Classics made a promise to women's cycling through its well-known four-year initiative, which aims to bring visibility and equality to its events from the bottom up.
It was launched in 2020 in partnership with KPMG to create equality across all of its six women's and men's Spring Classics in three main areas: live TV coverage, classification on the international calendar and prize money.
Last year, Flanders Classics offered €50,000 for women's Tour of Flanders to equal the prize purse of the men's race.
Currently, three of Flanders Classics women's events are part of the Women's WorldTour; the newly upgraded Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Gent-Wevelgem, and Tour of Flanders.
There are then two events that are part of the ProSeries; Dwars door Vlaanderen, which is part of the men's WorldTour but was denied a license to be part of the Women's WorldTour for this season, and De Brabantse Pijl. Scheldeprijs remains a 1.1 women's event to give opportunities for the Continental teams to participate, while the men's event is part of the ProSeries.
"The Tour of Flanders is a Monument, and then you have €50,000 in prize money for the men and the women. The winner gets €20,000. In the other races, a category lower, it's a little less. Those are not the fat pots, it's a surplus. For our six races, that's about €400,000," Van Den Spiegel explained how the purse was divided.
Stefanie Pauwels, KPMG Head of Sales and Marketing, said that equal pay is about more than just the money and that it has an even greater symbolic value.
"Additional resources are a step toward the best conditions for women cyclists, both financially and athletically. So they can increasingly fulfil their ambition to hone their skills full-time, excel and go full throttle for a sports career," Pauwels said.
"The initiative also leads to a snowball effect: we effectively see other organizations worldwide following the example of Flanders Classics Women, such as the Tour de France, thanks in part to our support."
Van Den Spiegel also stresses that steps still need to be taken to achieve a sustainable business model for women's cycling.
"This sport is becoming popular. There is a new generation, women's cycling is appealing, and the stories are perfect on their own. It has an independent future," he said.
Flanders Classics is also invested in youth to develop the sport from the ground up. This year, U17 and U19 female riders have a chance to compete in the Tour of Flanders Youth Day on May 21, and U17 and U19 riders will be on the program during the Gent-Wevelgem race on March 26.
“Up until a few years ago, those races were simply not accessible to young female riders,” Van Den Spiegel said. “Last year’s Tour of Flanders Youth Day, however, paved the way for tomorrow’s talent to ride their first ‘Ronde’. And we are continuing that momentum this year. Investing early in the careers of young riders will have a systematic and generational impact in the world of cycling.”
Learn more about the Women's WorldTour in Cyclingnews' definitive guide for 2023, and our comprehensive guide to the 2023 Spring Classics. Join Cyclingnews for live coverage of the 2023 Spring Classics, and check in after each race for our full reports, results, galleries, news and features.
