Another race has been canceled due to economic problems: this time the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour, the women's race with the most editions, has been annulled. The debts are significant, with over 200,000 euros owed, and although the government has decided to contribute, the funds are not enough to bring this year's edition to life.

The organizers of the German stage race, originally scheduled from June 17 to 22, announced that the 37th edition of the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour will not take place this year due to the withdrawal of important public funding, leaving the organizers with a deficit too large to overcome. It is not yet clear whether the race will be held in 2026, but it is certainly a significant loss for women's cycling. Inaugurated in 1986, the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour is the oldest professional women's race still on the calendar and over the years has become a truly important event, attracting many high-level teams to Germany despite not being part of the World Tour. Recent winners include important names such as Lucinda Brand, Lotte Kopecky, and American Ruth Edwards, who won the title in 2024.

"We see no possibility of compensating for the necessary budget difference," the organizers explained. "We are sorry that the 37th edition of the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour cannot be held in 2025. We appreciate the various proposals from the Thuringian State Chancellery in recent days, which demonstrate the willingness to find a solution to the problem. But we see no way to compensate for the budget difference required to organize a successful LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour that meets our requirements and those of the UCI. It is no longer possible to review the situation three months before the start of the race, and the financial risk of continuing preparations is unacceptable."

Last year, in the second stage of the German race, Martina Fidanza won, with Barbara Guarischi and Maria Giulia Confalonieri finishing behind her for an all-Italian podium (in the photo). Martina Fidanza also won the third stage, with Guarischi again finishing second. In 2023, Guarischi won a stage, and that was the edition where Lotte Kopcky took the overall victory.

Women's cycling is trying to keep up with the times, but too often, the lack of sponsors and public funds leads to the suspension of races and the reduction of prizes for women's races.