In today’s CyclingTips Daily News Digest: Van Garderen will focus on Giro d’Italia in 2017; Interview: Louis Meintjes, future Tour de France star?; A team on the brink: Avanti-IsoWhey Sports’ fight for survival; Emakumeen Bira denied Women’s WorldTour status; Brajkovic signs with Bahrain-Merida; Pellaud joins Team Illuminate; Is Coca-Cola good for cyclists?; Simon Zahner taking applications for development riders; Team Dimension Data unveils new kit; Gent-Wevelgem to include unpaved roads in 2017.
Your Friday Daily News Digest
Emakumeen Bira denied Women’s WorldTour status
by CyclingTips
The Emakumeen Bira is one of the longest running stage races on the women’s calendar, beginning in 1988 and running every year since. However, it declined to be part of the inaugural UCI Women’s WorldTour in 2016, due to its dates clashing with the revived Amstel Gold Race, but with plans to step up in 2017. However, the UCI sent organisers a letter saying it would not be included next year.
“It makes me happy to see the interest that the Spanish Cycling Federation has for women’s cycling, and, of course, the many years that you have taken and the important investment you have made during all these years to develop women’s cycling,” UCI president Brian Cookson wrote.
“Without doubt, I imagine that despite the disappointment of not forming part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour from 2017, the organiser will have interest in being part of 2018.”
The five-day race is now looking to take place from May 17 -21, moving from its current April slot. “We expect the final confirmation and change in the calendar page of the UCI,” organisers told Zikloland. “The participating teams last year are already notified.”
Emma Johansson beat Megan Guarnier and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio to win the 2016 edition of the race.
Click through to read more at Zikloland.