Women's professional road cycling is booming. More money is flowing into the sport, and more recognition. The races are faster than ever, the riders the strongest they've ever been – but take a glance below the top level of the sport and the base looks a lot less shiny. Every year, Continental-level teams scramble to find funding, and lower-level races cease to exist. The first blow to the 2026 calendar is the Tour de l'Avenir, the only stage race at the under-23 level for women.
As the sport continues its upward trajectory, races like the Tour de l'Avenir are more important than ever, but the race organisers have cited a lack of U23 teams and insufficient structure at the U23 level as reasons for cancelling the fourth edition of the race.
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