The French federation has refused to register the Tour de la Provence, announcing that the race organisers of the Pro Series stage race have only partially met the requirements.
The race, due to be held between February 9-12 in 2023, never appeared on the UCI calendar, despite organisers announcing the route.
The Tour de la Provence has run as a four-stage race since 2016, but organisers have reportedly fallen behind in paying their obligations.
The French Cycling Federation (FFC) set down conditions that were to be met in the first half of January, with AFP reporting that the organisers had to pay an outstanding fee to the Ligue Nationale de Cyclisme of €16,000 by January 15 and provide “a schedule validated and countersigned by the police and gendarmerie for the payment of sums owed for the years 2021 and 2022 of up to €139,996.83.”
In December, Marion Rousse, the co-director since 2019, resigned from her role. However, as the rumours of the race’s demise began to swirl, organiser Pierre-Maurice Courtade insisted the race would go ahead after receiving “a favourable verdict from the French Cycling Federation’s [FFC] commission of appeal.”
Courtade was confident the race would be added to the UCI calendar after the appeal and insisted that the race’s finances were on solid ground. His company, Live Fort Event, also organises the Tour de Savoie Mont-Blanc and various other events.
The race began in 2016 and has had six different winners, with Nairo Quintana using the Montagne de Lure summit finish to distance his rivals in 2022.
