Equality

Recognising equality as one of its core values, Flanders Classics launched the Closing The Gap initiative in 2020. By then, Flanders Classics had already established itself as a pioneer in women’s cycling. In that year, the Tour of Flanders for women celebrated its seventeenth edition, while Omloop het Nieuwsblad staged its fifteenth. Significant steps had already been taken towards professionalisation: the first live television broadcasts of the women’s races at the Tour of Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem, the introduction of women’s editions at several Flanders Classics spring races, and a growing international recognition of the women’s peloton.

Nevertheless, it was clear to Flanders Classics that things could and must be even better. The sport evolved rapidly, the need for greater equality became increasingly apparent, and the further development of women’s cycling became an urgent priority. With a long-standing tradition of innovation and renewal, Flanders Classics felt a responsibility to build on its pioneering role. That is why an ambitious action plan was proposed in 2020: Closing The Gap.

Closing The Gap

The Closing The Gap plan sets out specific initiatives (upgrading the category of women’s races, increasing appearance fees, live coverage of all races, equal prize money, ...) with clear objectives aimed at strengthening women’s cycling from a sporting, organisational, commercial and societal perspective. To help realise this ambition, KPMG joined as a partner in 2020 to provide strategic and financial support for the plan.

By joining forces, Flanders Classics and KPMG wanted to help shape a future in which women’s cycling receives the recognition and structure it deserves. The partnership with KPMG was renewed for a further three years in 2023 and then again 2026, sending a strong signal that both organisations remain committed to investing in equality in cycling.

Since the launch of the Closing The Gap project, women’s cycling has undergone an enormous evolution. Iconic races such as the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Paris-Roubaix Femmes and the women’s Milan-San Remo were added. Media coverage and viewing figures rose sharply and professional teams and athletes enjoyed increasingly better contracts and greater support. Sponsors are investing more, youth programmes are nurturing new talent and the sport has a more prominent international presence than ever before, making women’s cycling more competitive, more visible and more valuable.

This exponential growth in women’s cycling has rapidly professionalised the sport and put it on the international map, resulting in greater visibility, improved working conditions and growing commercial interest. At the same time, this rapid development has also presented structural challenges, such as the progression from grassroots to elite level and an increasingly crowded racing calendar, ... This is something that all the stakeholders involved need to be alert to. Today, Closing The Gap is a structural pillar within Flanders Classics, with a clear ambition: to continue building a sport in which women, at every level, are afforded the same opportunities, visibility and recognition as men.

Closing The Gap: the figures

By 2026, Flanders Classics, with the support of its partners, had already invested 3.3 million euro in the Closing The Gap project.
Between 2020 and 2026, appearance fees increased by 179%.
The prize money for the women has risen from 21,750 euro in 2020 to 207,600 euro in 2026. Since 2023, prize money has been equal across all Flanders Classics races.
The number of girls taking part in the Tour of Flanders Youth Day has almost doubled (+86.1%) since its inception in 2022.
Viewing figures for the Tour of Flanders (Women Elite race) increased fivefold between 2019 and 2026. The largest increase was between 2019 and 2020; since then, the women have been finishing after the men.
The all-time viewing record was set in 2023, when an average of 1,030,099 people watched the Tour of Flanders for women.
The contract with VRT/Sporza runs until 2031. This contract guarantees that the spring classics, for both the men and the women, will continue to be broadcast live on Sporza in the coming years.

Whether it is a final sprint in the Tour of Flanders or a strategic move in the boardroom, women must be given the opportunity to realise their full potential

FLCS x KPMG

FLCS x KPMG

From the starting line to the boardroom. The partnership between KPMG and Flanders Classics in the Closing The Gap project is built on a single shared conviction: women must be given the same opportunities to realise their ambitions and reach the top, whether that is on a bike or in the boardroom. In racing, everything comes down to talent, preparation, strategy and perseverance. The same applies in the business world. Both in the peloton and in organisations, we see that talented women still too often encounter obstacles along the way that have nothing to do with their abilities.

With Closing The Gap, KPMG and Flanders Classics are working together to advance:

Equal opportunities: equal pay, equal access to resources and support.
Visibility: giving women the platform they deserve, both in sport and professionally.
Talent development: investing in young people and emerging talent, both on the bike and in the office.

Explore the 6 strategic pillars of the Closing The Gap plan below:

Further enhance the sports credentials of the Flanders Classics spring classics and position them as the benchmark in women’s cycling with In Flanders Fields - In Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders as key drivers.

In concrete terms, Flanders Classics has taken the following structural steps in recent years in order to professionalise women’s cycling:

Launch of the Scheldeprijs for women

The Scheldeprijs for women was held for the first time in 2021. Since then, this race has become a fixture on the international calendar, complementing the Flanders Classics spring programme and running fully in parallel with the men’s race. From the beginning, it was a great success and added a prestigious event to the international women’s calendar. The Scheldeprijs for women takes place in parallel with the men’s race, which is historically known as the ‘unofficial world championship for sprinters’. The first four editions (2021–2024) were dominated by Lorena Wiebes.

Increases in status

Several races have been upgraded within the UCI calendar:

2021: Omloop het Nieuwsblad moved from 1.1 to the Women’s ProSeries
2022: De Brabantse Pijl and Dwars door Vlaanderen moved from 1.1 to the Women’s ProSeries
2023: Omloop het Nieuwsblad moved from Women’s ProSeries to Women’s WorldTour
2026: Dwars door Vlaanderen became a Women’s WorldTour event and the Scheldeprijs a ProSeries event

With these upgrades, all the Flanders Classics spring classics are now in the same category for both men and women, which enhances the sporting value and international profile of the women’s races. This also led to a significant increase in appearance fees.

A high-calibre field of competitors and an attractive course

In all its races, Flanders Classics attracts the very best in women’s cycling, with almost all Women’s WorldTour teams and Women’s ProTeams regularly competing. This ensures a high level of competition and makes every race appealing for both the public and the media.

Cycle racing in Flanders is synonymous with an optimal experience. Flanders Classics is committed to putting women even more firmly in the spotlight. The result will be an even more spectacular cycling experience, both on and off the bike.

Flanders Classics brings this ambition to life through professional team presentations, show moments and awards ceremonies. At the start, the teams are introduced one by one, and the presentation, music, visuals and professional staging create a real show moment. This is how we bring the public closer to the athletes, and the race experience begins even before the race has started. From a spectacular show in the Kuipke in Ghent to the joint awards ceremony in the fan zone in Oudenaarde, Flanders Classics always aims to contribute as much as possible to the delivery of a comprehensive, professional and attractive cycling spectacle.

Increase the media visibility of our races in order to generate greater awareness and commercial interest for women’s cycling. More interest, more attention, also via the media channels.

In recent years, Flanders Classics has taken significant steps to increase the media value of the women’s races, with the aim of generating more attention for women’s cycling and boosting the sport’s commercial potential.

The first television coverage came in 2016, when the women’s edition of the Tour of Flanders was broadcast on VRT for the first time, albeit only briefly. Since 2018, both the women’s Gent-Wevelgem and Tour of Flanders races have been broadcast live by VRT, which has given a significant boost to their visibility and public recognition.

And since 2019, the other spring classics organised by Flanders Classics have been available to watch almost in their entirety via a free live stream provided by partner Proximus, although initially this was without commentary. Internationally, the races could be watched live on GCN YouTube. The women’s edition of Omloop het Nieuwsblad has also been broadcast live on VRT since 2021 and, since 2022, Proximus has provided professional commentary for the live streams of the other races, for both national and international audiences.

A key strategic decision within the Closing The Gap project was to have the women’s races finish after the men’s. This shift proved to be a decisive factor in boosting viewing figures and media interest. For the women’s Tour of Flanders, for example, this meant an increase from around 157,000 viewers in 2019 to more than 800,000 viewers for the more recent editions. Naturally, Lotte Kopecky’s strong performances in the Tour of Flanders also had an impact on these figures. But even for the 2024 edition (when Kopecky did not finish on the podium), viewing figures remained high, and the women’s Gent-Wevelgem also noted strong media results.

The partnership with media partner VRT/Sporza is long-standing and was extended in 2024 until 2031, with an explicit commitment to the women’s races. This stability and the investments in high-quality live streaming and television productions has not only enhanced the visibility and professionalism of the races, but has also significantly increased the commercial value of women’s cycling.

Thanks to these efforts, media coverage of women’s cycling has grown enormously in recent years, both amongst traditional television audiences and amongst international audiences. With this approach, Flanders Classics has demonstrated that structural investment in media production and broadcasting rights is crucial to ensure that women’s cycling at the highest level is visible and appealing.

Viewing figures

2020: the Dutch broadcaster NOS attracted more viewers for the Women’s Tour of Flanders than for the men’s race.

385,000 Dutch viewers for the men’s Tour of Flanders
544,000 Dutch viewers for the women’s Tour of Flanders

2023: Two new viewing records

1,370,293 Flemish viewers for the men’s Tour of Flanders (market share 85.2%)
1,030,099 Flemish viewers for the women’s Tour of Flanders (market share 66.5%)

With its Youth Days, Flanders Classics has been demonstrating its strong commitment to the future of cycling for several years now. By structurally integrating youth races into the programmes of its leading events, Flanders Classics has created a unique and professional platform for young female and male riders allowing them to develop within the same environment as the elite.

The Youth Days are about more than just competition. They help bridge the gap between the youth and elite levels, provide young riders with inspiring role models and create a sustainable development pathway for the next generation. By explicitly making room for girls’ races where none previously existed, Flanders Classics is making a tangible and lasting contribution to the future of an inclusive and balanced cycling sport.

The Tour of Flanders Youth Day, launched in 2022, marked the starting point of this journey. Young riders have the opportunity to race on parts of the iconic course and experience the unique atmosphere of Flanders’ Finest. Right from the start, a conscious decision was made to organise races for both boys and girls. This was an important step, given that there were previously few, if any, youth races for girls within these major cycling classics.

During the first edition, given the small pelotons, the Women U17 and U19 started together. In 2026, no fewer than 45 teams entered the Women U19 race, of which 25 were ultimately able to take part.

Tour of Flanders Youth Day

In 2024, the In Flanders Fields Youth Day followed, where sporting development goes hand in hand with the event’s strong historical and societal context. Here too, races are organised for both boys and girls, always in a professional and safe environment that gives young athletes the chance to gain experience and showcase their talents.

In 2025, the youth days concept was expanded further with the addition of the Ronde van Limburg Youth Day and the Vlaamse Druivenkoers Overijse. At these events too, youth races for both boys and girls are at the heart of the programme, further reinforcing Flanders Classics’ commitment to equal opportunities and inclusive youth development.

In Flanders Fields Youth Day Ronde van Limburg Youth Day Vlaamse Druivenkoers Overijse

Reducing the current financial gap between men and women, both at the grassroots level and at the top.

In recent years, Flanders Classics has made significant strides in narrowing the financial gap between women’s and men’s cycling. What began as an ambition in the Closing the Gap action plan has in the meantime become a reality. Race status upgrades have resulted in substantial increases in appearance fees. Thanks to higher UCI race categories and other efforts by Flanders Classics, the fees paid to participating women’s teams have risen consistently in recent years:

Overall, this means that the appearance fees for Flanders Classics almost tripled between 2020 and 2026, an increase of +179% over the six years.

In 2022, equal prize money was introduced for the first time for the women’s Tour of Flanders, marking a historic milestone in international cycling. Since 2023, this policy has been consistently applied: in all the spring classics organised by Flanders Classics, women and men receive exactly the same prize money.

That decision meant a considerable financial investment. The total prize money for the women’s races rose from €21,750 in 2020 to €207,600 per year since 2023.

Although equal prize money in itself may not be the most structurally significant factor for the further growth of women’s cycling, it remains an important symbolic and respectful step. It sends a powerful message that women’s achievements are on a par with those of the men and that their dedication and talent deserve the same recognition.

This growth reflects not only the growing value and professionalisation of women’s cycling, but also Flanders Classics’ ongoing commitment to creating equal opportunities and equal recognition, both on and off the bike.

Cycle racing undeniably plays a role in our society. For example, larger-than-life sports heroes are inspiring and motivating role models. We need such role models and idols in order to guarantee the sport’s survival and growth. A local commitment and the community’s involvement are just as vital. That is why it is crucial that we develop a community and engage with the fans.

Since the launch of Closing The Gap, Flanders Classics has translated its societal ambition into tangible action by not only addressing structural inequalities, but also by actively investing in role models, community building and raising social awareness. Two prime examples of this are the Equal Pain Day campaign and the Iconic Women Ride.

Equal Pain Day: raising public awareness and role models

With the Equal Pain Day campaign, Flanders Classics linked the sporting reality of cycling to a powerful social message: equal effort deserves equal reward. The campaign was launched on International Equal Pay Day (18 September 2023) by Flanders Classics and KPMG Belgium, who deliberately renamed the day #EqualPainDay.

The aim of the campaign was to emphasise that, although women’s cycling has made significant progress in recent years, the finishing line of full equality has not yet been reached. Continued attention for equal pay and the structural development of women’s cycling remain essential.

More information

Iconic Women Ride: community, heritage and local roots

While Equal Pain Day focuses on raising public awareness and symbolism, the Iconic Women Ride translates the ambitions of Closing The Gap to grassroots cycling and the wider cycling community. This accessible cycling event was aimed at recreational cyclists (both men and women) who, as well as enjoying the sporting experience, are also interested in the heritage of women’s cycling in Belgium.

The Iconic Women Ride set off from the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen in Oudenaarde and offered three distance options: 45 (bronze), 65 (silver) and 90 km (gold). The names of the routes were a playful reference to medal colours, tying in thematically with sporting recognition and achievement. The route featured cycling hubs, such as cycling cafés, which served as rest stops and meeting places. QR codes at the start and along the route gave participants access to stories about iconic Belgian women cyclists, both past and present. This brings together the sporting experience, education and storytelling.

The initiative has a clear social value:

an accessible and inclusive concept for a wide audience;
a focus on female role models, both historical and contemporary;
educational value through stories and digital content;
strengthening local involvement via cycling hubs;
active community-building centred on a shared cycling culture and inspiration.

The opportunity to take part individually, in groups or on guided rides makes participation even more accessible and encourages social interaction within the community.