The cancellation of this year's Tour of Thuringia due to a lack of funding has taken the state government by surprise. "We learned of the tour's cancellation from the media and regret it," it said in a statement according to the "Thüringer Allgemeine".
Sport Minister Stefan Gruhner had improved the funding offer last week. However, on Monday, organizer Vera Hohlfeld canceled the race planned for June 17-22 for 2025.
"The offer represented a considerable part of the original funding amount. It was about a legally viable and, against the background of tight budgets, financially solid offer that is sustainable," the State Chancellery announced.
Last year, the Ladies Tour was funded with around 200,000 euros. A sum that could no longer be raised due to budgetary constraints. Initially, there was talk of a five-figure sum, which was then apparently increased.
Final end of the tour?
Hohlfeld and race director Marian Koppe pulled the ripcord, however. The two will not make a full statement and explain their decision in detail until next week. Meanwhile, the "Thüringer Allgemeine" reported on Thursday about a Facebook post by Hohlfeld in which she was looking for a new job. The post is not freely accessible.
If Hohlfeld does indeed withdraw completely, this would possibly mean the final end for the only German stage race. The round tour, which has been held since 1986, has only been canceled during the fall of communism in 1990, 1991 and during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Politicians are aware of the importance of the race and are still willing to support it. "Our door for a realization is still open," announced the State Chancellery.
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