'A massive affront to women's cycling' – Paris-Roubaix Femmes to get reduced TV coverage

The upcoming Paris-Roubaix Femmes race, scheduled for 12 April, will see a significant reduction in television coverage, provoking strong criticism from the women’s cycling community. For the first time, the women’s event will take place on the same day as the men’s race, but TV broadcasts will only begin at 16:00 UK time, after the men’s race has finished. This means viewers will miss the first two hours and 15 minutes of the women’s race, including nearly half of the cobbled sectors, with less than 90 minutes of live coverage expected in total. This cutback marks a sharp decline from last year’s broadcast, which nearly doubled the airtime for the women’s race. The men’s Paris-Roubaix will receive full coverage, lasting around five and a half hours. Deena Blacking, managing director of The Cyclists’ Alliance, condemned the decision as a “massive affront to women’s cycling,” highlighting the importance of visibility for the sport’s growth and sponsorship opportunities. She argued that scheduling both races on the same day disadvantages the women’s event, depriving it of prime viewing slots and undermining its potential to attract fans. The race organiser ASO has defended the move, suggesting that holding both races on the same day would enhance TV visibility by offering two finishes in close succession. However, this rationale has been met with scepticism from riders and advocates. Movistar’s Cat Ferguson emphasised the benefits of broadcasting more of the women’s race, noting that increased coverage would incentivise early breakaways and enhance the excitement and commercial appeal of the event. The UCI mandates a minimum of 45 minutes of live coverage for women’s WorldTour races, but the current arrangement falls short of the expectations set by the cycling community. The Paris-Roubaix Femmes will start at 13:45 UK time, with live coverage commencing at 16:00 on TNT Sports and HBO Max in the UK, as well as other international broadcasters. The controversy surrounding the reduced broadcast time reflects ongoing challenges in achieving parity between men’s and women’s cycling, raising questions about the future approach to scheduling and media exposure for women’s events in the sport.