Tour of Britain's future threatened by £700,000 shortfall

The future of Britain’s premier men’s stage race has been plunged into doubt with British Cycling terminating SweetSpot’s licence to promote the Tour of Britain over £700,000 in unpaid licence fees. 

SweetSpot, which has held the licence since the modern race’s inception in 2004, had a contract to promote the race until 2029. 

The dispute has now gone legal, but Telegraph Sport understands British Cycling felt it had to act now as it could not risk leaving it until next year and then finding SweetSpot was unable to organise the men’s or women’s races. 

British Cycling does not actually hold the licence for the women’s race, but clearly has a vested interest in the success of the race.

If either race was dropped from the UCI calendar next year, it could struggle to get its place back and British Cycling has a responsibility, particularly to its professional domestic teams, who rely on the race to a large extent for their funding.

Professional cycling in the UK is in a parlous state with multiple teams and races axed this year as a result of the economic downturn. British Cycling last week reported a loss of £1.3 million in commercial income and a decline in membership of 7 per cent.

SweetSpot had to cancel the Women’s Tour – the women’s equivalent of the men’s Tour of Britain – this year, while race director Mick Bennett admitted in an interview with Telegraph Sport that the men’s race was barely “treading water” post-Covid. British Cycling is unlikely to be the only creditor who has not been paid.

“These are difficult times,” Bennett admitted. “Regretfully we had to cancel the Women’s Tour this year. And the Tour Series. We are still treading water post-Covid. We need a big sponsor really. Another Aviva or AJ Bell. Perhaps an energy company… But I think we did a good job in the circumstances.”  

Hugh Roberts, SweetSpot director, told the Telegraph he was “confident”  the issues with British Cycling could be overcome and that the organisation could stage both the men’s and women’s races next year. Roberts added SweetSpot was in dialogue with “numerous” potential backers. But there will be huge uncertainty now with no other promoter having  experience of running such big races in the UK.

It is understood British Cycling is not yet in discussions with any other promoter or organiser but a spokesperson told Telegraph Sport: “British Cycling remains fully committed to the delivery of the Tour of Britain in 2024, and will share further details in due course.”