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Anexo Group PLC has recently been announced as the title sponsor for the Women’s and Junior CiCLE Classics for the next three years.
This follows a difficult period for both races following the withdrawal of the original sponsor shortly before the 2022 editions of the races.
Those events were subsequently able to go ahead in 2022 due to a ‘crowdfunding’ project supported strongly by various women’s rights groups such as “Sex Matters” and “Fair Play for Women”, together with a contribution from British Cycling. Support from across the world via ‘crowdfunding’ raised and surpassed the initial target of £15,000 within just 10 days.
The appointment of a new, long-term sponsor has been a priority for the race organisation, with the aim to sustainably secure the future of these prestigious events. The partnership with Anexo Group will offer the security needed to ensure that these long-standing races in women’s and junior cycling can continue.
Josie Nelson, winner of the 2022 Women's CiCle classic. Photo: NEMM
Speaking today, Race Director Colin Clews said: “Throughout 2022, we have been delighted by the support that the events have received from so many different quarters, including such notable individuals as Dame Laura Kenny who pledged her name to our winners’ trophies and injected financial support to cover our winners’ awards.
Such affiliations supported us during negotiations with a commercial sponsor sharing our values and commitment, to not only sustain but also to help develop Women’s and Junior Men’s cycling in the UK."
Dame Laura Kenny and Stephen Hallam at this years event. Photo: NEMM
"Anexo Group has supported cycling as a sport for some time, with its specialist cycling accident management division CAMS sponsoring UCI women’s continental cycling team CAMS-Basso. The Group is also title sponsor for the Anexo Group Race Team at Junior level.
It is the best possible alignment that we could have hoped to achieve. We are proud that they will be involved in our events and that Anexo Group has felt confident to choose us in their move into direct event support. We are deeply grateful to them for their investment and together, we look forward to our partnership over the next three years.”
On behalf of Anexo Group, Chairman Alan Sellers said: “We are pleased to announce that Anexo Group will be title sponsor for both the Women’s and Junior CiCLE Classics as part of a three-year deal. Not only do we support cyclists in the work that we do through CAMS, but we are also keen advocates for both women’s and junior sport, and both play an important role in our existing partnerships. We believe it’s important to support cyclists and cycling events such as this so that they can continue to develop. We are looking forward to working with the organisers in the years to come.”
The Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics are both British Cycling National Series races for their respective categories. In 2023 the Women’s race will have its 7th edition and the Junior Men their 9th edition.
Both races are held over the same 105 km course featuring many of the unique and best components of the International Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic which has been held since 2005.
The latter remains Britain’s ONLY Men’s single day international road race.
Next year’s Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics will take place on a new date of Sunday 26th March, starting and finishing in Melton Mowbray.
The international race between Oakham, Rutland’s county town, and nearby Melton Mowbray, will then take place a month later on Sunday 23rd April.