January 15, 2010 (Montreal, QC) – Following this week’s sudden announcement by the CCA of the cancellation of three prestigious women’s road races in Canada – the Montreal Women’s World Cup (MWWC), the Tour du Grand Montreal (TGM) and the Tour de PEI – we spoke to Louis Barbeau, the director of the Quebec Cycling Federation (FQSC) earlier today to get an update on things.

Barbeau indicated that he first heard about the cancellations a week before Christmas and with such short notice, it’s impossible to organize another women’s road World Cup for 2010 – it was scheduled for May 29. Barbeau was much more optimistic, however, about finding a replacement for the TGM and indicted that there have been productive discussions to this end. The TGM stage race, was scheduled for May 31-June 3 and some alternative events are shaping up to fill a similar time slot.

“Without revealing the specifics of these alternatives, there are elaborate plans already in place. The CCA and the FQSC are involved. We have some interested potential organizers and finding host cities for this replacement event will not be a big problem. We also have some potential private sponsors, although finding the money is probably our biggest challenge at present.” An official announcement will be made once details have been finalized tentatively by February 15.

Barbeau conceded that, with the cancellation of the MWWC, many international teams will not be present and thus the level of competition will not be as high at the replacement event. “But we still expect all of the top North American women’s teams to be there and perhaps three or four European teams.”

The chances of resurrecting the Tour de PEI (scheduled for June 6—10) seem less likely, partly because of some sponsors pulled out of that event and also because of a date conflict with the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship slated for June 6, 2010. Barbeau also indicated that he is working in conjunction with organizers in Philadelphia.

Barbeau dismissed any speculation that this year’s men’s ProTour races in Quebec have siphoned off all government money, leaving nothing for women’s races. “Serge [Arsenault] did not want his events to disrupt existing cycling events,” he explained regarding the position of ProTour organizer Arsenault when negotiating for funds from different levels of government.

Barbeau added that despite the current difficulties with the women’s race calendar he was very thankful for everything that Daniel Manibal, the organizer of the MWWC, the TGM, and the Tour de PEI, has done over the past twelve years. “Manibal put Montreal on the map of international women’s road cycling.”

Read more on the cancellation notice here.