British Cycling says it faces a “race against the clock” to hold the Women’s Tour, after collaboration with the previous organiser became “untenable”.

The governing body will run the men’s Tour of Britain and Women’s Tour after Sweetspot, which owed many thousands of pounds, was liquidated in January., external

The women’s race could have “duration compromises”, British Cycling chief executive Jon Dutton told BBC Sport.

However, he added: “It’s an opportunity to build momentum and credibility.”

Holding races in the UK has often been challenging for organisers, which can include high costs for policing. Other races on the continent, such as the Tour de France, often do not have to bear such costs.

“We saw it as an opportunity when working through the untenable situation we found ourselves in,” Dutton said, referring to the revelation that Sweetspot owed large amounts of money in race fees.

The women’s race, previously known solely as the Women’s Tour, is a top-level World Tour event in elite road cycling and is scheduled to take place from 4-9 June this year. It was not held in 2023 following Sweetspot’s unsuccessful attempt to crowdfund it.

“We’re a not-for-profit organisation – any money we bring in is invested back into cycling, and that is why the debt outstanding hurts so hard, because that money was ringfenced for community cycling,” said Dutton, who took up his role as British Cycling chief last April.

“The men’s and women’s Tour of Britain are multi-million pound races, and things that happen on the highway are more costly than ever.

“We’re working on [the traditional] eight-stage race for men, but at this point in time we do not think it will be six-stage race for women.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure this is a quality racing experience, not just on the number of stages – it’s about terrain, geography, topography.”