Today appears to be race announcement day. This one, it's big!
The women's Exergy Tour announced today that the race will offer a $100,000 prize purse for the race. That, my friends, is pretty much unprecedented in women's racing. The press release claims that it is the largest ever prize purse for a women's race, which may, in fact, be true. I'd be interested to know for sure, honestly.
Here is the, er, money quote:
Competitors in the 2012 Exergy Tour international ladies pro cycling race, taking place in Idaho May 24 – 28, will be racing for $100,000 in prize money, what is believed to be the largest payout for a five-day race in the history of ladies pro cycling, and an amount that is comparable to payouts for the men.
Running from 24-28 May around Boise, Idaho, the Exergy Tour is the only UCI 2.1 ranked race in the United States. It offers a last chance saloon for women looking to score UCI points ahead of their Olympic team selections. Team Exergy, Specialized-lululemon, GreenEdge, and Team Tibco are among the teams so far committed to ride.
The race also celebrates the fortieth anniversary of the passage of Title IX in the United States. Title IX mandates equal funding for women's education, and by extension, women's athletic programs at U.S. colleges and universities. The Exergy Tour has named the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport as the race's charitable partner.