The freshly created Copenhagen Sprint races have drawn praise from local riders for their decision to award equal prize money for the women's and men's events.
The two newest events on the respective WorldTour calendars, the Copenhagen Sprint kicks off on Saturday with a 151-kilometre women's race, then concludes on Sunday with a 235.60-kilometre men's race. Both events start in the city of Roskilde and end with a series of 10-kilometre laps in the Danish capital.
But if interest in Denmark's first ever WorldTour one-day events is high, then even before the races have taken place, the organisers have been praised for their opting for parity in prize money in both.
Although there has been a drive for equal prize money in women's cycling in recent years, it has sparked a response from organisers that has been patchy at best.
Flanders Classics-run events were one of the first to implement wide-spread equal prize funds at WorldTour level, and the Tour of Britain Women also pays equal prize money in proportion to the number of stages compared to the men's race, but for now they remain in the minority.
In both men's and women's Copenhagen Sprint races, the total prize money will be €40,000, according to Danish state broadcaster DR. DR also reports that this is the minimum amount possible for a men's race, but five times the minimum requirement for an equivalent women's event.
"Of course I'm happy that we have equal prize money in Copenhagen Sprint. It's a shame that it still has to be a thing in 2025 that we have to celebrate," former world champion and Dane Amalie Dideriksen (Cofidis) told DR.
"There are many women and people before me who have worked to achieve equality in the sport. Women's cycling has had a boom in recent years, so it's great that it's bearing fruit," 2023 and 2024 Danish national champion Rebecca Koerner (Uno-X Mobility) added.
Both women's and men's events will have notably strong fields for the first ever edition. However, one local star, former Tour de France Femmes and Giro Donne stage winer Emma Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek) will not be taking part, having reportedly fallen sick after the Tour de Suisse.
In her place Dideriksen (Cofidis), Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon-Sram zondacrypto) and Koerner will be flying the local flag.
"I think it will be one of the greatest experiences of my life," Koerner told DR.
"Being able to race on home turf is going to be absolutely crazy. And it will possibly be my last race in the Danish national champion's jersey, so it will be a special experience."
Other top favourites in the women's race include sprinters of the calibre of Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) and Charlotte Kool (Picnic-PostNL) as well as all-rounder Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek).
Meanwhile, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike), Sam Welsford (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) are just four of the best-known fastmen in an impressively strong field for the men's race.
