Dame Laura Kenny helps save Women's CiCLE Classic

Laura Kenny has committed to sponsoring the event's trophies

A women's cycling event that faced cancellation has been saved thanks to crowdfunding and the support of Olympic athlete Dame Laura Kenny.

The organisers of the Women's CiCLE Classic said the sponsor of Sunday's event had pulled out.

They said sponsor Peter Stanton had withdrawn support eight weeks prior to the event.

Organiser Colin Clews said he had the greatest appreciation for the previous sponsor's support.

'Significant'

Mr Clews said the sponsor's withdrawal had put the event, in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, at risk but the online funding appeal had helped secure its future.

"We appealed for support via crowdfunding and received contributions from all over the world - they brought tears to my eyes," he said.

In total, the appeal raised £20,000. In addition, Kenny committed to sponsoring the trophies for the women's and junior men's events until 2025.

Mr Clews, who helped found both the women's event and the Men's Rutland-Melton International CiCLE Classic, said he was now negotiating with new sponsors.

He added he had also received support from British Cycling.

"They put aside a sum of money to assist it because they saw the event as being very significant and wished to safeguard it," he said.

In a statement provided to the Daily Telegraph, Peter Stanton said the support for the event had been withdrawn after British Cycling suspended its policy allowing transgender women to compete at elite female events.

In April, cycling's world governing body the UCI ruled 21-year-old athlete Emily Bridges was ineligible to compete, days before her first elite women's race at the National Omnium Championships in Derby.