{"id":1530,"date":"2021-11-25T14:11:10","date_gmt":"2021-11-25T13:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/?p=1530"},"modified":"2021-12-14T14:11:22","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T13:11:22","slug":"tour-de-france-femmes-what-we-know-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/2021\/11\/25\/tour-de-france-femmes-what-we-know-so-far\/","title":{"rendered":"Tour de France Femmes: What We Know So Far"},"content":{"rendered":"

A mere eight months away, cycling fans have been getting pumped for the first updated Tour de France Femmes since it was announced earlier this summer. A huge milestone for the women\u2019s peloton, there\u2019s no doubt about how high the stakes are and how closely the route, riders, and organisers will be followed as the race details continue to unfold over the coming months.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Naturally, there have already been a few waves of controversy associated with the event\u2014including laments over a lack of stage parity and questions about the prize purse and whether an adapted version of the men\u2019s race should even be held under the same banner. In general, though, the appetite for a multi-day women\u2019s stage race has proven large, and with a talented race director, Marion Rousse, at the helm, anticipation for the event is building fast.<\/p>\n

So, as we settle down to take a break from cycling action over the holidays, let\u2019s look at what we know so far about what will surely be an iconic moment in cycling history.<\/p>\n

The route <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Mid-October, ASO, along with race director Marion Rousse revealed the route for the eight-day Tour de France Femmes\u2014which will begin at the Eiffel Tower and finish atop La Planche des Belles Filles.<\/p>\n

\"Tour<\/p>\n

Set to cover 1,029 kilometres and include back-to-back mountain stages, two stages for the puncheurs, a stage packed with gravel sectors, and four flat stages that could either end in bunch sprints or breakaway wins. Here\u2019s a breakdown of the eight stages by length:<\/p>\n

Stage 1: Paris Eiffel Tower to Paris Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es, 82 km<\/p>\n

Stage 2: Meaux to Provins, 135 km<\/p>\n

Stage 3: Reims to \u00c9pernay, 133 km<\/p>\n

Stage 4: Troyes to Bar-sur-Aube, 126 km<\/p>\n

Stage 5: Bar-le-Duc to Saint-Di\u00e9-des-Vosges, 175 km<\/p>\n

Stage 6: Saint-Di\u00e9-des-Vosges to Rosheim, 128 km<\/p>\n

Stage 7: S\u00e9lestat to Le Markstein, 127 km<\/p>\n

Stage 8: Lure to Super Planche des Belles Filles, 123 km<\/p>\n

Compared to the men\u2019s 21 stages with an average of around 3,500 kilometres, we can\u2019t exactly say we\u2019re looking at the same scale of events. That said, with the stages that have been made available to them, there is plenty to promise that the women will put on one heck of a show<\/p>\n

Prize fund<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Similarly, the prize fund falls short of parity but it is nevertheless the largest amount that the women\u2019s peloton has ever seen. There will be a total of \u20ac250,000 up for grabs throughout the eight-day race, and \u20ac50,000 in prize money for the winner. The other \u20ac200,000 will be awarded to stage winners, jersey holders and winners, other top general classification finishers, and more.<\/p>\n

Although \u20ac250,000 is certainly nothing to sneeze at, it does need to be stated that next year the men’s race will see a similar prize fund as the 2021 race, with \u20ac2.3million on the line in total, including \u20ac500,000 for the winner.<\/p>\n

\"Paris
Paris Roubaix Femmes 2021 \u00a9\u00a0Profimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The numbers do seem to be set\u2014for next year anyway. That said, there has been plenty of pressure on organisers, particularly following the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes.<\/p>\n

This October, when Trek-Segafredo’s Lizzie Deignan took the first-ever women\u2019s title<\/a> and brought home just \u20ac1,535 in contrast to the men’s winner who received \u20ac30,000\u2014there was some serious blowback<\/a>. After the race, Trek-Segafredo confirmed that they would match the prize money for Deignan and third-place finisher Elisa Longo Borghini with the men’s equivalent, adding that it was the continuation of a policy they had been carrying out throughout 2021. Whether that\u2019s a sign of where things will be headed with Tour de Frace remains to be seen but the rallying cries were loud and clear.<\/p>\n

Television coverage<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Despite some initial confusion over the race\u2019s coverage, it has been confirmed that there is an exclusive rights agreement between Discovery Sports and Eurovision Sport. Under the terms, the Tour de France Femmes will be broadcast across Europe in more than 50 markets in July 2022.<\/p>\n

\"Marion
Marion Rousse at the Tour de France Femmes route reveal. \u00a9 Profimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Guy Voisin, director of cycling at Discovery Sports, said<\/a>: \u201cWe have made it our mission to invest in more world-class women\u2019s races because it is just great sport, to help grow cycling further and to meet the expectations of our viewers everywhere. We will now harness our deep cycling expertise and unrivalled scale to bring coverage to the widest possible audience in Europe, truly unlocking the power of the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

The long-term TV deal, which runs until 2025, also includes live coverage of Paris-Roubaix Femmes. With this in mind, it is safe to say that Discovery Sports is taking its commitment to showcasing more women’s cycling seriously, further underscored by their showing of every race on the UCI Women’s World Tour in 2021.<\/p>\n

Sponsored by Zwift <\/strong><\/h2>\n

In a testament to the solidified position of Zwift and the virtual cycling scene in general, the platform will be the primary sponsor of the Tour de France Femmes. Following a successful Virtual Tour de France last year\u2014run on Zwift across three weekends, and which Lauren Stephens of TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank won the final stage and overall title\u2014it makes sense for Zwift to play a leading role at the real-life event.<\/p>\n

We also like what Eric Min, CEO & Co-Founder of Zwift, had to say<\/a> about their role: “I\u2019ve long been a fan of the attacking style of women\u2019s racing. I really believe the women\u2019s peloton puts on some of the most exciting bike racing to watch, and it deserves a much bigger platform to exhibit these talents and skills. I\u2019m proud that we can play a big part in making the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift a reality in 2022. Together we can bring women\u2019s cycling to a larger audience and inspire new generations of female cyclists for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Responses from riders and fans <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Of course, the women\u2019s peloton is stoked to tackle the route, and there has been a ton of optimism expressed about what it will mean for the visibility and future of the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a huge moment for professional women\u2019s cycling,” said<\/a> double world champion Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx). “The Tour de France is the most famous race in cycling, and it\u2019s long been a dream for many of us in the women’s peloton to compete in such a race. I\u2019m hopeful that the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will help us grow our sport even more by providing us with a media platform to take the excitement of women’s cycling to new audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Anna
Dutch Anna van der Breggen pictured in action during the women elite road race on the seventh day of the UCI World Championships Road Cycling Flanders 2021. \u00a9 Profimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Uttrup Ludwig echoed<\/a> this response, expressing an eagerness to attack the stages and delight in the fact that she\u2019ll finally be able to participate in a race that even her grandma has heard of:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so excited. I mean, this is a day that we\u2019ve waited for, for a long time. We\u2019re getting our own Tour de France for women, and it\u2019s a great day for women\u2019s cycling. They look like super cool stages. I can\u2019t wait. Let it be July.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone dreams of having that yellow jersey on. It\u2019s so iconic. Everyone knows what the Tour de France is. My grandmother knows what the Tour de France is, and now when people ask if I do the Tour de France, I can say yes. We\u2019re part of history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of history, indeed. It will also be an essential focal point for inspiring the next generation of women cyclists and athletes more broadly. You can read more about what it means to fans and the cycling community here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But let us leave you with one quote from Janet Herring who decided to give cycling another chance six years ago at the age of 54, after recovering from treatment, surgery, and chemotherapy:<\/p>\n

\u201cI am hopeful that the Tour de France Femmes will mean investment in women\u2019s cycling and women\u2019s cycling teams. I am hopeful that young women cyclists will now realise their dreams. I am hopeful that male professional cyclists will champion female cyclists. I am hopeful that it will help the advancement of women\u2019s equality in places it is sorely lacking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hear, hear! Stay tuned for some insight into the inaugural race, including an upcoming profile of race director Marion Rousse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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