{"id":205995,"date":"2026-08-07T05:44:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T05:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=205995"},"modified":"2026-08-07T05:44:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T05:44:12","slug":"rousse-says-the-tour-de-france-is-ready-for-full-tv-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2026\/08\/07\/rousse-says-the-tour-de-france-is-ready-for-full-tv-coverage\/","title":{"rendered":"Rousse Says the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Is Ready for Full TV Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"

The race has started, the breakaway is forming and the move that will eventually decide the stage may already be disappearing up the road. Meanwhile, French television is showing a programme about the British royal family.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That was the slightly surreal situation facing viewers during the opening days of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. It also explains why the debate over full, start-to-finish television coverage has become much louder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, race director Marion Rousse<\/a> says a change is being seriously discussed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Six partially hidden stages<\/b><\/h2>\n

Only three of this year\u2019s nine stages (stages 1, 5 and 9) are scheduled to be televised from start to finish. On stage 2, France 2 joined the race at 15:50, by which point the riders had been on the road for approximately 80 minutes and covered more than 50 km.<\/span><\/p>\n

The consequences became even more obvious the following day. Sigrid Haugset launched what became the stage-winning move with 88 km remaining \u2013 approximately five kilometres before live pictures began. Viewers therefore missed the moment that ultimately shaped the entire stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

For years, broadcasters could argue that the opening kilometres of a road stage contained little more than a ceremonial roll-out and the establishment of a predictable breakaway. That argument is increasingly difficult to make in modern women\u2019s racing, where aggressive tactics, smaller teams and less control can make the first hour one of the most important parts of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

You cannot tell the complete story of a race if the cameras arrive halfway through the first chapter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe women deserve it\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n

Speaking at the start of stage 5 in M\u00e2con, Rousse confirmed that she had discussed full-stage coverage extensively with France T\u00e9l\u00e9visions and Tour organiser ASO.<\/span><\/p>\n

She told<\/span> Le Parisien<\/span><\/a> that the possibility was now being examined because \u201cthe women deserve it\u201d and because the race is delivering strong audiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe public wants to watch women\u2019s cycling, and that\u2019s fantastic,\u201d Rousse said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The discussions do not yet amount to a promise that every kilometre will be televised in 2027. But Rousse emphasised that this is no longer merely a request from a few supporters on social media.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a real discussion to be had,\u201d she told<\/span> Cycling Weekly<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

As she put it elsewhere, \u201cThings are moving in the right direction.\u201d Rousse also made the sporting argument clearly: \u201cThe starts, middles and ends of stages are spectacular to watch.\u201d Her conclusion was simple: \u201cLet\u2019s hope we can pull it off,\u201d she told the reporters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why did it take this long?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The obvious comparison is with the men\u2019s Tour de France, where every stage is now shown from start to finish. But Rousse pointed out that complete live coverage of the men\u2019s race only began in 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the modern Tour de France Femmes was launched in 2022, organisers still had to establish that the race could attract a sizeable and lasting audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed to get settled in, and we didn\u2019t want to rush things,\u201d Rousse explained to Cycling Weekly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Five editions later, that argument has largely been settled. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift <\/a>has expanded to nine stages, taken its Grand D\u00e9part abroad and placed legendary climbs such as Mont Ventoux at the centre of its route. Instead of wondering whether anyone will watch, organisers now receive messages from supporters asking why they cannot watch more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rousse acknowledged that money remains the central obstacle. \u201cEverything is a question of resources,\u201d she told Le Parisien. Longer broadcasts require additional production time and several more hours of work from the camera motorcycles, relay aircraft, technical teams and commentators.<\/span><\/p>\n

Full coverage creates cycling fans<\/b><\/h2>\n

Showing complete stages is not simply a symbolic matter of treating the women\u2019s and men\u2019s Tours equally. It can also make the racing easier to understand and the riders easier to support.<\/span><\/p>\n

The quieter periods give commentators time to introduce lesser-known riders, explain why a team wants someone in the break and show how the tactical battle develops. Viewers can see the effort required to establish a move rather than meeting an apparently random group of riders after it has already gained several minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those details turn a sequence of attacks into a coherent story. More airtime creates familiarity, and familiarity creates supporters.<\/span><\/p>\n

That is why missing Haugset\u2019s attack mattered. The absent footage did not merely deprive viewers of some pleasant scenery. It removed the beginning of the day\u2019s defining sporting narrative.<\/span><\/p>\n

A welcome problem for the Tour<\/b><\/h2>\n

Rousse said she was pleased that the television coverage was provoking such a strong reaction. In 2022, the question was whether the revived Tour de France Femmes could succeed. In 2026, supporters are complaining because they cannot see enough of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

That is a healthy problem for any sporting event to have.<\/span><\/p>\n

The race has demonstrated that it can provide the spectacle. The audience has demonstrated that it wants to watch. The organisers and broadcaster are finally discussing how to connect the two from the very first kilometre.<\/span><\/p>\n

The next decisive Tour de France Femmes attack should not have to wait for television coverage to begin.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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