A Tour de France can hide another! While the final arrival of the big loop ends this Sunday afternoon on the Champs-Elysées, others are preparing for the start. It is indeed this Sunday also the kick-off of the Tour de France women’s cyclist, with a first stage of 82km in Paris.
On the starting line there will notably be Anaïs Morichon, 22 years old. This young resident of Peyrat-de-Bellac in the north of Haute-Vienne is part of the ARKEA pro-cycling team and she intends to defend her chances, she who was bathed as a child in a family of cyclists.
It’s a little girl’s dream
By taking up cycling, she did like her father, her uncle, her cousins and especially her brother, Théo, champion of New Aquitaine in 2019. Today, participating in the very first Women’s Tour de France is a huge source of pride. : “When you see the Tour de France for boys, you think it’s impressive. It’s a little girl’s dream so to be there is close to my heart and it’s exciting.”
A test that she is therefore looking forward to even if the format, over a full week, has nothing in common for her: “The kilometers will be there. We have a stage that is 175km, we are not used to doing that, but I trained for it.”
To be in the Top 20
Anaïs Morichon trains a lot on the roads of Limousin, a perfect playground to prepare for the Tour de France. She who is not a sprint or mountain specialist, but rather a puncher at heart, would see themselves taking one or two breakaways, just to show off the jersey and spend time at the front of the race. His goal: to make a Top 20.
In her eyes, the creation of a large feminine curl is a big step forward for his sport : “Women’s cycling is developing a lot and in addition to having the Tour de France this year, at the media level it will be very important. I think there will be people to encourage us.”
In the meantime, she is eager to start with this 1st Parisian stage, the start of which will be given at 1.30 p.m., at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. She will be able to count on her relatives, who have taken a vacation for the occasion.