After more than 30 years of absence, the women’s Tour de France is back in force! This historic event gives visibility to women’s cycling. It is also an opportunity for young cyclists to tell themselves that everything is possible for them too. There are many girls in Montbéliard bike club. Among them, Eline Mairey, 14, a resident of Bondeval (Doubs), participates in pre-tour competitions, while waiting for the passage of the runners of the women’s Tour.
Thirty young people selected
Eline is one, like another friend from Besançon, of the thirty young cyclists selected for these competitions. After passing through Provins in Seine-et-Marne yesterday, this Tuesday she realizes at noon a 40 kilometer course around the finish line in Epernay in the Marne. And then on Sunday, the last day of this women’s Tour, she was invited by the regional cycling committee to the grandstand to attend the arrival on the Planche des Belles Filles.
Women, we don’t often see them on television
Eline is proud to evolve as a girl in the world of cycling: “Women, we don’t often see them on television. I’m happy that women’s cycling is evolving“, says the young girl, who trains two to three days a week to later make it her job. “It’s physical work, but above all a lot of mental work.”
This passion is family. His brother was the first to saddle up, before infecting the whole family. Including the parents, Sophie and Philippe, who graduated to be educators at the Montbéliard bike club. Parents happy for their daughter Eline, and happy to see the enthusiasm around women cyclists: ” I’m proud because few girls still want to make it their job. We fully support our daughter, who has had this in mind for a long time.“, confides the mother. ” We who are in the middle, we see that there are more and more interested girls, and of all ages! “adds the father.
From August 9 to 13, Eline is selected for the French departmental cup in Normandy.