There have been the women’s Tour de France disputed in the late 1980s, then the International Women’s Grande Boucle and finally the Women’s Route de Francewhich disappeared in 2016. But these events have all been wiped off the map because they were not economically profitable.
For the director of cycling at ASO (and patron of the Tour de France men) Christian Prudhommethe new event which will see the light of day next summer, “the Women’s Tour de France” aims to be “sustainable and to still be there in 100 years”.
Six of the eight stages in the Grand Est
The organizers therefore chose several symbols. The race will start at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on July 24, 2022, the same day the men’s Grande Boucle arrives. And as the event only lasts (for the moment) eight days, the Grand Est and the Vosges mountains constitute an ideal playground for the 132 participants, divided into 22 teams. Six of the eight stages will take place in the greater region.
“We wanted a handover between the men’s peloton and the women’s peloton, Explain Marion Roussethe director of the Tour de France women (ex-professional and consultant for France Télévisions). Then we wanted to go to the Ballon d’Alsace, which is the first big pass crossed by the Tour de France in 1905. And above all, you offer us a fantastic playground in the Grand Est. We can do stages for punchers, for sprinters, but also for climbers. So it was ideal for us.”
The start cities paid 35,000 euros to host the event, the finish cities 65,000 and the Region also supports this reborn Tour de France women, up to 250,000 euros. It was obvious for its president John Rottner : “It’s a great media event, which highlights all the characteristics of our region and, among other things, a project that is important to us, equality between women and men”.
This women’s Tour de France will take place from July 24 to 31, 2022. He will step in Rosheim, Sélestat and Marksteinbefore ending in Haute-Saône at the now famous Super Planche des Belles filles.