The eight-day Tour de France Femmes marks the return of a women's edition of the French stage race after a decade-long absence.
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Marianne Vos of team Jumbo-Visma has welcomed the newly announced Tour de France Femmes route as one that will appeal to a wide range of riders, and while the absence of a time trial was unexpected, it did not appear to be an unwelcome one for the rider. The eight-day Tour de France Femmes, which marks the return of a women’s edition of the French stage race after a decades-long absence, covers 1,029 kilometres, beginning at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on July 24 and concluding on the Super Planche des Belles Filles on July 31.
“They’ve laid out a nice route,” Vos said in a team statement. “With the start in Paris at the same time as the finish of the men and then seven stages over diverse terrain, it is a varied route that different kind of riders will enjoy. It would be very nice for the tension in the race if the decisive moment only comes at the end.”
The absence of a time trial, which is usually a decisive feature in the men’s edition of the race, may increase the chances of a suspenseful finish.
“To be honest, I did expect a time trial”, Vos continued. “It completes a stage race. But I also think that the tension is perhaps even stronger in a stage than in a time trial. This choice was perhaps made for that reason.”
The lack of a time trial, however, does not mean that there aren’t important GC days outside of the mountain stages, with the 126km stage 4 from Troyes to Bar-sur-Aube – which includes six climbs and four sections of unpaved roads in the final 60km – likely to be crucial for the overall. It could also be a crucial stage for Vos, who has 30 stage wins in the Giro d’Italia Donne as well as three elite road world titles and seven in cyclo-cross.
“Of course the level of difficulty depends on the conditions and the kind of strips that are included,” Vos said. “I think it’s a stage that fits perfectly into such a race. It’s not just about the spectacle, of course, but I think a ‘Strade Bianche stage’ is wonderful in a stage race. From my cross experience, it should suit me, but ultimately, I think many riders can handle this well. We see that every year in Strade Bianche.”
Vos, who, along with Kathryn Bertine and Emma Pooley, spearheaded the push for the introduction of La Course in 2014, added that the shift to an eight-day stage race would have a significant impact, with the women’s race running after the men’s race providing a targeted spotlight for both.
“Recognition does not only depend on the Tour de France and the ASO, but this is of course a great contribution,” Vos said. “We’ve gotten a lot of great new races on the calendar in recent years. La Course was a very big step and the fact that the ASO has now decided to expand the one-day to an eight-day stage race is going to have a lot of impact.”
“The Tour is a race in which everyone wants to participate. I’m happy that the Tour is back in this capacity. I also think it’s good that the men’s and women’s Tour follow each other. That allows for keeping full focus on both races.”
