After 33 years of interruption, the start of the Tour de France Women was given at 1:41 p.m. this Sunday in Paris in the presence of the Grenoble woman Jeannie Longo. She is the last woman to win and wear the yellow jersey in the capital, in 1989.
La marseillaise à pétanque 2022, 61st edition of the world –
Like a handover, Jeannie Longo accompanied the race director Marion Rousse in the car at the entrance of the peloton of 144 runners. The starting signal was given at the very beginning of the afternoon this Sunday July 24 on the circuit around the Tuileries gardens and on the Champs-Elysées for this first stage of 81.6 km.
“Annemiek van Vleuten seems the most complete to me although she may not have the best team“, prediction for the final victory Jeannie Longo, winner of three editions including the last.
Despite memorable duels with the Italian Maria Canins, who hosted the editions organized by ASO from 1984 to 1989, Jeannie Longo had to face many sexist remarks at the time of her coronation.
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We cannot forget the remarks of cyclist Marc Madiot, now manager of the Groupama FDJ team, who did not hide his aversion to women’s cycling. “Sport must have an aesthetic side. You made yourself ugly”he had launched to the French champion during the show “Each turn” by Jacques Chancel on July 20, 1987. “I will watch women’s cycling the day they put on slightly prettier jerseys, shorts and shoes”he continued.
The Brut media has just compiled the sexist remarks of which the Grenoble cyclist, born in Haute-Savoie, was the victim, which you can consult in the video below:
After 1989, the test survived somehow. In the form of the Tour de la CEE (1990-1993) or the Women’s Cycling Tour, which then became the Great Women’s Loop (1992-2009) without the support – or even despite the opposition – of the Tour organiser.
But this Sunday, July 24, the thread of this upset story was renewed with the winner of the first golden cloth on the Champs-Elysées, the Dutch sprinter Lorena Wiebes.
“The Dutch are sharp but we have French women like Juliette Labous and Audrey Cordon-Ragot who can be a hit by winning a stage“, hopes the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, present in the leading race car at the start.
“The investment of sponsors such as the development of a circuit all year round allows the riders to be able to earn a living and become really great pros.“, she welcomed.
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