2023 Women’s Tour de France: Strong Turnout from the Crowd, Full Route Revealed, Absence of French Victories… What We Liked and Didn’t
The second edition of the Women’s Tour de France, which concluded on Sunday, once again proved its success, both in terms of public enthusiasm and sporting spectacle. Positioned as the fourth week of the Grand Boucle, the Women’s Tour de France has firmly established itself and is set to remain a fixture. In its second iteration, the event drew spectators to the roadside, offering an explosive spectacle all the way to the concluding time trial in Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) on Sunday, July 30. Franceinfo: sport evaluates what we liked and didn’t like.
Highlights included…
Spectator Enthusiasm After the novelty of the previous year, there were questions about the turnout along the course. The audience answered the call. From the roadsides to the starting and finishing towns, spectators turned out in large numbers to support and applaud the Tour’s cyclists. The more curious fans gathered early in the mornings at team paddocks to get up close to the cyclists and take selfies with them.
During the first mountain stage since the event’s return, the crowd created a lively atmosphere between the Col d’Aspin and the Tourmalet, despite the thick fog and limited visibility. While there were indeed fewer spectators compared to the men’s race, they still ignited the roadsides all the way to the finish line at an altitude of 2100 meters.
Demi Vollering’s Triumph Timing her move perfectly, Demi Vollering surged ahead at the Col du Tourmalet during the seventh stage. She emerged from the mythic col’s fog, showcasing her climbing prowess once again. Thanks to the well-executed strategy of her team, SD Worx, the Dutch cyclist Demi Vollering dealt a decisive blow to her main rival and last year’s Tour de France winner, Annemiek van Vleuten, by launching an attack five kilometers from the finish. A masterstroke that earned her the yellow jersey, which she held onto until the end.
Varied and Challenging Route For its second edition, the organizers prioritized diversity and difficulty. Right from the first stage, the route provided an exciting spectacle through the hilly roads of Auvergne, immediately creating gaps in the rankings. The inclusion of the first mountain stage ending at the Tourmalet, a legendary pass of the Tour de France, and the addition of a time trial were well-received by both teams and cyclists, as well as the spectators. This maintained suspense throughout the week.
Aspects that could have been better…
No French Stage Victories Following a debut edition without any French stage wins, hopes were high for French cyclists this year. However, their Tour’s start was challenging, mirrored by riders like Juliette Labous and Evita Muzic, who lost time in the general classification from the first stage. Despite a difficult start, Juliette Labous managed to recover, finishing fifth overall and becoming the top French rider.
Evita Muzic, another French hopeful, had to abandon the race on the fifth stage due to a perineal injury. Nevertheless, the French team doesn’t leave empty-handed, as Cédrine Kerbaol takes home the white jersey, awarded to the best rider under 23 years of age.
Less Familiar Cyclists Among the Public While it’s understandable that the event needs time to establish itself as a summer staple like the men’s Tour, many of the female cyclists are still relatively unknown. On the roadsides, names like Juliette Labous and Evita Muzic are more recognized, but many spectators still struggle to identify them. This observation holds true for both French riders and the top international cyclists. The Women’s Tour de France still needs to foster a connection between the riders and the public, so that one day, an impassioned crowd will cheer on their favorite, akin to the support Thibaut Pinot experienced in the men’s race.