{{Short description|Women's cycling race in France}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} [[File:Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale 1993 yellow jersey (Heidi Van De Vijver).jpg|thumb|''Maillot jaune'' from the 1993 Tour de la C.E.E. féminin, worn by winner Heidi Van De Vijver]] Various professional women's cycle stage races across France have been held as an equivalent to the Tour de France for women, with the first of these races staged as a one off in 1955.<ref name=":4" /> From 1984, a women's Tour de France was staged consistently, although the name of the event changed several times – such as Tour de France Féminin, Tour of the EEC Women, Tour Cycliste Féminin and Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale.<ref name=":4" />

Over the years, the races struggled with various issues including financial difficulties, limited media coverage, sexism and trademark difficulties with Amaury Sport Organisation (the organisers of the Tour de France).<ref name="Pretot">{{Cite news |last=Pretot |first=Julien |date=14 October 2021 |title=Cycling-Women's Tour de France organisers hoping the race will live long |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/womens-tour-de-france-organisers-hoping-race-will-live-long-2021-10-14/ |access-date=15 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 May 2021 |title=Tour de France organisers reveal women's race will be revived in 2022 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/11/tour-de-france-organisers-reveal-womens-race-will-be-revived-in-2022 |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Ruth |date=22 July 1984 |title=Women Cyclists Change Tour de France Forever |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1984/07/22/women-cyclists-change-tour-de-france-forever/ |quote=Jacques Anquetil, a cycling commentator for the sports daily L'Equipe, and a five-time Tour de France winner, wrote, "I have absolutely nothing against women's sports, but cycling is much too difficult for a woman ... I prefer to see a woman in a short white skirt, not racing shorts.}}</ref> The last Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale took place in 2009.<ref name=":4" />

In 2014, following criticism and campaigning from the professional peloton, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) – the organiser of the Tour de France – launched a one-day race for the professional peloton (La Course by Le Tour de France). In 2022, La Course was replaced by Tour de France Femmes, an 8-day stage race in the UCI Women's World Tour. The launch of the Tour de France Femmes was praised by the media, campaigners and the professional peloton.

== History of the races ==

=== 1955: the Leulliot race === In 1955, the first edition of a women's Tour de France was held as a one-off event.<ref name=":4" /> Organised by Jean Leulliot, with the event made up of five stages with 41 athletes starting. The race was won by Manx cyclist Millie Robinson. There was, however, no race organised for 1956 onwards.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale (F) 1955 |url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ritfiche.php?ritid=127175|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227221313/http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ritfiche.php?ritid=127175|url-status=usurped|archive-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>{{clear}}

=== 1984–1989: the Société du Tour de France races === {{Infobox cycling race|name=Women's Tour de France|type=Stage race|mostwins={{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} (3 wins)|firstwinner={{flagathlete|Marianne Martin|USA}}|final=1989|number=6|first={{start date|1984}}|director=|organiser=Société du Tour de France|competition=|current_event=|discipline=Road|nickname=|localnames=Tour de France Féminin|english=|region=France|date=|image_caption=The bicycle ridden by Marianne Martin in the 1984 Tour de France Féminin|image=File:Marianne Martin's 1984 bicycle.jpg|mostrecent={{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}}}} In 1984, the Société du Tour de France, organizer of the men's Tour de France, decided that it would introduce a women's version of the Tour – '''Tour de France Féminin'''.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Ruth |date=22 July 1984 |title=Women Cyclists Change Tour de France Forever |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1984/07/22/women-cyclists-change-tour-de-france-forever |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=Washington Post}}</ref> From 1984 through to 1989 the race was run alongside the men's event, as a curtain raiser, with both races using the same finishing location (the women's race ran over a shorter distance for each stage).<ref name=":6" /> In 1989 Jean-Marie Leblanc, director of the Tour de France, halted the race in its current format, citing the economic cost of organising the race with limited media coverage and sponsorship being generated.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Malnis |first=Adeline |date=24 July 2019 |title=Pourquoi n’y a-t-il pas de Tour de France féminin ? – Les Inrocks |url=https://www.lesinrocks.com/actu/pourquoi-ny-a-t-il-pas-de-tour-de-france-feminin-175690-24-07-2019/ |access-date=24 July 2023 |website=Les Inrockuptibles |language=fr-FR}}</ref> As a result of the races dissociation from the Tour de France, the name was changed to the Tour of the EEC Women.<ref name=":4" />

{| class="wikitable" !Year !Distance [km] !Stages !First !Second !Third |- !1984 |1059 |18 |{{flagathlete|Marianne Martin|USA}} |{{flagathlete|Heleen Hage|NED}} |{{flagathlete|Deborah Shumway|USA}} |- !1985 |834.4 |12 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Maria Canins|ITA}} |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Cécile Odin|FRA}} |- !1986 |991.7 |15 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Maria Canins|ITA}} (2) |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Inga Thompson|USA}} |- !1987 |971.4 |15 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Maria Canins|ITA}} |{{flagathlete|Ute Enzenauer|FRG}} |- !1988 |838.5 |12 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} (2) |{{flagathlete|Maria Canins|ITA}} |{{flagathlete|Elizabeth Hepple|AUS}} |- !1989 |786 |11 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} (3) |{{flagathlete|Maria Canins|ITA}} |{{flagathlete|Inga Thompson|USA}} |} {{clear}}

=== 1990–1992: Tour of the EEC Women === {{Infobox cycling race|name=Tour of the EEC Women|type=Stage race|mostwins=No repeat winners|firstwinner={{flagathlete|Catherine Marsal|FRA}}|final={{start date|1993}}|number=4|first={{start date|1990}}|director=|organiser=Société du Tour de France (1990–1991)<br/>Amaury Sport Organization (1992–1993)|competition=|current_event=|discipline=Road|nickname=|localnames=Tour de la C.E.E. féminin|english=|region=France|date=|image_caption=|image=|mostrecent={{flagathlete|Heidi Van de Vijver|BEL}}}}

Following the change in race format, calendar position and name of the race to the '''Tour de la C.E.E. féminin''', the race ran for a further four editions albeit with no connection to the Tour de France, through to the 1993 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 September 2014 |title=The Breakaway, by Nicole Cooke (Part 1) |url=https://www.podiumcafe.com/book-corner/2014/9/2/6096243/the-breakaway-by-nicole-cooke}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Frattini |first=Kirsten |date=16 December 2020 |title=La Grande Boucle, La Course and the return of the women's Tour de France |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/la-grande-boucle-la-course-and-the-return-of-the-womens-tour-de-france/ |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=cyclingnews.com |language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" !Year !Distance [km] !Stages !First !Second !Third |- !1990 |866.5 |9 |{{flagathlete|Catherine Marsal|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Leontien van Moorsel|NED}} |{{flagathlete|Astrid Schop|NED}} |- !1991 |1097.4 |12 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Astrid Schop|NED}} |{{flagathlete|Leontien van Moorsel|NED}} |{{flagathlete|Roberta Bonanomi|ITA}} |- !1992 | 992.7 |11 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Leontien van Moorsel|NED}} |{{flagathlete|Heidi Van de Vijver|BEL}} |{{flagathlete|Roberta Bonanomi|ITA}} |- !1993 | 1125 |11 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Heidi Van de Vijver|BEL}} |{{flagathlete|Leontien van Moorsel|NED}} |{{flagathlete|Aleksandra Koliaseva|RUS}} |} {{clear}}

=== 1992–2009: the Pierre Boué races === {{Infobox cycling race|name=Tour Cycliste Féminin (1992–1997)<br/>Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale (1998–2009)|type=Stage race|mostwins={{flagathlete|Fabiana Luperini|ITA}}<br/> {{flagathlete|Joane Somarriba|ESP}} <br/> 3 wins each|firstwinner={{flagathlete|Leontien van Moorsel|NED}}|final={{start date|2009}}|number=17|first={{start date|1992}}|director=|organiser=Pierre Boué (1992–2003)|competition=|current_event=|discipline=Road|nickname=|localnames=|english=|region=France|date=|image_caption=|image=|mostrecent={{flagathlete|Emma Pooley|GBR}}}} In 1992, a new race was created, the '''Tour Cycliste Féminin''', organised in August by Pierre Boué, but again with no connection to either the Tour de France or the ASO.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grande Boucle féminine |url=http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.eu/feminines/gb_feminine.php |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=www.memoire-du-cyclisme.eu}}</ref> The race lacked stable sponsorship and with the location of stages determined by locations willing to contribute, there were long transfers between stages. Until the 1998 edition, the race was known as the Tour Cycliste Féminin, but the Société du Tour de France (now part of the ASO), organisers of the men's Tour de France, claimed that infringed their trademark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welch |first=Betsy |date=18 July 2022 |title=A brief history of the ‘women’s Tour de France’ |url=https://velo.outsideonline.com/news/a-brief-history-of-the-womens-tour-de-france/ |access-date=20 March 2025 |website=Velo |language=en-US}}</ref>

Consequently, the name of the name of the event was changed to '''Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale''' for the 1999 edition.<ref name=":7" /><ref name="dauncey">{{cite book |last1=Dauncey |first1=Hugh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=60cLdzhquB0C&pg=PA212 |title=French Cycling: A Social and Cultural History |date=2012 |publisher=Liverpool University Press |isbn=9781846318351 |pages=212–213}}</ref> The race was not held in 2004 due to organisational difficulties. It returned, albeit smaller in size and scope, in 2005. The previous races were 10 to 15 stages; later ones had five and stayed in one region. The race also received a lower classification by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), and had a reduced field. In 2008, the race was six days and seven stages. However, in 2009 the race was only four days long with only 66 riders, after a planned race start and three stages in Britain fell through, leading winner Emma Pooley to joke that the race was "more of a Petite Boucle than Grande."<ref>{{cite web |author=Hedwig Kröner |date=8 August 2008 |title=2009 Grande Boucle Féminine starts in Britain |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2009-grande-boucle-feminine-starts-in-britain |access-date=24 May 2011 |publisher=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Simon Richardson |date=19 June 2009 |title=Pooley wins first stage of Grande Boucle |url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/pooley-wins-first-stage-of-grande-boucle-68331 |access-date=24 May 2011 |publisher=Cycling Weekly}}</ref> The race was discontinued after the 2009 edition.<ref name=":4" />

{| class="wikitable" !Year !Distance [km] !Stages !First !Second !Third |- ! colspan="6" |Tour Cycliste Féminin |- !1992 |805.5 |9 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Leontien van Moorsel|NED}} |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Heidi Van De Vijver|BEL}} |- !1993 |1183.1 |12 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Leontien van Moorsel|NED}} (2) |{{flagathlete|Marion Clignet|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Heidi Van De Vijver|BEL}} |- !1994 |1300 |14 |{{flagathlete|Valentina Polkhanova|RUS}} |{{flagathlete|Rasa Polikevičiūtė|LTU}} |{{flagathlete|Cécile Odin|FRA}} |- !1995 | ? |13 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Fabiana Luperini|ITA}} |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Luzia Zberg|SUI}} |- !1996 |1238 |12 + Prologue |{{flagathlete|Fabiana Luperini|ITA}} (2) |{{flagathlete|Rasa Polikevičiūtė|LTU}} |{{flagathlete|Jeannie Longo|FRA}} |- !1997 |1156.3 |12 |{{flagathlete|Fabiana Luperini|ITA}} (3) |{{flagathlete|Barbara Heeb|SUI}} |{{flagathlete|Linda Jackson|CAN}} |- ! colspan="7" |Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale |- !1998 |1392 |12 |{{flagathlete|Edita Pučinskaitė|LTU}} |{{flagathlete|Fabiana Luperini|ITA}} |{{flagathlete|Alessandra Cappellotto|ITA}} |- !1999 |1581.4 |14 |{{flagathlete|Diana Žiliūtė|LTU}} |{{flagathlete|Valentina Polkhanova|RUS}} |{{flagathlete|Edita Pučinskaitė|LTU}} |- !2000 |1456.2 |14 |{{flagathlete|Joane Somarriba|ESP}} |{{flagathlete|Edita Pučinskaitė|LTU}} |{{flagathlete|Geraldine Loewenguth|FRA}} |- !2001 |1559.7 |14 |{{flagathlete|Joane Somarriba|ESP}} (2) |{{flagathlete|Fabiana Luperini|ITA}} |{{flagathlete|Judith Arndt|GER}} |- !2002 |1568.9 |14 |{{flagathlete|Zinaida Stahurskaia|BLR}} |{{flagathlete|Susanne Ljungskog|SWE}} |{{flagathlete|Joane Somarriba|ESP}} |- !2003 |1302.8 |14 |{{flagathlete|Joane Somarriba|ESP}} (3) |{{flagathlete|Nicole Brändli|SUI}} |{{flagathlete|Judith Arndt|GER}} |- !2004 | colspan="5" |{{center|''Race not held''}} |- !2005 |411.7 |6 |{{flagathlete|Priska Doppmann|SUI}} |{{flagathlete|Edwige Pitel|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Christiane Soeder|AUT}} |- !2006 |467.4 |5 |{{flagathlete|Nicole Cooke|GBR}} |{{flagathlete|Maryline Salvetat|FRA}} |{{flagathlete|Tatsiana Sharakova|BLR}} |- !2007 |404.5 |5 |{{flagathlete|Nicole Cooke|GBR}} (2) |{{flagathlete|Priska Doppmann|SUI}} |{{flagathlete|Emma Pooley|GBR}} |- !2008 |556.9 |7 |{{flagathlete|Christiane Soeder|AUT}} |{{flagathlete|Karin Thürig|SUI}} |{{flagathlete|Nicole Cooke|GBR}} |- !2009 |306.5 |4 |{{flagathlete|Emma Pooley|GBR}} |{{flagathlete|Christiane Soeder|AUT}} |{{flagathlete|Marianne Vos|NED}} |}

=== Other significant French stage races === French women's stage racing continued after the Grande Boucle ceased after the 2009 edition, with at least two further stage races – the Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin and the Route de France Féminine. As with the Grande Boucle, neither of these races had a direct relationship with the Tour de France. Following further financial and organisational difficulties, the Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin and the Route de France Féminine ended in 2010 and 2016 respectively.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 May 2011 |title=Route de France féminine : ce sera pour 2012? (in French) |url=http://www.lest-eclair.fr/article/sport-dans-laube/route-de-france-feminine-ce-sera-pour-2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009044712/http://www.lest-eclair.fr/article/sport-dans-laube/route-de-france-feminine-ce-sera-pour-2012 |archive-date=9 October 2011 |access-date=27 June 2011 |publisher=L'est Eclair}}</ref>

Since 2003, the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l'Ardèche has been held as a multi day stage race in southeastern France in the Ardèche region.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Utilisateur |first=Super |title=Historique des Tours Féminins à étapes en France. |url=https://tcfia.com/index.php/actualites/info-tour/264-historique-des-tours-feminins-a-etapes-en-france |access-date=12 April 2022 |website=tcfia |language=fr-fr |archive-date=25 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525185322/https://tcfia.com/index.php/actualites/info-tour/264-historique-des-tours-feminins-a-etapes-en-france |url-status=dead }}</ref> For several years, this was the only international level multi day stage race in France.<ref name=":5" />

== Subsequent ASO races ==

=== La Course by Le Tour de France === {{Main|La Course by Le Tour de France}} In 2013, professional cyclists Kathryn Bertine, Marianne Vos and Emma Pooley and professional triathlete Chrissie Wellington formed an activist group called Le Tour Entier (“the whole tour”), to petition ASO to launch a women's Tour de France.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 September 2013 |title=Women's Tour manifesto published |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/24062998 |access-date=15 February 2022 |quote=More than 93,000 have signed a petition by the group, led by cyclist and writer Kathryn Bertine, World Ironman champion Chrissie Wellington, and cyclists Marianne Vos and Emma Pooley.}}</ref> Following substantial media coverage, and a petition signed by over 100,000 people,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Macur |first=Juliet |date=26 July 2014 |title=Women as Athletes, Not Accessories, at Least for a Day |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/sports/cycling/tour-de-france-2014-women-push-to-compete-in-cyclings-top-event.html |access-date=15 February 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> the organisers of the Tour de France (ASO) launched La Course by Le Tour de France in 2014.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=La Course by Le Tour de France: everything you need to know |url=https://www.bikeradar.com/features/la-course-everything-you-need-to-know/ |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=BikeRadar |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=15 July 2014 |title=La Course to showcase women's cycling |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/28314738 |access-date=15 February 2022}}</ref>

This race would be held in conjunction with the Tour de France, with the first edition taking place as a one-day race on the Champs-Élysées in advance of the final stage of the men's race. In subsequent years, the race took place in a variety of locations such as Pau, Col de la Colombière and Col d'Izoard in conjunction with the men's race, as the ASO argued that this was the "best way to shine a light on female cycling".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=17 July 2018 |title=Polarized opinions remain on La Course |url=https://www.velonews.com/events/tour-de-france/polarized-opinions-remain-on-la-course/ |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=VeloNews.com}}</ref>

The race was initially praised for the exposure gained by 'sharing the stage' with the Tour de France, however La Course was criticised for not being a "full Tour de France", being overshadowed by the men's race and not having a challenging enough parcours.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Annemiek van Vleuten unhappy with 'step back' for women's La Course race |url=https://www.cyclist.co.uk/go/7232 |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=Cyclist |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Richardson |first=Hollie |date=24 June 2019 |title=The lack of women's Tour de France proves sexism in sports |url=https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/tour-de-france-why-no-womens-equivalent-la-course-gender-inequality-sport-sexism/275038 |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=Stylist |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=16 July 2018 |title=Why is there no women's Tour de France? |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/44831758 |access-date=15 February 2022}}</ref> ASO were also criticised for not doing enough to promote the race.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=LET THEM RACE {{!}} THE CASE FOR A WOMEN'S TOUR DE FRANCE |url=https://www.liv-cycling.com/global/campaigns/let-them-race-the-case-for-a-women-s-tour-de-france/23125 |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=Liv Bicycles |quote=But, if you ask many of the elite racers at La Course, the women’s race feels like a parade compared to the grandeur of the Tour de France the men take for granted.}}</ref> ASO stated that logistical issues mean that a men's and women's Tour de France would not be able to be staged simultaneously,<ref name=":1" /> and that any race must be financially sustainable.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ballinger |first=Alex |date=5 February 2019 |title=Women's Tour de France alongside men's race 'impossible', says director Christian Prudhomme |url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/womens-tour-de-france-alongside-mens-race-impossible-says-director-christian-prudhomme-406720 |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=cyclingweekly.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Tour de France Femmes === {{Main|Tour de France Femmes}} In June 2021, ASO announced that they would launch a new women's stage race, Tour de France Femmes. The 8 day race would take place after the 2022 Tour de France in July 2022, with the first stage taking place on the Champs-Élysées. The men's tour director, Christian Prudhomme stated that lessons must be learned from the failure of previous events like the Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale,<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 May 2021 |title=Tour de France organisers reveal women's race will be revived in 2022 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/11/tour-de-france-organisers-reveal-womens-race-will-be-revived-in-2022 |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> and the goal of ASO is to have a financially sustainable event, one "that will still exist in 100 years".<ref name="Pretot"/> The Tour de France Femmes does not succeed these historic races, with ASO stating that the 2022 race is the "1st edition" of Tour de France Femmes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 April 2022 |title=Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift D-100: The final preparations are underway |url=https://storage-aso.lequipe.fr/ASO/cycling_trf/d-100-the-final-preparations-are-underway.pdf |access-date=19 July 2023 |website=Tour de France Femmes |quote=The 1st edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will kick off on Sunday, 24 July}}</ref>

== Further reading ==

* {{cite web |last=Scrymgeour |first=Kristy |date=2003 |title=La Grande Débâcle: What's wrong with the women's Tour de France? |url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=features/2003/grandeboucle03 |work=cyclingnews.com}}

== References == {{reflist}}

{{Tour de France|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Tour de France Category:Defunct cycling races in France Category:Women's road bicycle races