Tourer
The started with a short but crunchy stage Tour de France Femmes in her fourth edition. Attention is shared by the greatest races of women on the first two days with the men’s tour. Which makes everything a little more complicated.
The days are actually the most stressful until it really starts with the Tour de France Femmes. Packing that have long arrival, then check into the hotel and, in the worst case, have to change the hotel again, as happened to the German World Team Team Ceratizit Pro Cyling. That alone is exhausting enough if you should actually focus on the biggest race of the year. Then there is also the mandatory Media Day.
There are more commitments to the drivers. Photoshooting, meetings, interviews – a fairly bleak start with the exclusion of the public. Especially since this all in a bold hall in the industrial area of Vannes took place. There is no public and attention -based team presentation on the previous day of the tour, as is a tradition among men.
Hope for greater attention
At the start of the fourth edition of the Tour de France Femmes, thousands of spectators were drawn to the port to the Breton Vannes. However, at a time that is rather unusual for a street race. Because if the starting shot for a stage normally takes place around noon, that was done Peloton This time only a few hours later, at 5:30 p.m. Plumelec.
When Marianne Vos arrived as the winner at the finish line, it would have been time for dinner. The fact that everything went back so much and the women between Media Day and races had an involuntarily long break was neither because of some capricious weather – in Vannes there was a pleasant 21 degrees – nor in other adverse circumstances. On the contrary: those responsible for the tour for race director Marion Rousse Leave the men in the southeast of France.
Because for the first time, the Tour de France Femmes takes place on its first two days at the same time as the men’s tour. The Asso., Organizer of both the women’s and the men’s tour, hopes for greater attention for women, whose first two stages will now take place afterwards or, as on Sunday before the men’s finals. So that all of this also fits, the first stage was kept short at 78 kilometers.
Later start ensures mixed reactions
The late start encountered mixed feelings among the German participants. “I find it difficult that we are again those who have to adapt to the men. It would also be nice if it were the other way around”criticizes Romy Kasper in an interview with the sports show. “But in the end we have to be happy if our races are transferred at all.”
To do things together with the men’s tour is actually nothing new. When the new edition of the Tour de France Femmes celebrated its premiere in 2022, the first stage started immediately after the men’s target sprint in Paris. So also in 2023, albeit Clermont-Ferrand Venue of the Grand Depárt was and not France’s capital. It was only last year that the tour of the women was entirely for itself due to the Olympic Games.
“Perhaps it would have been better in terms of organization if you had held both in the same place again. That would attract more people”Clara Koppenburg throws in, which basically thinks the simultaneous establishment of the women’s and men’s races.
The long wait for the start
Also Liane Lippert, with two stage wins at Giro d’Italia travels to the tour in the luggage, the later start will not be ideal. “Everyone is nervous and just want it to start. And then you wait all day”according to the 27-year-old in an interview before the race. “But I think it’s great for media presence because it may have more spectators. You will accept the late start.”
For the drivers, this resulted in a different daily routine. To be fit in the evening, there was a late breakfast, a later lunch, driver meeting and in between either an exit on the bike or the role. “It was really strange. You ate lunch and after that you actually want to go to bed and rest. But when you’re going, you are of course focused”Lippert reported on her day. “Thank God the race is not too long”added Ricarda Bauernfeind, who celebrated her tour comeback in Vannes after a long injury break. “But the spice is in the short.”
Hardly any time to relax
As short as the stage was, of course she went into her legs. And the nervousness was felt. Several falls into which Koppenburg and Lippert were involved, among other things, put the peloton in unrest. Regeneration is all the more important. But there is not much time for that. Because the next morning it continues with the Tour de France Femmes. And at the usual time, so at noon. Then there are 110 kilometers of Brest after Quimper on the program. “The most important thing is to simply eat well, fill up the memory and get good sleep“, says Bauernfeind.
It is not that easy to calm down after such a day. Usually massages help. But while other teams are going through their massages, the Liane Lippert team should actually fail. It remains to be seen whether this will be the case after her fall. However, it is clear that the days will take their normal course again from Sunday evening.