"Donnons des ELLE au Tour" - Women ride the route of the 2015 Tour de France

 

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Donnons des ELLE au Tour - sponsored by cyclingfans.com

- DONNONS DES ELLE AU TOUR - Project Description
- See also: Donnons des ELLE au Tour LIVE - Donnons des ELLE au Tour Videos -

The Women's Tour de France no longer exists.
It once served as an opening act for the men's race; this at least guaranteed that the women had the same means and media coverage as the men for a stage race.

The mobilization of professional racers led to the organization of "La Course by le Tour de France," a one-day race.

While obtaining a one-day women's race at the Tour de France can be considered progress, the fact remains that the lack of a women's Tour de France represents a major void for women's cycling.

- THE PROJECT -

In order to once again put the spotlight on this inequality and to show the stakeholders of cycling that the public is interested in the women's side of the sport, a small group of young women activists is riding the Tour de France route one day ahead of the men's race.  The idea is to also show that women, even amateur cyclists, are also capable of riding long distances.

Cyclingfans.com is sponsoring this project.

On four select stages, in partnership with the French Cycling Federation (FFC), the small women's group riding the entire route will be joined by a larger peloton, with special events organized at the stage starts and finishes.

 

The culmination of these three weeks of intense effort will be the production of a documentary about women's cycling; this will allow us to continue spreading the message well beyond the end of the Tour.

Marie Istil, Claire Floret, and Marion Betizeau are riding the Tour de France route, start to finish, one day ahead of the men's race.  In the TDF stage start town of Livarot, they took little Kilian, battling leukemia, for a ride.
Photo Donnons des ELLE au Tour -

- Donnons des ELLE au Tour is a project led by Claire Floret and coach Mathieu Istil of the women's amateur cycling team, Club Omnisport de Courcouronnes Cyclisme Féminin (COCCF).  Professional photographer Marie Istil, also the team photographer, is also riding the Tour de France route, as is Marion Betizeau.  They are joined on select stages by others who support women's cycling and want to join them for the ride.  The French Cycling Federation (FFC) has also brought in additional riders on 4 select stages to show even more support for women's cycling in the form of larger pelotons.  Donnons des ELLE au Tour:  Official Website - Facebook - Twitter - Contact Cyclingfans.com -

  MORE INFO AND PHOTOS TO COME MONDAY, July 20.

 

 

Donnons des Elle au vélo - The Club Omnisport de Courcouronnes Cyclisme Féminin is sponsored by cyclingfans.com.

 

*The slogan is a beautiful play on words as "elle" (she or her) is pronounced the same as ailes (wings).  So the idea is to promote, grow and support the women's side of the sport, to give women's cycling wings, or a lift.  Beyond that, boosting women's cycling is certainly a gift to cycling generally, no?

About COCCF
The Club Omnisport de Courcouronnes Cyclisme Féminin (COCCF) is a French women's amateur cycling team based in Courcouronnes, near Paris.  The team competes at the regional and national levels and also seeks equal opportunities for women and to raise awareness of women's cycling.  - Visit the team page on Facebook -

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