The steep slopes of the summit of Mont Chauve will host the ultimate stage of the women’s Tour de France on Friday, August 7, in about a hundred days. This is a celebration for the Vaucluse Department, which organized a conference on “Women and Sport” on Wednesday, April 29, with the presence of the iconic figure of French cycling, Jeannie Longo.
“Tomorrow, a young girl, no matter who she is, should not wonder what her place in sports is, but instead how to shine,” summarized Dominique Santoni, the president of the community.
The feminization of sports is emphasized by Magalie Dumontel, the president of the Alice Milliat Foundation, which works for better visibility and media coverage of women’s sports. “Thousands of young girls may sometimes doubt. This spectacular stage is also a showcase,” she argues.
Jeannie Longo, a symbolic figure of French cycling who was an Olympic champion and three-time winner of the Tour de France in the 80s, was also present in these discussions. The invited young cyclist Maëva Plagniol from the Devoluy Region Sud team highlighted the challenges she faced in her career, including the negative attitudes from male professionals in the cycling world.
The speakers hope that these developments will continue with the return of the women’s Tour de France since 2022 and its increased media coverage.
