Sheffield to host ‘super brutal’ cycling race - everything you need to know about The Tour de France Femmes
Sheffield is set to play host to the biggest event in women’s cycling
Sheffield is set to play a central part in one of the biggest sporting events in women’s cycling history as the Tour de France Femmes makes its way to South Yorkshire for the first time next summer.
The Tour de France Femmes was launched in 2021 by Amaury Sport Organization - the same people that run the Tour de France, with the inaugural event taking place a year later in 2022.
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It’s one of the biggest and longest events on the women's sporting calendar, which has already had a profound impact on the popularity of cycling, ensuring more females have the opportunity to compete at the highest level than ever before.
The Tour de France Femmes, which is anticipated by organisers to be the most attended women’s sporting event in UK history, follows a route that’s very reminiscent of the men’s edition back in 2014.
On that occasion, 12 years ago, thousands of excited Sheffielders and tourists descended on landmarks around the Steel City to cheer on the cyclists, with huge numbers from around the world also tuning in to keep track of all the by watching it on TV.
Lucy Jones, project director for the Grand Départ: “We expect this to be the largest standalone female sporting event this country has ever hosted. We want to build on the success and excitement of the 2014 edition and bring it to the world.”
Three time Olympic medalist Ed Clancy, who starred in London 2012 feels it’s an event which will bring people together: “It’s the first time the men and women’s Tour will start in the same country.
“It’s one of those events that has the potential to transcend sport and I think we can create a real legacy out of this. I saw it with my own eyes in the 2012 Olympics and in the 2014 Tour de France. In a world that can be so divided, stuff like this has an ability to bring people together.”
The long journey for the cyclists is scheduled to start in Headrow in central Leeds on Friday 30 July. The cyclists are set to travel from Leeds over 85.7km to a likely sprint finish in Manchester on the opening day.
Stage two and potentially one of the toughest stages of the event sees the cyclists travel to a gruelling 154km from Manchester to Sheffield on Saturday 31 July - in a section which includes nearly 3,000m of climbing and the iconic Winnats Pass in the Peak District.
In the Steel City the riders face a succession of short but punishing climbs including the Côte d’Oughtibridge and the famous Côte de Jenkin Road , both used when the men’s Tour de France finished in the city back in 2014.
Sheffield’s Georgina Oakley, an elite cyclist for Loughborough Lightning feels the event has the potential to inspire the next generation of female cyclists. She said: “It’s going to be massive for inspiring the next generation. It allows young girls to get involved with what's going on, see the tactics and just learn about cycling as a sport and to be a part of that cycling world It might inspire the next big rider.”
The second section of the tour rolls back the years by ending at Attercliffe Common, close to Sheffield Arena, using the same finish line where Vincenzo Nibali won in 2014, only this time they’ll be coming from the opposite direction.
The spectacular finale which ends in London, passing through prominent landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, London Eye and Tower Bridge, will be confirmed later this year in October.