The Race

This is a new development, and it fits in perfectly with the times.

It means much more than just another race on the calendar: from the summer of 2023, the Tour de l’Avenir will have a women’s edition.

This is completely in line with history. This initiative, strongly supported by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O), the organiser of the Tour de France, is a full endorsement of the fundamental movement that is currently taking place in world sport, and cycling in particular.

Women are rightly claiming their rightful place in major sporting events. Gone are the days when cycling was supposedly a “man’s sport”. Women now also have their own classics – Paris-Roubaix included – and the Tour de France Femmes, organised in the wake of the 2022 Tour, has been given a lasting boost.

The Tour de l’Avenir, created more than sixty years ago, is a fundamental building block in cycling. fundamental stone in the edifice of cycling. It forms an essential base for the pyramid that leads to the top. pyramid that leads to the top. At a time when the women’s Tour de France with Zwift has also become a must, there was no reason why the Tour de l’Avenir, which is totally in line with this, should not play the same role through its women’s version.

The new event will be run in an appropriate five-day format, following the Men’s Tour de l’Avenir, as is the case for the – or rather it should be said “the” – Tours de France. The formula will also be consistent. Like its male counterpart, the Women’s Tour de l’Avenir will be open to hopefuls under the age of 23, and will be both an encouragement for young female cyclists and a gateway to the highest level.
If the Tour de l’Avenir was a springboard for many of the “aces” of men’s world cycling, the GIMONDIs, ZOETEMELKs, INDURAINs and LEMONDs of the past, as well as the GAUDUs, BERNALs and POGACARs of today, there is no doubt that it will also be a springboard for the champions of tomorrow.

The Tour de l’Avenir is thus fully in its role, in a logical continuation. We know to what extent it is an essential contributor to the training of the world’s best hopefuls, a revelator of talent. And now in a double capacity!