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 one 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 iconic figure Jeannie Longo, a French cyclist.
“Tomorrow, a young girl, no matter who she is, should not question her place in sports, but rather how to shine,” summarized Dominique Santoni, the president of the community.
Highlighting the importance of feminization, Magalie Dumontel, president of the Alice Milliat Foundation advocating for better visibility and media coverage of women’s sports, pointed out, “Thousands of young girls sometimes doubt themselves. This spectacular stage is also a showcase,” she argued.
Jeannie Longo, a legendary figure in French cycling who was an Olympic champion and three-time winner of the Tour de France in the 80s, participated in the discussions. She spoke about the negative attitudes she encountered from male professionals in the peloton during her career. The event also featured Maëva Plagniol, a young cyclist from the Dévoluy Région Sud team. Plagniol noted that while there are fewer obstacles to practicing the sport she loves, the path to becoming a professional is more complicated for women compared to men.
The participants hope that these developments will continue with the return of the women’s Tour de France since 2022 and its increased media coverage.
