2023-07-21 18:36:39
Ladies First. The Course by Le Tour takes place this Saturday morning between Brest and Landerneau, a few hours before the start of the first stage of the Grande Boucle. This eighth edition will give way, next year, to the Tour de France Women (eight stages from July 24, 2022), back after a first experience between 1984 and 1989. Stéphane Pallez, CEO of La Française des jeux, sponsor of the event, talks about the evolution of women’s cycling in France, the expectations it arouses and the rise of his team the FDJ – Nouvelle Aquitaine – Futuroscope, tricolor locomotive.
What does La Course by le Tour mean to you?
STEPHANE PALLEZ. It was notably an element of our influence campaign for the restoration of the women’s Tour de France. We have been sponsoring this event for six years and we were happy to do so, but we are happy that this is the last edition, because it means that our goal has been achieved.
What does the return of the Tour de France Women in 2022 mean?
This is an important step in the revaluation of this popular sport. There was a Women’s Tour de France a long time ago (Editor’s note: from 1984 to 1989), but no one remembers it anymore. It was time for him to be reborn. Since my arrival at the FDJ in 2014, I have campaigned for its return. Each time I came to the Tour de France, we discussed this subject with ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation). People’s minds have matured a lot over the past six years. I felt something of a tipping point just before the Covid-19 pandemic started. Everyone was convinced by the project.
Can the Women’s Tour de France experience a success comparable to the men’s event?
It will be a test. Organizing a popular event at this time of year, at the end of July, is a good thing. This is a good time to follow a cycling race. It’s also very good to get the runners to leave the Champs-Élysées. There will be beautiful, symbolic images. And I hope that the FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope team will win it one day.
Your runners are now all salaried…
It’s a huge change from when we started investing in this team. She was transformed by our arrival. Before, there were no professional cyclists. The conditions were very difficult, I had also been struck to see that the runners were changing in a van. They evolve today under normal conditions, with wage contracts, correct equipment and a team of professionals to supervise them. This resulted in significant athletic progress. The team is currently 4th in the UCI Women’s WorldTour ranking.
Has the current context, which takes greater account of parity, been of great use to you?
Once again, minds have evolved. Today, the environment is conducive to diversity. We must build on this positive trend. In the practice of many sports, we see the importance assumed by women. Women’s cycling, for example, is progressing in France. Abroad, there are already very strong teams with big budgets. We have taken a great step but there are still many more to come.
Can tricolor women’s cycling catch up?
Yes, without a doubt. And all the more so since France is a great cycling country, with great champions. The day when a French runner will be as popular as Julian Alaphilippe or Thibaut Pinot, we will be able to say that we will not have wasted our time! It is to be hoped that the Women’s Tour de France finds its audience, achieves an audience on TV and in the newspapers, and that heroines emerge, popular champions who make people dream.
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