Tour de France Femmes
The Tour de France Femmes will return in 2025 for its fourth edition, building on the momentum of its high-profile revival in 2022. Organised by ASO, the race has quickly become a flagship event in the UCI Women’s WorldTour, showcasing the world’s top riders on a global stage. Broadcast in over 190 countries, the Tour de France Femmes continues to grow in stature. At the heart of it all is the maillot jaune - now also a symbol of excellence in women’s cycling.
For decades, women’s cycling lacked a stage race that matched the prestige and visibility of the men’s Tour de France. That changed in 2022, when Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was launched - a long-awaited revival that marked a turning point for women’s professional cycling. Organised by ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation), the same body behind the men’s race, the new event aimed to give the women’s peloton the platform and exposure it had long deserved. With eight stages spread over one week and global broadcast coverage, the Tour de France Femmes made an immediate impact.
A brief history: from La Course to the real deal
The idea of a women’s Tour de France isn’t new. In the 1980s, there was an official women’s Tour organised alongside the men’s event, known as the Tour de France Féminin. Riders competed on shortened versions of the same stages, but logistical and financial challenges caused the race to fold by the end of the decade. Attempts to revive it in the following years came and went - most notably through La Course by Le Tour de France (2014–2021), a one-day showcase that never quite lived up to its name.
The turning point came in the early 2020s, driven by a growing public demand for equality in professional cycling, rising interest in women’s racing, and the support of title sponsor Zwift. In 2022, the inaugural edition of Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift finally hit the road - starting in Paris on the Champs-Élysées and finishing at the top of La Planche des Belles Filles. The race quickly proved that the audience, the talent, and the appetite were all there.
A new era for women’s cycling
Unlike the men’s Tour, which spans three weeks, the women’s race currently runs for eight consecutive stages, but it has quickly earned a reputation for delivering intense, unpredictable racing. It features a mix of flat, hilly and mountain stages, with some editions including gravel and summit finishes. Big names like Annemiek van Vleuten, Demi Vollering, and Lotte Kopecky have already become defining figures in the race’s short but fast-growing history.
The Tour de France Femmes is now a cornerstone of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, drawing top teams, live international coverage, and millions of viewers. It has also set a new standard for how women’s races are presented and respected - with equal ambition, compelling storytelling, and meaningful visibility.
What makes the race unique?
Beyond the route and racing, the Tour de France Femmes represents something bigger: a cultural and sporting shift. It’s not just a “female version” of the men’s Tour - it’s a platform in its own right. The race is helping to reshape the narrative around women’s cycling, drawing in new fans, inspiring the next generation of riders, and showing that the demand for elite-level women’s sport is not only real, but growing fast.
As the Tour de France Femmes continues to evolve, it’s clear that this is more than a race - it’s a movement.
