‘No climbs too tough anymore’ - Tour director Rousse on Femmes Ventoux showdown

Speaking with Marca, Rousse praised the inclusion of Spain's brutal L’Angliru in the recent La Vuelta Femenina, where Petra Stiasny took the stage win, and Paula Blasi secured the overall victory ahead of Anna van der Breggen. 

The Tour director explained how the stage, high performance levels and spectacle, proved to be another illustration of how there are no climbing barriers in women's cycling.

“If I’m not mistaken, the toughest stage in La Vuelta’s history was the Angliru. I watched it on TV and it was impressive to see the speed at which they climbed,” Rousse told Marca. “I don’t think there are any climbs too tough for women anymore.”

“You can see that the standard is becoming increasingly consistent and higher. They’re going faster. You also have to compare the climb times with the men’s, and you realise just how incredibly fast they’re going,” said Rousse. 

Rousse also expressed satisfaction at the competitive depth of the 2026 season, with a variety of winners in the biggest races, suggesting that the level in the peloton has evolved significantly. 

“I’m pleased because I can see that women’s cycling is evolving. Since the start of the season, there’s been a different winner practically every weekend, and that creates a lot of suspense,” said Rousse. 

“Perhaps even more so than in men’s cycling, because when Pogačar attacks from the start, you very often already know the winner’s name.”

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes features nine stages, including a Stage 4 time trial, a final showdown in Nice, and a legendary Stage 7 summit finish on Mont Ventoux. 

The Bald Mountain follows La Planche des Belles Filles (2022), Col du Tourmalet (2023), Alpe d’Huez (2024), and Col de la Madeleine (2025) as the Tour de France Femmes GC battle centrepiece.

“Mont Ventoux is tricky, because there isn’t a single moment where the climb eases off. It’s tough the whole time, from the first kilometre to the finish line,” said Rousse. “I think it’s a climb where, strategically, it’s difficult to make a plan. It’s all down to your legs.”

The 2026 edition will kick off on August 1st, six days after the men’s race concludes on July 26th, a shift from last year when the events overlapped on the opening weekend. Rousse explained that the separation is a sign of the race's growth. 

“The men’s Tour finished on Sunday, but that Sunday also marked the start of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. We needed that same weekend so that people would continue to follow us,” said Rousse. 

“Now I think people have got used to watching the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. We talk about a men’s Tour and a Tour de France Femmes, but the truth is that it’s one Tour de France.”

“Above all, the main reason is that the event has grown so much that we couldn’t organise the two major events on our calendar on the same weekend. It has evolved so much that we want exactly the same infrastructure as for the men, so we needed a few extra days to allow all the vehicles to make the transfer."