We’re approaching the end of the 2025 Tour de France in just a few days–but that doesn’t mean the riding stops once the men’s Tour concludes.
The women’s Tour, officially called the Tour de France Femmes, kicks off on July 26 as some of the world’s fastest cyclists take on nine stages of racing. It marks the fourth installment of the event, and the longest edition of the event so far.
If you read my piece on the five things I never knew about the Tour de France earlier this month, you know that I’m still learning the ins and outs of pro cycling. In fact, I didn’t even know a women’s equivalent to the Tour de France existed until recently.
For those of you seeking more information on the women’s Tour, you’ve come to the right place. I found these four facts about the race’s history–and specific details about the Tour de France Femmes itself–quite eye-opening. Now, I’m even more excited to watch the women’s race.
Related StoryThe Tour de France Femmes Isn’t The First Women’s Tour
Before the Tour de France Femmes began in 2022, numerous other races tried to serve as a “the” women’s pro race. But it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that such competitions caught on.
For the majority of the 20th century, women had few multi-day stage races at all, let alone a race equivalent to the Tour. The first attempt at a Tour-like race came in 1955, a one-time effort with seven stages that survived only one year. Then in 1984, the Tour de France Féminin launched with the support of the organizer’s of the men’s race. But it folded after the 1989 edition from a lack of financial, media, and fan support.
In the following years, other races attempted to bring women a Tour de France-like competition, including the La Grande Boucle, but that also failed due to money woes. Then in 2014, the one-day La Course race on the Champs-Élysées earned respect among the women’s circuit and became women’s de facto “Tour” race, and it served as such until the Tour de France Femmes came along in 2022.
Related StoryZwift Plays a Huge Role in the Women’s Tour as Its Main Sponsor
My Strava feed these days is full of activities logged on Zwift, but I never truly knew how much of a role the popular indoor cycling software plays in the staging of the Tour de France Femmes–and in its inception. The race’s full name is Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Zwift’s involvement began during the COVID pandemic as it teamed up with ASO to create a virtual Tour de France in 2020, featuring both men’s and women’s races. The races garnered a global audience, with both the men’s and women’s virtual races receiving broadcast coverage. So when ASO decided to create the multi-stage Tour de France Femmes, Zwift invested as a sponsor.
“This comes from years of really believing in the entertainment and the excitement of women’s racing,” Zwift Head of Women’s Strategy and Content Kate Veronneau told Bicycling at the time. “I think anybody who is investing in women’s cycling right now is getting a big return, because it’s just great business as well.”
Zwift continues to invest significantly in the Tour de France Femmes as the title sponsor, and Veronneau told Bicycling last year that the company continues to see room for growth in the sport. “This race shows ample space in the sport for fresh talent, new excitement, and inspiring stories,” she said. “It’s not just about opening new doors for riders and fans; it’s also about uplifting all the women involved in and around cycling, which is essential for the sport’s growth.”
Related StoryWomen’s Tour Riders Earn Much Less Than Racers in the Men’s Tour
The Tour de France Femmes is a great step forward for the growing women’s pro cycling space. However, riders on the women’s Tour take a much smaller cut for their accomplishments on the roads.
This year’s Tour de France Femmes features a prize purse just north of $290,000. The winner of the overall classification receives around $58,000. Meanwhile, this year’s Tour de France GC winner will earn a whopping $587,000 more than 11 times more than the women’s Tour allotment) and the overall prize pot for the men’s Tour equals about $2.7 million.
So there’s still a long way to go in terms of equal pay for men’s and women’s pro cyclists. The Tour de France Femmes is the highest-paying event on the UCI Women’s WorldTour, but it still lags behind the men’s Tour significantly in prize payouts. However, it’s encouraging that Zwift continues to invest heavily in the event, and viewership continues to climb. In 2024, Europe accounted for 80 million viewing hours of the Tour de France Femmes, according to CyclingWeekly.
Related StoryThe Women’s Tour Has Already Made an Impact in Pro Cycling
It’s a common sentiment among riders who have completed the Tour de France Femmes that the competition has completely changed the women’s pro cycling landscape.
Athletes commended the Tour de France Femmes for giving them and their teams visibility thanks to consistent media coverage of the race from print, TV, and online news outlets. Riders also told Bicycling in 2023 that the Tour has become the most notable event in the world each year for women, influencing how those on the circuit train and prepare for the multi-stage competition.
“It’s already become the biggest race on the calendar. The race’s prestige translates across to the women’s side,” Alice Towers of Canyon//SRAM told Bicycling. “It’s changed in the way riders train: everyone’s at altitude now and everyone’s really focusing on it. It feels like everyone’s centering their season around this one race. I don’t know if that has happened before.”
Some riders also said the TDFF has helped the women’s sport grow financially. Now, as Dutch Pro Marjolein van’t Geloof told Bicycling in 2023, riders may now get paid an actual salary and prize money for race performances. “Not long ago, women were used to racing and getting paid maybe 250 Euros per month,” she said to Bicycling. Now, some young riders are actually getting minimum wage, an actual salary. Women can afford to be racers now, and more women come to the sport because of that.”
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Make sure to visit Bicycling each day of the women’s Tour de France for our expert commentary and video recaps from each stage. We’ll break down stage results, plus give our takeaways on what riders like you can learn from watching the women on the Tour.
Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.