The Hague (the Netherlands), July 12: Marianne Vos has Olympic gold medals and the road race world champion’s rainbow jersey in her trophy cabinet. Now, she wants the chance to add a yellow jersey.
Olympic road race champion Vos is among a group of cyclists, including British Olympian Emma Pooley, who have launched an online petition urging Tour de France organisers to let women participate in next year’s race.
In an online letter to tour director Christian Prudhomme, the riders say that after a century ‘it is about time women are allowed to race the Tour de France too’.
A ‘Tour Feminin’ women’s race in France that was staged in the past ‘lacked parity, media coverage, and sponsorship’, the letter to Prudhomme adds.