Since Saturday, a man and a woman welcome the winners to put the jerseys back on the finish podiums of the Tour de France, putting an end to the traditional "misses".
Europe 1 returns to the place of hostesses during the history of the Grande Boucle, who were successful before representing sexism.
Splendid smiles, extremely light outfits and high heels: for years, the hostesses were inseparable from the Tour de France.
It was customary for them to kiss the runners by handing them a bouquet of flowers.
Ordinary and retrograde sexism or competition folklore?
The management of the Grande Boucle finally decided and chose not to choose: this year there will always be a hostess, but she will pair up with a host.
Europe 1 looks back on the history of this tradition, which is now called into question.
The role of "Miss Step", an iconic status
The presence of hostesses on the podium is almost as old as the Tour de France.
The first archive where we can see a hostess on the most popular sports competition in France dates from 1928. At the time, Yvette Horner was much more dressed than the hostesses of today, but wears the same smile while distributing her huge bouquet of flowers.
Over the years, the "Miss Stage" have become inseparable from the Tour de France.
In 1996, Laurent Delpech, journalist at Europe 1, met one for his report.
"To be one of the four girls who take the podium every night, the casting was severe," said the journalist: 40 young women were candidates.
"During the day, we receive guests, we are in the publicity caravan and we work for the Tour de France," said a 23-year-old Dutch hostess at the time.
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Sexism, touching: speech frees itself
But at the beginning of the 2000s, the first controversies arrived.
Advertising on the Route du Tour is not enough to justify their function as "potiche", say feminist associations.
Above all, for several years, the word of the hostesses is free.
More and more, testimonies of assault and sexual harassment are on the increase.
In 2013, Slovak rider Peter Sagan is pictured pinching the butt of a hostess on the Tour of Flanders.
In 2019, Europe 1 investigates the subject and collects an edifying testimony from Alice, hostess during a company party.
"He was a big boss: he touched me, took my wrists and forced me to dance with him", said Alice at the microphone of Europe 1. Aged 18 at the time of the facts, she decides to talk to her agency, who recruited her and sent her to this party.
“Behind them, they did nothing concrete. They even told me that this man had attacked other hostesses. The agency sent me to break the pipe”.
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Is sport still a "bastion of sexism"?
This year, therefore, for the first time, there will be a woman and a man to put back the yellow jersey at the end of the stage.
A big step forward for feminist associations.
The management of the race said nothing, however, about the traditional north wind.
Not necessary, perhaps, to make an announcement in the midst of a health crisis ...