Reportage
Tour de France Women: "This public everywhere on the side of the road, it's incredible"
Marianne Vos upon arrival in Provins, July 25, 2022. AFP - JEFF PACHOUD
Text by: Farid Achache Follow
3 mins
Will the Women's Tour de France (July 24-31) become a popular success in the middle of summer, like that of the boys?
Obviously, it's on its way.
Even if a large part of the public does not know the runners, the public responded present on the side of the roads and at the arrivals during the first two stages.
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From our special correspondent on the Tour de France Women,
“
We expect people on the roads.
I'm a little afraid of being disappointed.
But if they don't come this year, they will come next year
,” said
Audrey Cordon-Ragot
, reigning French road champion, on the eve of the start of the first stage.
The young woman knew a time when the spectators were limited most of the time to the families of the runners.
“
They are so sporty
”
After the second stage which arrived in Provins on Monday, Audrey Cordon-Ragot was relieved despite a day where she had to go through the drops on the falls side.
“
This audience everywhere on the side of the road, it was incredible.
I enjoyed it very much.
I thank them
”.
The children from the outdoor centers came to applaud the runners.
And incidentally banging on the barriers to make an infernal noise in the last kilometer, where
Marianne Vos came to win
as champion to steal the yellow jersey from Lorena Wiebes.
The public of the Tour de France Women in Provins, July 25.
© Farid Achache / RFI
“
We are happy to see them pass, they are so sporty
”, says the young Judith.
Even though Lorena Wiebes has lost her leader's tunic, she admits having had a "
great time
in yellow
" with the encouragement all along the course.
Audrey Cordon-Ragot can be reassured.
With her tricolor jersey on her shoulders, she should also hear encouragement until the end of the event.
Little by little, the French public will get to know these champions.
"
Between Meaux and Provins, I was on my training routes and I heard
"go Sandrine"
all day, it warmed my heart
", testifies Sandrine Bideau of the Saint-Michel Auber 93 training. The young woman admits never having known such an audience since the beginning of her career.
"
On the Champs-Élysées it was already incredible
(Sunday July 24 during the first stage)", she adds.
A crowd at the Super Planche des Belles Filles?
As a staff member of the FDJ-Suez Futuroscope team points out, some countries are now used to women's races: “
During the women's Tour of England, there is a crazy crowd.
Companies and schools stop the time to see the runners pass
.
France will now have to take the fold.
Like Thibaut Pinot, Evita Musik was born and raised in Franche-Comté, in eastern France.
On the Super Planche des Belles Filles, she dreams of seeing her name inscribed on the asphalt.
“
Like Thibaut
”, smiles the former champion of France who will already have her family on the very demanding climb, for the last day of the 2022 edition, Sunday July 31.
She will have to wait a few more days before hearing “
go, Evita
”.
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