"I'm on my way to the Tour de France," says a woman in her 40s over the phone in downtown Troyes as she walks down Boulevard Gambetta.

Apparently she is talking to a girlfriend or boyfriend.

But more importantly, she omits the word 'femmes'.

It doesn't seem to matter that it's not men, but women, who are taking to the saddle in France this week.

This scene describes well how naturally the first women's Tour de France in 29 years was received by the French public.

For the residents it was clear: You go there.

"In Paris we assumed that because the men's tour also ended there.

But the fact that things continue like this on the following days with so many spectators in the start and finish area and also along the route, that's amazing.

I would never have dreamed of that,” says Romy Kasper.

The 34-year-old has been a professional for 15 years, but only in recent seasons, since the introduction of the WorldTour racing series by the UCI, the world cycling association, and a minimum salary, has this job also made financial sense.

Sponsors recognize more and more that an investment is worthwhile.

And with the reintroduction of the Tour de France for women this year, women's cycling has now taken the next big step.

Growing Enthusiasm

Their tour lasted eight days and 1,033 kilometers – and the enthusiasm that the peloton aroused grew from stage to stage.

The number of spectators, especially in the start and finish locations, was closer to that of the men's tour than many had expected.

And even on the remote climbs of the Vosges on the final weekend, the mobile homes of international spectators cavorted.

Lettering with women's names were painted on the street.

“All this exceeds my expectations.

In every place you pass through, you can feel that the tour is alive.

It's a great start and I think it will continue to develop over the next few years," said a delighted Annemiek van Vleuten from the Spanish team Movistar, one of the twelve racing teams in the peloton, which in recent years has added a women's team to its men's team .

The Dutchwoman became the first overall winner of the new Tour de France Femmes on Sunday.

Started as the top favourite, the 39-year-old struggled with stomach problems on the first days of the tour and lost a little more than a minute to the best.

But on the decisive stages in the Vosges at the end of the week she was unbeatable - as so often when things go uphill.

"I was very close to giving up.

The second day I couldn't even pack my things in my suitcase," she said.

"After the illness, I no longer believed that I would be sitting here in the yellow jersey.

This is a small miracle.”

Collected kilometers of life

In a truly wondrous way, she clawed the day's victory and the overall lead on Saturday's king's stage.

Van Vleuten attacked 85 kilometers before the finish on the climb to the Petit Ballon and drove over the Col du Platzerwasel and the Grand Ballon more than three minutes ahead of her first pursuer Demi Vollering and more than five minutes ahead of another trio around the Pole Katarzyna Niewiadoma German team Canyon-SRAM.