The reason (any) women's sport doesn't rate very well or get sponsors is because a vast majority of women don't watch sport. They are usually too busy raising children and working while us men (those that aren't out riding) lay around the house all weekend watching sport. Men don't want to watch women's sport, even sports where the women are scantily clad like Netball, Beach Volleyball, and Surfing etc. men aren't interested, and neither are women.

Yes, there are women who watch sport but only about 5-10% (guess) where virtually EVERY male watches sport. When women start supporting their own sex in sport then it might get some further recognition, but as long as men do little to nothing around the house, women will be too busy to even think about spending an afternoon in front of the telly.

CHEERS.

Mark (in his flame-proof suit)

Speak for yourself! I happily watch women's cycling.

I happily watch pro women's soccer every week on TV. (4pm Eastern every Saturday on PAX - nice plug, eh?) Yes, there's an elite pro women's soccer league in the US, currently in it's 3rd season: W*USA
There's also a top level men's pro league, and the level of play in both leagues is high.

I also happily watch women's tennis, plus a lot of men's soccer and men's tennis.

Of course women can't compete with men in sports, like cycling, that require strength and power. They can, and do, compete with women. Women's sports are every bit as interesting as men's sports. Whether there's a market for women's sports is the question. Women don't seem as interested in watching sports as men are, and men don't seem too interested in watching women's sports...but that may be changing.

Women soccer,i love it.So much better to watch then men.I watch women tennis,boxing.Women,gota love'm

Women are not excluded from the Tour de France due to any conspiracy by men. Cycling was a professional sport before lots of contemporary games were invented and before most of them became paid endeavours. Why? because no-one would race around France, over cobbled or unmade roads just for the challenge of it- and in 1903, who could afford to do such a thing, paying their own way?
Science and culture being what they were in the early 20th century, I'm sure few people believed women capable of cycling at speed for any distance when the Tour idea was devised. Nowadays there are a number of paid professional woman road racers, some of whom would definitely give some male professionals a run for their money in certain races which suited them. For example, I could imagine top female climbers beating heavy sprinter types in a hilly race like the Classique des Alpes. Problem is, no big rider would enter the CdA and at the present time, no female professional could generate the power to climb at a competitive speed with the men. The Tour de France requires such a high degree of all-round ability and such powers of recovery that, to date, no woman has seriously considered the prospect of riding; no team has even hinted at the possibility, even though these commercial enterprises usually would do anything for publicity........

So no-one in cycling thinks women should ride the Tour- and a parallel version exists for women to compete over parts of the same course. Some contributors to this forum think this is an inadequate response to some sexist plot. I would not disagree that cycling mirrors society in it's less than edifying attitudes to women's equality but the clear fact is that women would be uncompetitive. Cycling is one of dozens of sports which have responded to this situation by creating separate competitions for women. This is no more a reason for apology than it would be in the context of Track and Field, Rugby or Basketball. I see no theoretical reason why this state of affairs may not change in the future but no prospect of that happening any time soon. The 10% gap people are discussing here is indeed a chasm. That doesn't stop athletes like Jeannie Longo, Greta Waitz , Joanne Somarriba and Marion Jones being revered for their achievements. On the contrary, the present system allows people to win medals and fame in competition.
I have trained with a number of top female cyclists (Road and MTB). They are/were fine athletes, period- and represented their countries at world and olympic championships- but they were not in the Tour de France calibre, even the Tour Feminin......

In 1967, Beryl Burton became the only woman to that point holding an outright record in road time trialling, when she covered 277.25 miles in 12 hours. This British woman was a multiple world champion and is, to my mind, one of Britain's greatest ever sports figures. She earned the respect of male competitors and made female rivals wish she would race against men all the time LOL! She achieved enormous amounts in a deeply sexist era and without the training and nutritional advances of today.....oh, and she was an amateur, with parental responsibilities and a full-time, physically demanding job.....

Sure, women can beat men and maybe one day all sports will be arranged without the boundaries that presently exist....but I'm not holding my breath. Beryl Burton would never have entered the male Tour; she was so competitive, she wanted to win.

I would like to see a shorter tdf for women only.

I, for one, would also love to see a group of nearly 200 fit, lycra-clad women on bicycles screaming down the road. I would watch it for a variety of reasons!

Of course, we (United States) have more people that want to watch a taped episode of "shotgun journal" than want to watch the men's tour live. That, even given the fact that an American has won it 4 times in a row, and is the top contender to win it again.

There's plenty of women's road racing every weekend all over the US (and the world). There are several events upcoming in various parts of Pennsylvania over the next couple of weeks, and all of them include women's races.

www.velonews.com is one site that keeps an up-to-date calendar with links to the individual race organizers' sites.

RichC

There are many women who compete in the El Tour de Tucson each year and post amazing times.
I respect women cyclists and watch women specific cycling when it's on.

I don't understand how a woman these days couldn't do just as well as Lance or Jan or whomever in an endurance race. I mean, there's this 6'1" Korean girl on the PGA Tour, and she does pretty well considering she's only 16. The best rider at my messengering outfit is a chick. So physicality isn't really a limiting factor, I don't think. With advances in nutrition and training and whatnot, I think a woman's ability to take pain and stress can make up for her lack of strength. The top ultra-marathoner at one point was a woman, so why not the top bike racer, or among the top cyclists? Riding isn't just about muscle, it's about the total package.
As for politics, I don't think so. Remember, in France, the majority of state level elected offices are held by women. I think if a woman could compete, she would. That fabled "She" just hasn't shown up yet. But I don't doubt she will.
So women, get out there and ride. I think chicks would look heaps better in that T-Mobile jersey anyway.
Either that, or women are too timid and don't think they could compete, and thus keep thinking they need their own little world. Which reminds me: Why isn't this is the women only forum?

yes, and more close up motorcycle shots from behind as well. Maybe the half open jersey Lance sports would catch on with the women. And hopefully a brandy chastain moment at the finish.

In the U.S., at least, MOST people tend to only be interested in the "top level" of any kind of competition. I'd expect that's true in most places. If you ask most people why they're vastly more interested in (for example) the NBA than the WNBA, they would simply ask you what you think the result would be if the two played head-to-head. Slam dunk, case closed. There isn't any Vast Male Conspiracy against women's athletics.

I believe the last women's TDF (Grande Boucle Feminine) was held in 2003. It died from multiple causes, including lack of sponsorship and logistical difficulties.

More here: https://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...grandeboucle03

When I raced intensly in the late 80's and early 90's, I was a middle of the pack racer. Many women would pass me in mtn bike races. I loved it. I would get in with the group and race with them. Always polite and cheerful, they were a breath of fresh air in an otherwise uptight and sometimes nasty world of men beating up on men. In one 60+ mile road race, I hooked up with a young woman. She was slightly faster than me in the uphills and because of my larger mass, I was faster than her in the downhills. We pulled each other to the best finishes either of us had ever had. I finished third in my category and she won hers. Best road race I ever participated in.

Here we go!

What would happen in case they want to take a leak?

Did you happen to notice the date of the post you are responding too

Terry has those seats with the cut out. I'm sure many of the riders would be riding those. Just insert a special bit of velcro in the chamois, and ta-da, problem solved.

Where do I sign up to be a podium award man-toy? Me! Me! Me!

(Hey, if Hincapie can meet his wife that way, why can't I? )

I tend to agree... It would be fun to watch. I think the only reason women are not in the TDF right now is that there are few female riders that could qualify.

There was an article in one of the bike magazines, Procycling I think, about an Italian lady who rode in the Tour a few times, and finished each time. She did it for the money, and for prized like a turkey, sausages, etc. Honestly! It was the Depression, after all. She was a big chunky gal, probably good and strong, and I think later in life worked for the circus.

There was an article in one of the bike magazines, Procycling I think, about an Italian lady who rode in the Tour a few times, and finished each time. She did it for the money, and for prizes like a turkey, sausages, etc. Honestly! It was the Depression, after all. She was a big chunky gal, probably good and strong, and I think later in life worked for the circus.

So good you have to post it twice???
I watched a program about a team, I think it was Mercury, that "apparently" had the points and the money to get into the Tour but was not invited due to there being "enough" American teams in it already and they wanted more French riders. I dont know how true this was, but if this was the case, it would be another hurdle to overcome to get another woman into the Tour.
I am neither for or against women being in the tour but I am a "traditionalist" for somethings. I do disagree with that one h0m0's response that men dont watch women sports even though they are scantily clad.......whatta poof!

I just thought it would be unfair for women when they have a nature called.

i see quite a few females riding with their jerseys half open, they do wear something underneath tho like a sports bra or something i guess