Luddite

I'm wondering why there are no (apparent) women competing in the Tour, has there ever been at least one?

Oreamnos

Not nearly strong enough to be able to compete with even the slowest of male pros.

Many years ago, Jeannie Longo (probably just about the winningest and most dominant female racer ever) used to compete with us Cat 3 men in Colorado for training purposes. Even against lowly Cat 3s, she was far slower in sprints. On climbs, she was sort of mid-pack usually.

A very smart racer, absolutely, but just not as powerful as the men.

ted ward

World-class female athletes are about 10% behind their male counterparts in both strength and endurance.

tadawdy

Women naturally have a worse power to weight ratio. They have higher body fat percentages. The highest VO2 max for a woman ever, IIRC, is in the high 70's. I'd guess pro racers average around there.

Pugsly

What Ted said... same reason they aren't in pro football, baseball, hockey, etc. Look at the male v. female stats for the Olympics.

Machka 

Because there's a whole other tour just for them. It goes after the male tour. If you go to the Paris-Brest-Paris a few days early, you might be able to catch the last day or two of the women's tour.

MONGO!

They're not fast enough.

For perspective, at a local stage race, the winning overall time of the 1,2,3 women's race would have got her 60th place in the cat 4 men's group.

Luddite

Great. Another reason to hate being female.

Is there any gorram advantage to being female, except we (used to) die later in old age?

Also, I'm actually watching the Tour, they listed the stats of this guy riding in it:

6'1, 148lbs. Isn't that grotesquely underweight? I was 135 lbs last year at 5'8.5" and I was a hair above underweight.

Luddite

There was a woman in the NHL, some Quebecois chick.

MONGO!

Underweight compared to what?

Machka 

Here's the name of the female TDF: Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale

And some info on it:
https://www.velo-feminin.com/

And a bit about the 2008 event:
https://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road....lgbf08/default
Apparently in 2008 it went before the male TDF.

Luddite

Uhmm...my BMI was pretty low. I actually wish I was that weight now, but I'd have to eat like a bird to keep my weight that low.

halfspeed

Significantly reduced likelihood of being a victim (or perpetrator) of a violent crime. Also a significantly lower incarceration rate.

Luddite

Not good enough. Drove me nuts when I was a runner that I was default at a disadvantage.

I read somewhere once we freeze to death slower than you guys, due to our body fat, at least. Oh and we survive famines better?

I'd rather kick @$$ on my bike, though.

ScarcelyAware

What about fat guys? -_-

Luddite

Them I can probably whup.

eminefes

Dave Zabriskie is 6' and about 145-150 lbs. Maybe that's who you're thinking of?

Sure, he's skinny, but grotesquely underweight? No.

Tulex

Umm, I could list a bunch, but it would all get censored.

Luddite

His face was downright skeletal-looking, so is Lance's. Just sayin'.

terrymorse 

Actually, power to weight ratio is where women cyclists have the least disadvantage with respect to men.

It's total power where the men have the big advantage. Bigger aerobic engine, bigger muscles.

urbanknight

For women a body fat percentage below 10% means she probably won't be able to have children, while for a man it means he can climb the French Alps faster.

pinwheel

women can take more pain?

eminefes

Would you rather they looked like this guy?

Tulex

That guy isn't fat you know. He's just really really short.

waikikihei

There are some very talented female surfers. Prone and standup. Very fast downwind racers as well, both standup and traditional.

Ladies generally learn standup faster than men. More patient, better balance.