Women’s cycling has spent the last few seasons catching up to the men’s sport in prize money, broadcast coverage and race distance — and the gap is closing fast.
The Tour de France Femmes
Since its relaunch, the Tour de France Femmes has become the sport’s marquee stage race, running immediately after the men’s Tour concludes and using some of the same iconic finishing towns. Mountain stages have produced some of the most dramatic racing in the sport, and the race now draws roadside crowds comparable to the men’s event in several host regions.
- The race typically spans roughly a week, shorter than the men’s three-week format but growing in stage count each edition
- Sprint finishes and mountain summit finishes both carry significant points toward the season-long UCI Women’s World Tour ranking
- Other Grand Tour nations, including Italy and Spain, run their own women’s stage races that feed into the same calendar
The UCI Road World Championships
Held annually in a different host country, the Road World Championships crown the year’s individual and team time trial champions, along with the road race title that comes with the right to wear the coveted rainbow jersey for the following season. Track, mountain bike and cyclo-cross disciplines run their own separate World Championship events on different calendars.
Why the Sport Is Growing
Prize money parity announcements at several major races, combined with expanded live broadcast coverage, have helped women’s cycling build a much larger following over the past several seasons — a growth pattern that mirrors what’s happening in women’s golf and women’s motorsport. For endurance fans who enjoy the roadside spectacle of cycling, our guide to international trail running championships covers a similarly scenic but very different discipline. Both sports share the same appeal for spectators: free roadside access to watch elite athletes up close, something few other sports can offer.