Women’s Tour Of Britain Gets Go-ahead

A women’s version of the Tour of Britain will be staged next year, after it was finally given the go-ahead for 2014. The race will be staged over five days in May, which will run separately to the men’s event in September.

Head of British Cycling Brian Cookson said: ‘I’m pleased to be able to confirm that there will now be a five-day international stage race for women in Britain in 2014.’

‘The event will be separate from the men’s race, but it will be promoted to a high standard and will, I’m sure, be the first step in having a full equivalent Tour of Britain as it develops.’

Cookson, who is also is the running for the presidency of cycling’s world governing body, the UCI, added at the announcement that the reinstatement of a Tour de France for women should also be explored.

There have been a number of versions of the race over the years but the women’s equivalent of the event has not been held since 2009, reportedly due to a lack of sponsorship and media coverage.

The ‘Tour de France Feminin’ first took place in 1984 but stopped following the 1989 event. The race then returned three years later but faced a legal battle over trademark rights that resulted in a re-brand to the ‘Grande Boucle’ in 1998.

Since then, the race was won twice by Welsh cyclist Nicole Cooke before the final event in 2009, which was won by British Olympian, Emma Pooley.

Now the former world time trial champion has started a petition along with other high profile female cyclists – that has already collected nearly 80,000 signatures – urging women to be allowed to compete in the world’s most famous cycle race.

Pooley wants women cyclists to ride over the same distances and on the same days as the men’s race but Cookson has already said he believed this was unrealistic, telling BBC Sport that ‘modified distances and modified number of days’ would be more appropriate. 

The cycling boss continued: ‘Cycling has a long way to go to ensure women’s cycling is given an equal stage to the men’s events. We won’t get there tomorrow, nor next week, but what riders like Marianne and Emma have achieved shows us the potential there is given the right focus, investment and, crucially, leadership by the UCI.’

This year’s Tour of Britain starts in Peebles, Scotland, on 15th September and on the final day, for the first time, a women’s race will take place in London to run alongside the men’s stage.