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Tour de France 2014 Grand Départ needs women's event – Harriet Harman Tour de France 2014 Grand Départ needs women's event – Harriet Harman
(2 months later)
Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, called on Tuesday for a women's cycle race to be held alongside the opening stages of the 2014 Tour de France when the Grand Départ comes to the UK next year.Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, called on Tuesday for a women's cycle race to be held alongside the opening stages of the 2014 Tour de France when the Grand Départ comes to the UK next year.
In a letter to the Tour de France's director, Christian Prudhomme, Harman added her voice to calls for the establishment of a women's version of the event, days after Chris Froome became the second successive British winner of the men's race.In a letter to the Tour de France's director, Christian Prudhomme, Harman added her voice to calls for the establishment of a women's version of the event, days after Chris Froome became the second successive British winner of the men's race.
More than 70,000 people have now signed a petition for a women's Tour de France, launched earlier this month by Emma Pooley, Britain's former world champion and 2008 Olympic time trial silver medallist, the Dutch winner of the 2012 Olympic road race, Marianne Vos, the US national champion Kathryn Bertine and the British ironman triathlon champion Chrissie Wellington.More than 70,000 people have now signed a petition for a women's Tour de France, launched earlier this month by Emma Pooley, Britain's former world champion and 2008 Olympic time trial silver medallist, the Dutch winner of the 2012 Olympic road race, Marianne Vos, the US national champion Kathryn Bertine and the British ironman triathlon champion Chrissie Wellington.
A women's version of the Tour was held in France between 1984 and 2009, but has not been run in recent years, largely due to problems finding sponsors.A women's version of the Tour was held in France between 1984 and 2009, but has not been run in recent years, largely due to problems finding sponsors.
Harman said the success of Britain's women cyclists in last year's London Olympics made it an ideal time to stage a female race alongside the opening stages of the 101st Tour, which runs between Leeds, Harrogate, York and Sheffield on 5 and 6 July next year before moving on to Cambridge and London on 7 July.Harman said the success of Britain's women cyclists in last year's London Olympics made it an ideal time to stage a female race alongside the opening stages of the 101st Tour, which runs between Leeds, Harrogate, York and Sheffield on 5 and 6 July next year before moving on to Cambridge and London on 7 July.
In her letter to Prudhomme, the MP for Camberwell and Peckham wrote: "Britain has some of the best women cyclists in the world – but for years they had to compete for foreign teams as there was no investment in an elite women's team.In her letter to Prudhomme, the MP for Camberwell and Peckham wrote: "Britain has some of the best women cyclists in the world – but for years they had to compete for foreign teams as there was no investment in an elite women's team.
"Overall, women's sport misses out compared to men's sport: women's sport only receives 0.5% of total sports sponsorship in the UK and only 4% of sports coverage in national and local newspapers is dedicated to women's sport."Overall, women's sport misses out compared to men's sport: women's sport only receives 0.5% of total sports sponsorship in the UK and only 4% of sports coverage in national and local newspapers is dedicated to women's sport.
"The Grand Départ being held in Yorkshire and from Cambridge to London in 2014 presents a great opportunity to hold a women's event and set an example to the rest of Europe and Le Tour. After the success of the Olympics, women's cycling should not be allowed to slip back into the shadows.""The Grand Départ being held in Yorkshire and from Cambridge to London in 2014 presents a great opportunity to hold a women's event and set an example to the rest of Europe and Le Tour. After the success of the Olympics, women's cycling should not be allowed to slip back into the shadows."
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