The director of the Women’s Tour de France has been angry with the comments accompanying the falls in the peloton in recent days.
Several spectacular falls have accompanied the women’s Tour de France since the start of the event last Sunday in Paris. These spectacular incidents, facilitated by nervousness in the peloton and sometimes strong gusts of wind, were widely commented on on social networks, with some internet users not hesitating to openly mock the competitors by pointing out the level of certain girls in the peloton. A behavior that annoyed Marion Rousse, the director of the event, confiding in France Info.
The former runner said she preferred to focus on the “95% of people conquered» rather than on «The remaining 5%, who have fun on social networks saying that girls can’t ride. It’s ridiculous. We have almost nothing to say to them. We don’t have to justify ourselves. Falls are part of cycling, there always will be. We forget too quickly the men’s Tour of last year, with the many falls in the first week, as in Pontivy“.
SEE ALSO – “Women’s cycling needs it”: spectators react to the start of the women’s Tour de France
Read alsoTour de France Women: huge fall in the peloton during the 2nd stage
Some runners themselves have expressed their incomprehension and anger, judging these accusations unfounded. The Danish Christine Majerus had responded to these detractors by publishing photos of the men’s Tour de France and the many crashes that accompanied the 2022 edition, with this comment: “For the haters. Should I continue?»
For Jeannie Longo, some teams “do not have the international level”
“There are, in my opinion, a few teams too many, teams that do not have the best international level with young people who rub shoulders with no room for manoeuvre. They pass with barely room for the handlebars, so inevitably it touches everywhere. Some may have a lack of attention too. Women who come head-on into a peloton on the ground like Monday, that’s not normal. In my opinion, 144 runners at the start is a lot. But the falls always happen“Explained on this subject the champion with five world titles in road racing (1985-1987, 1989, 1995), three Tours de France (1987-1989) and an Olympic title (1996).
SEE ALSO – When PSG players try judo with Teddy Riner in Japan