The 1984 Revolution

Finally, in 1984, under pressure from sponsors and changing social attitudes, the Tour de France Féminin was launched. Running concurrently with the men's race but covering shorter distances, it represented breakthrough after eight decades of exclusion. The first edition, won by American Marianne Martin, generated significant media attention and suggested women's cycling had commercial potential.

The Golden Years

Between 1984 and 1989, the women's Tour flourished. Champions like Maria Canins of Italy and Jeannie Longo of France became household names. The races, while shorter than men's, were highly competitive and tactically sophisticated. Television coverage, though limited, showed women attacking mountains with same determination as male counterparts. Roadside crowds, initially skeptical, embraced the women's race.

Jeannie Longo deserves special recognition. The French champion dominated not just the Tour but international women's cycling for two decades. Her longevity, competitiveness, and refusal to accept age limits challenged stereotypes about female athletes. Yet even Longo, France's greatest female cyclist, remained largely invisible compared to mediocre male professionals.

The Sudden Death

In 1989, the women's Tour abruptly ended. Organizers cited financial losses, logistical challenges, and insufficient media interest. The real reasons were more complex. Some within cycling establishment had never accepted women's inclusion and seized on any problems to justify cancellation. The loss of key sponsors, themselves reflecting societal ambivalence about women's sports, provided convenient excuse.

The cancellation's impact was devastating. Just as women's professional cycling was building momentum, its showcase event vanished. Riders who had structured careers around the Tour found themselves without their sport's most prestigious target. Young girls who had watched the women's Tour and dreamed of yellow jerseys saw those dreams extinguished.