The Wilderness Years

The period from 1990 to 2021 represents one of sport's most shameful examples of gender discrimination. While women's participation exploded in marathons, triathlon, and other endurance sports, cycling's premier event remained closed to half the population. Various substitute races—La Grande Boucle Féminine, Route de France Féminine—attempted filling the void but lacked the Tour's prestige, stability, and resources.

Fighting for Crumbs

Women's cycling survived on scraps during these decades. Races offered prize money insulting compared to men's events. Media coverage was virtually nonexistent. Sponsors showed little interest in teams lacking Tour exposure. Professional women cyclists often worked second jobs, trained without coaching support, and traveled to races in personal vehicles.

The contrast with men's cycling was stark. While male domestiques earned comfortable livings, female champions struggled financially. While men's teams employed nutritionists, coaches, and mechanics, women's teams operated on skeleton budgets. This resource disparity created performance gaps then cited as evidence of women's inferiority—another circular logic maintaining discrimination.