Women’s cycling suffers from a lack of interest in the Jura, but the women’s Tour de France might change things. The 1st edition of this cycling race started on Sunday in Paris and comprises eight stages. She will take the peloton from the French capital to the Super board of Belles filles, in the Vosges mountains, on July 31st.
The president of the Interjurassian Cycling Association, Gérald Marchand, hopes that the women’s version of the Grande Boucle, broadcast in 190 countries including Switzerland, will improve the enthusiasm for this practice. For him, women’s cycling faces several problems in the region. To begin with, he explains that “for most parents, cycling is a sport for men” because of the highly publicized events. According to him, to change this idea, “you have to break down prejudices”. At the regional level, Gérald Marchand assumes the fact that there are no races just for girls, because the enthusiasm would not justify it. “It’s a vicious circle, since the world attracts the world,” he adds.
A difficult sport
In the region, only one athlete regularly rides a road bike in international competitions. This is Lise-Marie Vallat, better known by her maiden name Henzelin. For her, it is complicated to explain why this sport is struggling to find members in our canton. She notices all the same that more and more ladies are starting cycling, but very few are interested in competition. She explains it by the fact that it is a very physically and mentally demanding sport that requires a lot of investment. She also adds that in the clubs the supervision “is perhaps not personalized enough” and that more difference should be made in the training of women and men. But Lise-Marie Vallat is delighted with the beautiful showcase that the Tour de France will offer to the discipline. /lge