La Course is a women's race that coincides with the men’s event and is hosted by Tour de France organizer ASO. Since its inaugural edition in 2014, La Course has been either one or two days long. Unfortunately, La Course is nowhere near as long as the TDF, nor is it the media machine that TDF is. That being said, it is a step in the right direction for women’s cycling.
La Course is one of the most prestigious events in women's pro cycling, despite the fact that it is dwarfed by the scale of the men's Tour de France.
At times, women's cycling events can feel like afterthoughts, which is why it's hugely important to celebrate this race and support the women who are racing. By drawing more attention to La Course and other women's cycling events, we can grow the sport and make cycling more inclusive.
The 2020 edition of La Course occurs on August 29. The course, a two-lap circuit, is 96km (roughly 60 miles). We might not be racing our bikes in France on Saturday, but we will log chamois time on Saturday in honor and support of the event and the women racing. We’re hoping the TPC community will be as excited as we are about supporting this event. Join us on Saturday by riding your bike 96 kilometers to celebrate La Course! If that’s a bit too long (or short!) for you, feel free to ride whatever route you like.
Upload your ride videos and photos to Instagram stories and tag @TheProsCloset and @uci_wwt. We’ll do our part and repost your ride footage. Let’s bring awareness to the event, celebrate the world’s best female cyclists, and voice our support for professional women’s cycling. Hopefully, these events will increase in size and popularity, and we’ll someday have a true women’s Tour de France.