2017 La Course by Le Tour de France

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2017 La Course by Le Tour de France
2017 UCI Women's World Tour (stage 1 only), race 13 of 20
Race details
Dates20 and 22 July 2017
Stages2 (UCI World Tour: 1)
Distance90 km (55.92 mi)
Winning time2h 40' 10"[1]
Results
  Winner  Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) (Orica–Scott)
  Second  Lizzie Deignan (GBR) (Boels–Dolmans)
  Third  Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) (Wiggle High5)
← 2016
2018 →

The 2017 La Course by Le Tour de France with FDJ was the fourth edition of La Course by Le Tour de France, a women's cycle race held in France. The race was held before stage 18 of the 2017 Tour de France, between Briançon and the Col d'Izoard, on 20 July, and was followed by a pursuit race before stage 20 of the Tour de France. It was organised by the ASO. The first day counted also as the thirteenth race of the 2017 UCI Women's World Tour.[2]

Both races had the same podium; Annemiek van Vleuten (Orica–Scott) won both races ahead of Boels–Dolmans rider Lizzie Deignan, with the podium being completed each time by Wiggle High5's Elisa Longo Borghini.[3][4]

The event was subsequently criticised, with issues regarding the 'pursuit' format, facilities for riders & teams and the desire for a 'Women's Tour de France'.

Route and format

Following criticism by riders regarding the lack of progress towards a multi stage race,[5] ASO announced in October 2016 that the race would remain a one-day event but move from the Champs-Élysées in Paris to a mountain stage on the Col d'Izoard.[6]

It was then announced that the race would take place over two days. The top twenty finishers on the first day, or those within five minutes of the stage winner on the Col d'Izoard, were eligible to contest a second 22.5-kilometre (14.0 mi) stage, over the same course as the men's time trial in Marseille on 22 July. However, for the purposes of the UCI Women's World Tour, only the results from the first day counted.[7] The pursuit stage was held as a 1.15 categorised event,[8] on the French Cycling Federation (FFC) calendar – and therefore did not count towards the UCI Women's World Tour – with riders starting at their respective time gaps from the Col d'Izoard.

Stage characteristics and winners[9][10]
Stage Date Course Distance Type Winner
1 20 July Briançon to Col d'Izoard 67.5 km (42 mi) Mountain stage  Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)
2 22 July Marseille to Marseille 22.5 km (14 mi) Pursuit stage  Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)
For the purposes of the UCI Women's World Tour only the results from the first day counted.[7]

Teams

21 teams participated in the 2017 La Course by Le Tour de France.[11] The top 15 UCI Women's World Tour teams were automatically invited, and obliged to attend the race.

UCI Women's Teams

National teams

Results

La Course by Le Tour de France - stage 1

The profile of La Course by Le Tour de France - stage 1
20 July 2017 — Briançon to Col d'Izoard, 67.5 km (41.9 mi)[12]

Of the 119 riders to start the race, 47 completed the race within the time limit.[1] 19 riders qualified for La Course Poursuite, as they finished within five minutes of race winner Annemiek van Vleuten.[3]

Result[1]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) Orica–Scott 2h 07' 18"
2  Lizzie Deignan (GBR) Boels–Dolmans + 43"
3  Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) Wiggle High5 + 1' 23"
4  Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels–Dolmans + 1' 28"
5  
Shara Gillow
 (AUS) 		FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope + 1' 33"
6  Amanda Spratt (AUS) Orica–Scott + 1' 41"
7  Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank + 1' 51"
8  Ana Sanabria (COL) Servetto Giusta + 2' 24"
9  Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) WM3 Pro Cycling + 2' 52"
10  Hanna Nilsson (SWE) BTC City Ljubljana + 3' 04"

La Course Poursuite - stage 2

The route of La Course Poursuite - stage 2
22 July 2017 — Marseille to Marseille, 22.5 km (14.0 mi)[13]
Result[14]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) Orica–Scott 32' 52"
2  Lizzie Deignan (GBR) Boels–Dolmans + 1' 52"
3  Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) Wiggle High5 + 1' 52"
4  Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels–Dolmans + 3' 00"
5  Amanda Spratt (AUS) Orica–Scott + 3' 26"
6  
Shara Gillow
 (AUS) 		FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope + 3' 48"
7  Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank + 3' 53"
8  Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) WM3 Pro Cycling + 4' 35"
9  
Ashleigh Moolman
 (RSA) 		Cervélo–Bigla Pro Cycling + 4' 35"
10  Ana Sanabria (COL) Servetto Giusta + 4' 46"

Criticism

Following the event, the race was criticised by the professional peloton and teams.

As only 20 riders qualified for the individual pursuit stage, teams were unable to plan logistics to get riders, equipment and team staff to Marseille.[15] Lizzie Deignan subsequently noted that it took 9 hours to get off the mountain and to Marseille, with no police escort offered by organisers.[16] The format of a 'pursuit' stage was thought not to be a success, as the mountain stage resulting in large time gaps that riders could not make up.[17][18] Riders also criticised the facilities available in Marseille, with a lack of female toilets.[16] The absence of TV coverage on the screens in the Stade Vélodrome where thee stage started and finished was also criticised.[15]

Teams and riders also criticised the move away from Paris, noting the attraction of the stage for sponsors.[18] Campaigner Kathryn Bertine stated her disappointment that the race had not evolved into a multi day stage race, with former cyclist & commentator Joanna Rowsell stating that "We need mountain climbs, flat stages, time trials and a Champs-Elysees finish".[18]

The 2018 event reverted to a single day event, albeit remaining a mountain stage.[18] In 2022, Tour de France Femmes held its first edition, to praise from the professional peloton, teams and media.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Classifications after the stage 1". La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  2. ^ "La Course by Le Tour de France: Specific rules" (PDF). La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Van Vleuten on the top of the world". La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Van Vleuten unchallenged". La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 22 July 2017. Archived from the original on 27 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  5. ^ Frattini, Kirsten (18 October 2016). "Moolman-Pasio would like to see multi-day La Course in future". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Women's La Course race to finish on the Col d'Izoard in 2017". cyclingnews.com. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Van Vleuten wins La Course pursuit". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 22 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017. Van Vleuten won the first stage – and official La Course event according to UCI rankings – up the Izoard on Thursday, which set her up to take off as first in this pursuit format stage.
  8. ^ "La Course by Le Tour de France - Poursuite: Specific rules" (PDF). La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Briançon / Izoard" (PDF). La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Marseille / Marseille" (PDF). La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 22 July 2017.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Teams and riders". La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 26 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Briançon / Izoard" (PDF). La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Marseille / Marseille" (PDF). La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 22 July 2017.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Classifications after the stage 2". La Course by Le Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 22 July 2017. Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  15. ^
    ISSN 0307-1235
    . Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Tour De France Rest Day 2 Highlights". Tour de France. Episode 17. 18 July 2022. 29:32 minutes in. ITV4. Retrieved 19 July 2022. In terms of getting off the mountain the day of the race, there was no police escort there was nothing. Every team was left to discover how to get to Marseille. It took us 9 hours and we were expected to race the next day. Then at the race, I was looking for a female toilet and there wasn't any, there was no facilities. I was offered a 'shewee' and I almost thought about not starting.
  17. ^ Dreier, Fred (17 July 2018). "Polarized opinions remain on La Course". VeloNews.com. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  18. ^
    Washington Post
    . Retrieved 19 July 2022.

External links

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