The UCI Women's World Tour is the premier annual female elite road cycling tour. As of 2024 , the tour includes 28 events in Europe, Asia and Oceania – with one-day races such as Strade Bianche Donne and Paris–Roubaix Femmes , and stage races such as Women's Tour Down Under , as well as week long stage races (sometimes referred to as Grand Tour ) such as Tour de France Femmes .
10-522: Paris–Roubaix Femmes is a one day women's bicycle race on cobbled roads (or pavé) in northern France, held annually in early April. It is part of the UCI Women's World Tour . The equivalent men's race is a cycling monument , and after the Tour of Flanders and Liège–Bastogne–Liège , is the third to stage a women's edition. Paris–Roubaix is one of cycling's oldest races, and was first held in 1896. Paris–Roubaix
20-626: A Saturday in early April, with the men's race held the day after. The Paris–Roubaix Femmes course uses the same roads and cobbled sectors as the men's race – albeit over a shorter distance (around 120 to 150km) – before finishing in the Roubaix Velodrome . Editions of the race have so far started in Denain , with 17 sectors of pavé including the famed Carrefour de l'Arbre and the Mons-en-Pévèle – both ranked at "five stars" in difficulty. The course
30-431: A proposal was forwarded to split the single tiered UCI Women's team classification, into a two tiered system beginning in 2017. The premier division would consist of 10 teams who, like their male counterparts, will be required to compete in all World Tour events. The second tier will be similar to domestic men's teams (UCI Continental Teams). Initially the rankings will be based on the teams UCI rankings. One requirement of
40-460: A stage race. In July 2023, UCI Women’s World Tour announced a precautionary ban on trans women from competing. In comparison to the one-day race only World Cup, the Women's WorldTour will include stage races as well as one-day races, increasing the total number of race days to between 30 and 35. Events will also see an increase in the maximum distance which can be covered: from 130 to 140 kilometres for
50-455: A surprise addition to the revised 2020 UCI Women's World Tour calendar. The race was scheduled for 25 October 2020 , but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The first edition of Paris–Roubaix Femmes took place in 2021 , with Lizzie Deignan winning following a 80km solo attack described by commentators as one of the greatest Roubaix rides of all time. Paris–Roubaix Femmes is held on
60-465: Is famous for rough terrain, mud and cobblestones, or pavé ( setts ) – the race has been nicknamed l'enfer du Nord , or Hell of the North. Punctures and other mechanical problems are common and often influence the result. In the early 2000s, French cyclist Marion Clignet recalled asking if the organisers of Paris–Roubaix would organise a women's edition of the race, with Jean-Marie Leblanc (who worked for
70-471: Is maintained by Les Amis de Paris–Roubaix , a group of fans of the race formed in 1983. The forçats du pavé seek to keep the course safe for riders while maintaining its difficulty. Organisers noted they consider it "too dangerous" to include the five star cobbled sector Trouée d'Arenberg due to its proximity to the start in Denain, but they also noted that they "do not rule out that we will pass through ... in
80-578: The future". UCI Women%27s World Tour In order to increase the coverage of Women's cycling the UCI held a summit in December 2014 between the UCI Women's Working Group and the UCI Women's teams. The previous racing series, the UCI Women's Road World Cup , limited racing to 10 one-day events, whilst the Women's World Tour has a threefold increase in the total number of racing days. In order to facilitate this
90-441: The organisers) replying that they would not. In the late 2010s, the women's peloton pushed again for the race, with Iris Slappendel stating that "we would love to have a Paris–Roubaix". In 2018, Union Cycliste Internationale president David Lappartient pushed for the race, stating "I dream of a Paris–Roubaix Feminine" in an interview with L'Équipe . The announcement of the inaugural women's edition of Paris–Roubaix came as
100-463: The series is that all rounds are to be broadcast on live TV or via streaming, with race organisers creating media pages for each event in English and/or French. For one-day races teams must consist of up to six riders, with no fewer than four and for stage races, seven or eight with no fewer than five. Minimum prize money will also be included; €5130 for one day races or time trials and €2565 per day for
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