Tour de France director has nothing to say about women’s petition

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme, speaking to the press before Tuesday’s Stage 16 of this year’s event, dismissed a question about a group of women cyclists’ petitioning to become part of the race in 2014.

When asked by the Associated Press about the online petition and letter addressed to him about the topic, Prudhomme swatted the air with the back of his hand and answered, “We are saying nothing for the moment.”

Then, true to his word, he walked away.

Last week a group of accomplished female riders, including two-time Olympic gold medalist Marianne Vos, posted the petition and letter on Change.org in hopes, not to have women compete against men at the Tour, but to have a parallel racing field over the same distances over the same days.

“After a century, it is about time women are allowed to race the Tour de France, too,” the letter said.

The petition has topped 15,000 signatures.

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