On the 9th stage of the 2024 Tour de France this last stage of the first week is filled with difficulties As if 32.3 kilometers over gravel weren’t challenging enough the stage also winds through the Champagne vineyards over rolling terrain adding up to 2,000 meters of elevation gain The last stage before the first rest day is a real challenge While the riders won’t be climbing high mountains The 9th stage features 32.2 kilometers of gravel roads inspired by the 4th stage of the 2022 Tour de France Femmes from Troyes to Bar-sur-Aube Stage 9 of the 2024 Tour de France also starts in Troyes and begins with a flat 35 kilometers past Lac d’Orient and Vendeuvre-sur-Barse into the hills passing through vineyards and featuring four fourth-category climbs It’s only 1,200 meters long but leads directly into the category-4 climb Côte de Baroville (2.8 kilometers at 4.8%) earning a three-star difficulty rating from the race organizer A.S.O. similar to Paris-Roubaix’s cobblestones and Côte de Chacenay (3 kilometers at 4.3%) begins at the race’s midpoint is 9.6 kilometers before the finish in Troyes This stage is dreaded by many GC riders because it can’t win them the Tour but it can certainly cause them to lose it Mechanical issues or missing the right group could lead to significant time losses Similar stages in past editions of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour protecting their leader and keeping him close to his rivals will be crucial for the teams aiming for a good overall position The question remains if this will also be the case for Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) given that his teammate Carlos Rodriguez is seventh overall And will Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) get a chance to ride for himself or will he need to keep Jonas Vingegaard out of trouble Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is the favorite known for excelling in classics and gravel races as evidenced by his 2021 Strade Bianche victory With Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) out due to injury but Toms Skujiņš has shown strong performances on gravel Other contenders include Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) and Oier Lazkano (Movistar) they all need to watch out for Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) The Yellow Jersey wearer is uniquely suited to this ninth stage as demonstrated in the 2022 Roubaix stage of the Tour de France and Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) the aim will be to navigate the Chemins Blancs sections without losing time The stress before the start of this stage will be intense A negative mindset or fear can impact performance but UAE Team Emirates and Pogacar have an advantage as he takes things in stride and relishes such challenges Mathieu van der Poel’s Canyon Aeroad CFR: The Bike Behind His Spring Classic Wins Mathieu van der Poels Cyclocross Calendar 2024/2025 Season Review 2024: Great Success of Team Alpecin-Deceuninck Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Vos continues in yellow as GC contenders call a truce amid gravel chaos The four sectors of rough, white gravel duly caused chaos but Reusser took advantage of a moment of calm to launch a canny attack on the tarmac between the penultimate and final sectors Despite a fierce acceleration from Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) on the final sector and counter-attacks on the two remaining climbs on the run-in Reusser extended her lead all the way to the finish in Bar-sur-Aube She pointed to her jersey and raised her arms aloft as she crossed the line more than a minute ahead of anyone else Evita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ Futuroscope) claimed second place in a sprint from a chasing trio with Alena Amialusik (Canyon-SRAM) taking third place ahead of Veronica Ewers (EF Education-EasyPost) Race leader Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) led home the 20-rider group of general classification contenders at 1:40 to defend her overall lead with Mavi García (UAE Team ADQ) the biggest loser on a nightmare day that saw her puncture twice and then get hit by her own team car while trying to chase back on Other key names to puncture included Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ Futuroscope) Longo Borghini even finished on the rainbow bike of her teammate Elisa Balsamo the world champion coming to her leader's rescue on the final sector before Ellen van Dijk dragged her - and Van Vleuten - back into contention in the finale Most of the big names - minus García - were back in the yellow jersey group of 20 riders by that point and they neutralised each other come the finish Amialusik had attacked as that group reformed on the tarmac who shot across the gap on the last of six short climbs on the 126km route who only sailed further into the distance on the final climb before dipping down into Bar-sur-Aube and savouring her success in the final kilometre "The team had the plan to make a hard race and not let it come down to an easy final but then this team always has an aggressive and open race strategy I was really the lucky one who could go today On what promised to be a hectic second half of the stage the riders didn't allow themselves a calm beginning  There were some dangerous names among the early breakaway attempts First the World Champion Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) got herself into in a 25-rider move that was soon stamped out by Movistar threatened to slip away - another one that was soon stamped out with three riders moving clear: Coralie Demay (St Laura Asencio (Ceratizit-WNT) and Valerie Demey (Liv Racing Xstra) They established a lead of three minutes by the intermediate sprint at kilometre-60 where Demey took maximum points before Wiebes made green jersey gains from the bunch with the first of four sectors coming with just under 60km to go The first one - the 2300-metre Chemin Blanc de Celles - came at the top of the day's first categorised climb the cat-3 Côte de Celles-sur-Ource - 1.1km at 8.9% The breakaway trio hit the climb with a lead of 90 seconds but Demey was dropped towards the top as Demay pipped Asencio to the mountains points Movistar led the peloton onto the gravel and an already-stretched bunch began to split and reduce There were no attacks or decisive splits but the bunch did reduced to around 30 riders although a lull back on the tarmac saw it expand once again With 50km to go came the next difficulties and once again the second gravel sector was preceded immediately by the Côte de Val de Clos climb with an average gradient of 8.8% over 900 metres but double-digit pitches near the top Demay sprang out of the saddle to drop Asencio and go it alone onto the 3200-metre gravel sector of Hautes Forets with Strade Bianche champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) among the big names dropped He teammate Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio led over the top before teammate Reusser took over with Vos isolated but ever-vigilant in third wheel Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) came to the fore for the gravel The bunch was reduced to 30 riders but once again swelled after a lull on the other side The third sector was where the chaos began Stage 3 winner Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ Futuroscope) was the first in trouble getting a wheel change from a teammate before clawing her way back at the same time as García drifted back to get a bike change SD Worx were piling on the pressure as the gravel track tilted uphill Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) had to get a bike change as well and García to regain contact as the peloton swelled to 50 riders Reusser anticipated with an attack ahead of the final sector at Vitry which was also preceded by a nasty cat-4 climb - 900m at 6.9% Niewiadoma accelerated on the incline and led the bunch onto the 3000-metre sector 20 seconds behind Reusser with García flatting again and having to grab teammate Erica Magnaldi's bike Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Balsamo also fell victim to mechanical issues Niewiadoma continued to face the issue with a blistering sustained acceleration Reusser led back onto the tarmac with 17km to go with a lead of just under half a minute over a group of 12 riders led by Niewiadoma and Vos SD Worx had their leaders there but a rider up the road Canyon-SRAM had two with Niewiadoma but chose to send Amialusik on the attack while Van Dijk dragged the dropped Longo Borghini - plus Van Vleuten and others - back to make a group of 25 there were more troubles for García who was hit by her team car while trying to chase back but waved goodbye to any hope of winning the stage or finishing in the yellow jersey group Reusser extended her lead to 35 seconds as Muzic hunted down and linked up with Amialusik The Côte des Bergeres (1.7km at 5.1%) carried bonus seconds and Reusser led over the top as Ewers attacked to make it a chasing trio at 45 seconds with the yellow jersey group 20 seconds further back The final climb in the last 5km was the cat-4 Côte du Val Perdu (1.8 km at 4%) and Reusser didn't falter extending her lead to over a minute and making victory a formality Results powered by FirstCycling Patrick FletcherSocial Links NavigationPatrick is a freelance sports writer and editor He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish) Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023 “You have to be realistic with the climbs coming this weekend,” Vos said of the race’s finale in the Vosges mountains. “Normally, the GC riders will be very strong and take a lot of time, so it’s a different kind of racing at the weekend. I’m very happy to wear the yellow jersey now.” Read moreAs Jumbo-Visma’s Vos retained the yellow jersey the Olympic silver medallist Marlen Reusser of Team SD Worx won stage four after attacking alone with 20km to race as the leading group exited the final gravel section of a chaotic stage from Troyes to Bar-sur-Aube moved to the front on the Cote de Vitry climb shortly before the final section of white road the last of four gruelling gravel tracks through the sloping vineyards Although the Swiss was pursued by three riders – Evita Muzic Veronica Ewers and Alena Amialiusik – over the final climbs the Cote des Burgers and the Cote du Val Perdu she retained her lead and rode into Bar-sur-Aube with an advantage of well over a minute “The goal was to make a hard race,” Reusser said “When we entered the first gravel sections we weren’t always that well-positioned but slowly but surely we rode from the front and created the situation we wanted France’s Laura Asencio leads the way through a gravel section on stage four we always keep them in front and see they are there but this team has an aggressive or open race strategy so everybody in the team is allowed to do something and I think this stage suits the kind of rider I am While Vos survived and even excelled on the dirt sections the stage three winner Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig was forced to change bikes on the 4.4km steady climb of the Chemin du Plateau de Blu The most battered and bruised of the overall contenders was UAE Team’s Mavi García who endured no less than three technical problems and then suffered the indignity of being knocked off her bike by her own team car Thursday’s stage, of 175.6km from Bar-le-Duc to Saint-Die-des-Vosges is the longest in the 2022 Tour de France Femmes and also exceeds the world governing body’s (UCI) maximum distance for women’s racing of 160km “It’s a very long stage,” Vos acknowledged “but I don’t think it will make much of a difference because of the length All the girls that are here are very well trained and on the highest level it will get in the legs and maybe in the final it will make a difference It’s a long stage and a lot of things can happen.” The RouteWhen the route of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was announced it became clear that the ASO takes the women’s pro peloton very seriously This is not a token event to entertain the crowd while they wait for the men’s peloton to arrive eight-day event that will cover everything from wind-swept plains This is not the first time there has been a multi-stage Tour de France for women but it is the first time in over a generation that it has taken on such a demanding parcours Starting in Paris on the final day of the men’s Tour it traces its way 1033 kilometers through northeastern France arriving on the final day for a dramatic finish at the top of the Super Planche des Belles Filles The RosterFactor-sponsored Team Parkhotel Valkenburg has a strong group of established and up-and-coming riders who have the right mix of qualities to be aggressive in every stage Nicole Frain has recently signed with the team and the Tour de France Femmes will be her first time racing in a Parkhotel Valkenburg jersey She recently took 9th at the very challenging Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour so we should not be surprised to see her national jersey with matching Factor O2 VAM near the front of the race Femke Markus has been with the team since 2019 and has already added two victories to her palmarès this year including an impressive win at the Leiedal Koerse where she won in a three-up sprint She should be a rider the team can count on to be at the head of affairs especially on days like stage 4 to Bar-sur-Aube which has a definite classics-style parcours Another strong rider with a recent success to her name Femke Gerritse took 3rd place overall at the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour Her result there was underpinned by her strong performances in the hillier stages of which she’ll find plenty at the Tour de France Femmes Mischa Bredewold recently podiumed at the Netherland’s U23 time trial championships which reinforced the excellent impression she left after taking 6th place in the Bretagne Ladies Tour CERATIZIT this past May Mischa will surely prove to be an asset to the team over the course of the difficult eight stages The 22-year old Anne van Rooijen and 23-year old Quinty Schoens round out the roster bringing both a youthful exuberance and extremely strong cycling legs to help out the team and take their opportunities whenever they pop up The bikeFactor Bikes have been proud sponsors of Team Parkhotel Valkenburg since 2018 the team has been successful in mentoring several top-level pros among them Lorena Wiebes and Demi Vollering both of whom have gone on to great successes Team Parkhotel Valkenburg continues its great work developing fresh talent while racing at the top level of the sport and we are happy to play our role in their success the team will continue to ride the exceptional Factor O2 VAM which is not only a lightweight climbing bike but well able to handle the rigors of the gravel that will highlight stage 4 as well as handle the crosswinds that will likely impact the flatter stages in the northeast of the country We are thrilled to be a part of this inaugural Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift with such a strong group of riders on our bikes © 2025 Factor Bikes. All rights reserved / Privacy Policy |Terms Fresh from re-electing Emmanuel Macron as president on 24 April 2022 French voters are now returning to the polls on the 12 and 19 June to elect a new parliament presidential and legislative elections were held on two separate cycles But this could lead to ‘cohabitation’ – where the President was of a different party or bloc to the parliamentary majority and Prime Minister they have been lined up so that elections to the National Assembly happen shortly after the new presidential term begins but has led to a sustained and significant decline in turnout for legislative elections – the French electorate don’t seem that enthused about having to go to the polling station four times in three months The 577 deputies of the French National Assembly are elected by the non-proportional Two-Round System in single-member constituencies – with 539 elected in France, 27 representing France’s ‘overseas’ territories and 11 chosen by French citizens living abroad French citizens living in Britain make up the overwhelming majority of the ‘third overseas residents’ group though it also contains Ireland and the Nordic and Baltic countries the Two-Round System that is used to elect the National Assembly differs slightly from the ‘standard’ version that is used to elect the French President If no candidate wins a majority of votes in the first round the top two candidates still proceed to a second ‘run-off’ election but additional candidates can also get through if they win votes equivalent to 12.5% of registered voters – which given average turnouts over the last 20 years Having multiple candidates in a second round is quite rare and these constituencies are often decided by a plurality rather than a majority of voters surrounding the town of the town of Bar-sur-Aube was the only seat to have a three-way run-off in 2017 being won by Macron’s En Marche on just 36% of the vote In the unlikely event of a second-round election ending in an exact tie the seat is awarded to the older candidate – a quirk of French politics dating back to the 18th century A shift to PR wouldn’t be particularly alien to France, who already use proportional or semi-proportional systems to elect their regional councils, municipal councils with over 1,000 inhabitants and France’s members of the European Parliament. Just shy of three dozen individual parties sit in the 2017 National Assembly. It is also relentlessly unstable. 15 years ago, roughly two-thirds voted for the Socialists and the UMP (now the Republicans). In April, their candidates got just 7% between them in the presidential first round. Source: https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Legislatives/elecresult__legislatives-2017/(path)/legislatives-2017//FE.html Parties often campaign together in ad hoc alliances and sit as parliamentary groups in the National Assembly, rather than as individual parties. And just because two parties are in the same electoral alliance, that doesn’t mean they’ll sit together in the same group. The ‘presidential majority’ alliance in this election is the centre-right Ensemble, which is primarily comprised of Macron’s La République En Marche! and the smaller, centrist MoDem. In 2017, the alliance won a 123-seat majority from less than a third of the first-round vote. Although polling even lower this time, the combination of the Two-Round Vote with their relative centrism could still hand them a majority. Their main opposition is the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (NUPES), an alliance of all significant left-of-centre parties. It hopes to build on the unexpectedly strong performance of left-wing populist Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the presidential first round and enforce cohabitation on Macron. Aside from Mélenchon’s La France Insoumise, the other key parties in the bloc are The Greens, the centre-left Socialist Party and the Communist Party. The other interesting battle is for third place. Le Pen’s National Rally might have secured a record result in the presidential election and are, indeed, polling at a clear third place in vote terms. But the Two-Round System will make it difficult to translate this support into more than a small parliamentary group. Instead, the third largest bloc is likely to be the Union of the Right and Centre (UDC), largely made up of the conservative Republicans and the moderate UDI. In the event that neither Ensemble nor NUPES win a majority, Macron will likely have to turn to the UDC parties for parliamentary support. Four Combined Authority mayors will be elected on 1 May 2025, but changes to the rules could see mayors taking power with little public support locally. Voters are going to the polls in the following... Women’s equal representation in Parliament matters for a host of reasons. From the simple fact that 50% of us are women – to research that points to improved decision-making when women are involved in leadership,... The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) is an independent, non-partisan organisation leading the campaign for your democratic rights. Take your place among the ERS Members who support our work in parliament, in the press and online – for how we can fix Westminster's broken system. A company limited by guarantee. registered in London, no. 958404. All content © 2017 Electoral Reform Society Well it is finally here! The highly anticipated Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift—the women’s Tour de France—kicks off this Sunday 24 July. As the men’s race concludes, the women will begin their eight-day battle around France. Here is an overview of the event and what to expect so you are up to speed for the first stage.   As with the men’s tour, the biggest prize is the yellow jersey, which is awarded to the rider with the fastest cumulative time after the 8 stages.   A post shared by Le Tour de France Femmes (@letourfemmes) There will be a total of 144 riders taking part, across 24 teams. With the prospect of racing in the first Tour de Femmes and going down in history with a stage win (or even overall), the race is set to be hotly contested. Given their current form, a few riders to keep an eye on include: A post shared by Elisa Balsamo (@elisa.balsamo) There are 8 Aussie women listed to be at the start line A post shared by Nicole Louise Frain 🙃 🇦🇺 (@_nicolelouise_) Catch the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift live and free to air on SBS or at https://www.sbs.com.au/sport/topic/cycling  Daily updates and great content can be found at https://cyclingtips.com/  Become a Member and help fund our advocacy work The Great Victorian Bike Ride is set to return in 2025 on 24–28 November offering an exciting new format while keeping the spirit of this beloved event alive Bicycle Network Memberships offer benefits to all kinds of riders The Peaks Challenge Ride2School fundraiser is on again for this year's epic event on Sunday 9 March The City of Adelaide will undertake a speed limit review to understand the need for reducing speeds to support business and residents and create a safer city environment Work on the much-anticipated $38.9 million Sydney Harbour Bridge ramp upgrade has begun the bike lane will link the country's most famous bridge to the bike network in Milsons Point we launched our Affiliate Membership program specially designed for cycling groups and clubs Orange in New South Wales is in line for a nice new stretch of bike path one that will expand the off-road network and improve access to schools Work has kicked off on a key Canberra bike route setting the wheels in motion for safer and more pleasant journeys through the city’s northern suburbs In a submission to the federal government’s draft National Urban Policy Bicycle Network and seven other Australian bicycle organisations have called for active transport infrastructure funding to be increased to 10% of federal transport investment Many of our best bike journeys are along coastlines or up and down the creeks and rivers that meet the sea But with rising sea levels some of this vital infrastructure is at threat of inundation erosion and from changes in groundwater chemistry Via Francigena On 1 October 2022, Edgar Le Bras set off from Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris with the aim of arriving in Jerusalem. Edgar knows the Via Francigena very well: he worked with us in 2021 as an AEVF intern, preparing the great Road to Rome 2021 march He set a goal of 8 months to reach Jerusalem on foot, walking stages of around 25 kilometres per day. Once in Rome, he will continue on the Via Francigena in Southern Italy to Bari, where he will take the boat to Tirana in Albania and continue his expedition following the Via Egnatia through Macedonia to finish the last stretch from northern Israel to Jerusalem he joined the Via Francigena in Bar-sur-Aube On 17 October he arrived in Haute-Saône and received a warm welcome in Leffond before arriving in Champlitte Edgar contacted the municipalities along the route and the network of scouts and guides to which he belongs EAVF actively supports Edgar’s project as a promoting partner and invites all municipalities and friend associations along his route to welcome him and organise meetings to support the important motivation of his journey: to highlight the theme of peace between peoples walk part of the itinerary and get to know Edgar help him find hospitality and share with him part of this great adventure If you would like to follow him and/or walk a few kilometres do not hesitate to contact him on his social networks Facebook: En avant Jerusalem 2023 Instagram: enavantjerusalem2023 Share this articleand follow us on social media: 👉🏻 Itinerary 👉🏻 Where to sleep 👉🏻 I ❤️ Francigena 👉🏻 The Via by bicycle 👉🏻 Events Calendar The European Association of the Via Francigena unites municipalities and countries crossed by the Via Francigena We’re always on the lookout for new partners who share our values and who want to help us promote sustainable travel across Europe F.A.Q © Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene | C.F. 91029880340 – P.IVA 02654910344 Powered by ItinerAria Privacy | Cookie Policy  | Legal Notice  © Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene | C.F Powered by ItinerAria Kasia Niewiadoma express conflicting views ahead of stage 4's off-road outing to Bar-Sur-Aube Spectators will be treated to one of the most anticipated days at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift when the world-class cyclists barrel across the gravel roads of the Champagne region on stage 4 into Bar-Sur-Aube on Wednesday It will undoubtedly provide a dramatic backdrop for the race excitement for the spectators to watch at the side of the road and on the live broadcast but the top riders in the peloton have conflicting views on whether gravel - or cobbles for that matter - should be included in a high-profile stage race like the Tour de France Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) is a key favourite for the overall title and a self-professed lover of gravel races like Strade Bianche Still she feels that there is a time and a place for gravel and that time and place isn't stage races "I don't look forward to the gravel day to be honest I love it in Strade Bianche but I don't like it so much if you have GC ambitions," Van Vleuten said "It's a bit unnecessary that it can be decided by bad luck and that's not what I look forward to But I always have this thing of ‘don’t think about bad luck then it’s not happening’.” Van Vleuten has been vocal about her distaste for gravel in stage races before where she was forced to run up Seggiano gravel climb on  stage 2 into Arcidosso She won the stage and the overall title that year The route planned for stage 4 at the Tour de France Femmes includes a total of 12.9km of gravel far less gravel than Strade Bianche's 31.4 kilometres of gravel The race heads out of Troyes and into the Parc Naturel de la Forêt d'Orient and over the Lac d'Orient before travelling south toward the one and only intermediate sprint at Bar-our-Seine (60.4km).  It is at the midway point of the race that the peloton will meet the gravel and climbing where we can expect to see attacks and separations in the field There are four gravel sectors - Chemin blanc de Celles (2.3km) Chemin blanc des Hautes Forêts (3.2km) Chemin blanc du Plateau (4.4km) and Chemin blanc de Vitry (3km) Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) told Cyclingnews that the gravel sectors add another variable that plays into team strengths She said that she revels in the gravel stage from let's say VeloViewer or just having done online research I would say that it wasn't something dangerous or special I can definitely tell you that a lot could happen just even taking into consideration somebody getting a puncture in the wrong place or getting into trouble and it's hard stage," said Niewiadoma currently third overall at the Tour de France Femmes after the first three stages "I will say that it is comparable to Strade Bianche maybe we don't have as many gravel roads or kilometres in total But definitely it's gonna be hard because I feel like something will be happening constantly in the last a 80km so maybe it won't have a huge impact on GC but I feel like you can lose there Niewiadoma believes that cycling is changing and frequently seeing new elements added to races such as the gravel stage at Tour de France Femmes and the Paris-Roubaix cobbled sectors added to the Tour de France is good for the sport from an athletic and spectator standpoint I feel like cycling is changing and it's impossible to please everyone I feel like gravel roads allow you to discover more of your abilities or bike skills and it's I feel like it just like adding extra thing that somebody enjoys and somebody's not Simon Clarke (Israel-Premier Tech) won the Roubaix stage 4 at the Tour de France earlier in July beating Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies) Niewiadoma was watching on live broadcast and enjoyed the new challenge offered to that event I've noticed that anytime they are about to face something different or some difficulties It something that you feel excites you in some ways I would never find them dangerous," Niewiadoma said "It's fun and I feel like – for the riders I mean – maybe there are some who are against it but I feel like it's fun racing with gravel because it's so different." Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006 Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023 the women’s version of the Tour de France featured 144 riders from 24 teams racing 1,029km and two mountain stages with a summit finale at La Planche des Belles Filles Here are some of our favourite images from 8 exhilarating stages Photograph: Matthieu Mirville/DPPI/Shutterstock Photograph: Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Shutterstock Photograph: Zac Williams/SWpix.com//Shutterstock Overall leader has luck on her side on gravel stage into Bar-Sur-Aube Marianne Vos got through the gravel on stage 4 unscathed to finish fifth and maintained her lead in the overall classification at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.  "Of course you have to be realistic and with the climbs coming up this weekend the GC riders are very strong and will take a lot of time It's a different kind of racing on the weekend but I'm very happy to wear the yellow jersey now," Vos said Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) took a solo victory on the 126km race that included 12km of gravel and steep ascents before reaching Bar-Sur-Aube Vos lost no time in the GC but said that it was partly luck on her side that she didn't experience crashes of mechanicals during the race like some of her rivals Asked about the potential challenges of including gravel sectors into stages of the Tour de France Femmes If you get through it nicely then you would say We spent a lot of energy to stay in front with the team especially before the gravel sections and climbs "I can image that for the riders that go for general classification and I hope that everyone came through OK." Vos has been attending the post-race press conferences fielding press interviews several times a day all while trying to recover from the efforts of racing She admitted that wearing the yellow jersey is both important and difficult at the same time Her Jumbo-Visma teammates supported Jonas Vingegaard to win the overall title at the Tour de France last weekend and she said they've given her some insight "Especially because we always hear from the guys about the Tour de France there is a lot going on and not much time left but it's also true with every stage race that is important," Vos said and that's the main thing we are looking at The team behind me is very important; to get the nutrition right and especially try to sleep well is the most important." 175.6km from Bar-le-Duc to Saint-Dié-des-Vosges This is the longest stage of the Tour de France Femmes and reaches beyond the distance limits set for women's stage races by the UCI Women's one-day races have been frequently reaching the 160km plus distances have occasionally been including 170km stages into their routes Vos doesn't see the distance as a challenge for the world-class peloton racing at the Tour de France Femmes "It's a very long stage but I don't think it will make much of a difference because of the length All the riders are well trained at the highest level and they can cover this distance and maybe the final it will make a difference," she said There might be sprinter teams interested in sprints and other teams interested in a breakaway Medievalists.net What lessons for economic development can we draw from the Champagne fairs Abstract: The medieval Champagne fairs are widely used to draw lessons about the institutional basis for long-distance impersonal exchange This paper re-examines the causes of the outstanding success of the Champagne fairs in mediating international trade the timing and causes of the fairs’ decline and the institutions for securing property rights and enforcing contracts at the fairs It finds that contract enforcement at the fairs did not take the form of private-order or corporative mechanisms the success and decline of the Champagne fairs depended on the policies adopted by the public authorities — for good or ill Introduction: The Champagne fairs were a cycle of trade fairs held annually in the county of Champagne a polity governed almost autonomously (despite formal vassalage to France) until annexed to the French kingdom in 1285 reached their zenith in the thirteenth century and declined to mere regional markets after c the Champagne fairs took place six times a year and rotated among four towns – Bar-sur-Aube Provins and Troyes – none of which was a major merchant center in its own right followed by a break for merchants to move on to the next fair so the Champagne fair-cycle constituted an almost continuous market throughout the year a notable advantage over many other medieval fairs Although merchants from many countries traded many goods at the Champagne fairs the core business was the exchange of cloth and wool supplied by Flemish and French traders for spices and luxuries provided by Italian and Provençal merchants The Italian presence also fostered financial sophistication and the fairs increasingly attracted international payment and exchange services The Champagne fairs operated as the undisputed fulcrum of international exchange in Europe for much of the thirteenth century Click here to read this article from the Social Science Research Network We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast and remove the advertising on our platforms This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce Member Login reflected on the difference between then and now.Stage 4 of the Tour de France Femmes continues tonight with a hilly 126.8 kilometre stage from Troyes to Bar-Sur-Aube Watch the action from the early time of 10:15pm (AEST) on the SBS SKODA Tour Tracker before SBS and SBS On Demand coverage begins from 10:30pm (AEST).Full transcript from our special SBS Cycling podcast edition with Inga Thompson is below.Christophe Mallet: "I'm here with Inga Thompson You were one of the trailblazers of women's cycling in the 80s".Inga Thompson: "It was really difficult because we didn't have a lot of teams and a lot of support and we weren't paid And we would work several jobs in order to make enough money to go to the next race and to try to train while you were still racing.When we came to the Tour de France we had to get our own plane tickets and you got here and this was before the cell phone and before GPS and before you just got on an airplane and you said goodbye to your mother and your father some nickels in your pocket to call your parents to put into the payphone it was the skirt races and all the reasons why we shouldn't be racing of the UCI - they were telling us that they were probably going to start mandating if you started your menstrual cycle they weren't going to allow you to race READ MORE5 things we learned from Stage 3 of Tour de France Femmes Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.Get the latest with our sport podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.Watch on SBS SportSport News By 2022-07-21T12:11:00+01:00 Every available minute will be broadcast live on its platforms Discovery has revealed its broadcast plans for the inaugural Tour de France Femmes and every available minute produced by the Amaury Sports Organisation will be broadcast live on discovery+ the Asia-Pacific region (except Australia) Latin America and Middle-East and North Africa regions The mixed reality Cube studio, which was used for the first time in cycling during the men’s Tour de France this year Former professional cyclist Iris Slappendel will report from within the peloton much as Bradley Wiggins does for the men’s race Laura Meseguer and Manon Lloyd will be onsite to speak with the cyclists and Dani Rowe (UK) and Dani Christmas (UK) Jip van den Bos (Netherlands) and Dori Ruano (Spain) will provide commentary analysis in their local languages and analysis will be available through the Eurosport website and there will be in-depth race coverage through shows such as The Breakaway and exclusive weekly World of Cycling Show on GCN+ The GCN+ App will be home to interactive trivia and preview content including rider analysis as well as original documentaries such as Life and the Circle of Death; and Trailblazers.  There will also be an on air campaign to promote the competition on Warner Bros Kasia Niewiadoma and Elisa Balsamo posing with the famed yellow jersey they will be vying for each day Chennaoui said: “We are at a place where we will all see a genuinely exciting race I think the stories in women’s cycling are so much more colourful and textured There is more depth to them because a lot of women have had to live separate lives as well as on the bike which makes you identify with the riders even as you worship their greatness “We’re also aware of the importance of this place in sporting history and that brings a responsibility on all of our shoulders to get this right I am genuinely so excited to be working on this for Warner Bros Discovery Sports - it’s going to be such a massive week of racing.” Slappendel added: “We all know that it’s a massive thing that the Tour de France Femmes is here I’m looking forward to seeing very exciting racing every day but also being able to really capture the atmosphere I think it’s great that I can do that now for eight days in a row it’s nice to know your achievements are visible It’s really important that we can watch this live and that there are experts in every country to report on the race The riders can really show themselves and that will have an impact on their careers.” Meseguer commented: “After covering six editions of the Tour de France and almost 20 Grand Tours I have this feeling of being part of something huge “To have the privilege of being on site and part of this historic moment in the sport and to say that I’m proud of our sport being diverse and inclusive to have the best athletes in these eight days of competition Broadcaster will air live Hundred matches and highlights of international cricket It takes a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of four Formula E drivers during Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship 101 games will be made available live and on-demand during the 2025 season Site powered by Webvision Cloud The inaugural Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift live route has been revealed this morning Tour director Marion Rousse and ASO’s Christian Prudhomme announced the route at the Palais des Congrès in Paris ‘Women’s cycling has evolved year after year and it’s an honour to be part of it,’ said Rousse ‘This race is a real jewel that we have to cherish.’ The historic race will see riders compete in eight stages and cover 1,029km Stage 1: Tour Eiffel – Champs Elysees 82km Stage 4: Troyes – Bar-sur-Aube 126km Stage 5: Bar-le-Duc – Saint-die-des-Vosges 175km Stage 6: Saint-die-des-Vosges – Rosheim 128km Stage 7: Selestat – Le Markstein 127km Stage 8: Lure – La Super Planche des Belles Filles 123km The Champs-Élysées has hosted the final stage of the Tour since 1975 and will be where the first bouquet of the Tour de France Femmes will be awarded This stage has a tricky final loop so expect a sprint finish The third stage will include five categorized ascents including a 900m climb at 12% at Côte de Mutigny to finish in Épernay France’s champagne region hosts the fourth stage which will take in four gravel tracks and six climbs The longest stage of the race has plenty of undulating roads and three climbs to set the peloton on fire The sixth stage is positioned for breakaway riders and has a climb with 10km to go before heading to three very difficult climbs in the form of Le Petit Ballon Col du Platzerwasel and finally Le Grand Ballon Lure to La Super Planche des Belles-Filles The final stage of the historic Tour de France Femmes includes La Ballon d’Alsace climb and a 24% gradient at the finish. ‘It’s brutal with high gradients and it will come after seven days of racing so there will be big gaps at the finish,’ says Marion Rousse the 2022 Tour de France Femmes looks set to be an exciting hopefully one that earns a permanent place in the cycling calendar You must be logged in to post a comment To manage an existing Cyclist magazine subscription, please visit Manage your account or visit our subscription FAQ page. To subscribe, or for other enquiries, please contact us Sign up to the Cyclist newsletter to receive curated emails direct to your inbox Sign up to our newsletter Log in to access Cyclist Rides using your email pertaining to your subscription Don't forget a subscription to Cyclist includes: Log in to post comments and use Ask Cyclist our AI platform that answers your questions based on our articles Register to comment on our latest articles Occasional emails from selected third-party sponsors and advertisers Please enter your username or email address to reset your password and in the village of Essoyes in the Aube region of Champagne Renoir (1841-1919) spent his summers here with his family bought by the village from Renoir’s great-granddaughter in 2012 and since restored opens to the public today."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Local women no longer wash their clothes in Renoir’s beloved River Ource but otherwise the village has changed little visually the church tower rises paternally over red roofs; it is pretty working village where the château is now"},"children":[]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" a school and the stables have become the Renoir Centre offering an excellent introduction to the artist and his family."},"children":[]}]}]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Essoyes was where Renoir’s wife She spent years trying to get him to come here (it would be too quiet When they finally arrived in 1888 they never looked back I have no trouble imagining their family summers The sitting room doubled as Renoir’s workspace until the garden studio (also open) was built in 1905 to give the artist by then crippled with rheumatoid arthritis the children’s toys vied for space with the artist’s easel separated by a screen."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Upstairs are three bedrooms: the children’s; Renoir’s The kitchen is still graced with the family’s table and their unusual wooden dresser Aline was a great cook who fed their many guests and produced picnics of the sort made famous by her husband’s paintings growing and arranging the flowers and produce in the house and in Renoir’s paintings “Renoir would paint fruit in the morning and in the afternoon Aline would make it into a pie.”"}}]},{"name":"ad","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"And a village of vineyard workers and champagne producers so the Renoir Centre has paired ten local champagnes with Renoir paintings There’s fun to be had discovering champagne through art and deciding if the delicate flavours of the bubbly match Renoir’s colourful pictures."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Two of the wines can be tasted within the village Mercuzot champagne (at good prices) is made just metres from Renoir’s home and its fresh Cuvée Marion is matched with Renoir’s delightful "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"The Swing"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" in Charles Collin’s shop opposite the Renoir Centre has a rounded flavour suited to its pairing with Renoir’s warm double portrait "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Gabrielle and Jean"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Gabrielle joined the Renoir family as nanny to baby Jean and became the child’s dearest companion and Renoir’s favourite model Her image graces the posters for this summer’s Renoir exhibition in the Museum of Modern Art in nearby Troyes "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Another Renoir"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" It highlights Renoir’s influence on Picasso (who owned seven Renoirs) and “After impressionism he wasn’t sure what direction to take,” says the co-curator Daphné Castano and a renewal of his painting.”"}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Next door to the museum in Troyes I find a different feast of arts in the cathedral’s 1,500 sq m of stained glass with superb examples from the 13th to the 19th centuries Wandering in the 16th-century streets of colourful half-timbered houses Tucked between the houses are churches full of stories thick with stained glass."}}]},{"name":"inlineAd1","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Heading out of town to the sleepy streets of Nogent-sur-Seine Claudel is best known as Auguste Rodin’s lover and is played by Izia Higelin in the new film "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Rodin"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" which has had its premiere at Cannes."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"She was an artist in her own right and her talent was first spotted in this small town by the sculptor Alfred Boucher newly opened museum sets the context for sculpture at the time before displaying a collection of works by Claudel The Rodinesque head she made before she met him is particularly intriguing."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Naturally there is also a Cuvée Camille Claudel — a new blend by a local champagne house — which will be launched on July 2 each dedicated to one of the Renoir champagnes restaurant and bar terrace have a lovely view over the village Right on the cathedral square next door to the Museum of Modern Art this fabulous property was the home and studio of the stained-glass master Louis-Germain Vincent-Larcher B&B doubles are from €170 a night."}}]},{"name":"inlineAd2","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"bold","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Need to know"}}]},{"name":"break","children":[]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Juliet Rix was a guest of Aube tourist office (aube-champagne.com) Entry to Renoir’s House ("}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"renoir-essoyes.com"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://renoir-essoyes.com"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") is €9 Entry to Another Renoir ("}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"musees-troyes.com"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://www.musees-troyes.com/"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"en.tourisme-troyes.com"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://en.tourisme-troyes.com/"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") is €5.50 For Eurostar to Paris and the TER from Paris to Troyes: uk.voyages-sncf.com Nogent-Sur-Seine is the stop before Troyes Some buses run between Troyes and Essoyes"}}]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":200})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Pierre-Auguste Renoir said that a good painting was one that you wanted to walk into northern France","id":"30af1802-46e5-11e7-a901-fbc155c10c07","label":"EUROPE","publicationName":"TIMES","publishedTime":"2017-06-02T23:01:00.000Z","updatedTime":"2017-06-02T23:04:10.000Z","section":null,"shortIdentifier":"dlfbfhll7","shortHeadline":"A weekend in northern France","seoDescription":"Pierre-Auguste Renoir said that a good painting was one that you wanted to walk into I find myse","slug":"a-weekend-in-essoyes-northern-france","categoryPath":"/travel/destinations/europe-travel/france/a-weekend-in-essoyes-northern-france-dlfbfhll7","__typename":"Article"},"Image:902ea62f-75e0-47dd-9733-6323330bb437":{"caption":"The pretty centre of Essoyes in the Aube department northeastern France","credits":"ALAMY","title":"Half timbered houses in the village of Essoyes northern FranceJuliet RixSaturday June 03 2017 The TimesThe pretty centre of Essoyes in the Aube department northeastern FranceALAMYJuliet RixSaturday June 03 2017 The TimesPierre-Auguste Renoir said that a good painting was one that you wanted to walk into Local women no longer wash their clothes in Renoir’s beloved River Ource working village where the château is now a school and the stables have become the Renoir Centre offering an excellent introduction to the artist and his family it became the home to which they always returned; the whole family are buried in the peaceful cemetery two minutes away A sculpture on Renoir’s graveALAMYEntering the Renoir home Upstairs are three bedrooms: the children’s; Renoir’s “Renoir would paint fruit in the morning and in the afternoon Aline would make it into a pie.” and deciding if the delicate flavours of the bubbly match Renoir’s colourful pictures Two of the wines can be tasted within the village Mercuzot champagne (at good prices) is made just metres from Renoir’s home and its fresh Cuvée Marion is matched with Renoir’s delightful The Swing 40 Renoirs will be displayed in the old archbishop’s palace in a cobbled courtyard beneath the walls of the city’s gothic cathedral Next door to the museum in Troyes I find a different feast of arts in the cathedral’s 1,500 sq m of stained glass Heading out of town to the sleepy streets of Nogent-sur-Seine and is played by Izia Higelin in the new film Rodin The Rodinesque head she made before she met him is particularly intriguing That’s something to raise a glass to before heading back on the train Les Demoiselles has a pool and bar terraceThe budget hotelLes Demoiselles in Essoyes (les-demoiselles- essoyes.com) has just reopened with a new wing of ten simple yet elegant rooms Jardin de la Cathédrale is on the cathedral square next door to the Museum of Modern ArtThe luxury hotelJardin de la Cathédrale in Troyes (jardindelacathedrale.com) opens on June 21 Need to knowJuliet Rix was a guest of Aube tourist office (aube-champagne.com). Entry to Renoir’s House (renoir-essoyes.com) is €9. Entry to Another Renoir (musees-troyes.com, en.tourisme-troyes.com) is €5.50 Bis di Marijn Van Den Berg al Tour de l’Avenir 2021 già vincitore l’altro ieri della terza tappa si è imposto anche sul traguardo di Bar-sur-Aube precedendo in volata il connazionale Ottimo terzo posto per Luca Colnaghi (Italia) che precede Lewis Askey (Gran Bretagna) e Lukas Kubis (Slovacchia) Con questo risultato Mick Van Dijke conserva la sua maglia gialla distanziato di 7″ e all’altro connazionale Casper Van Uden a 10″ Dopo alcuni attacchi sul primo GPM di giornata la fuga si forma solo dopo la scollinamento con un quintetto che riesce a evadere dal gruppo Maximilian Schmidbauer (Austria) Aljaz Jarc (Slovenia) e Louis Coqueret (Grand Est-Hauts de France) Con la pioggia che cade a intermittenza sulla corsa il quintetto di testa raggiunge un vantaggio massimo che sfiora i 4 minuti Belgio e Paesi Bassi che a turno lavorano in testa al gruppo I fuggitivi entrano negli ultimi 40 chilometri con un vantaggio di poco superiore ai 2 minuti con Thomas Schellenberg che a quel punto decide di voler salutare i compagni di avventura e prova ad attaccare a più riprese con Coqueret che alla fine non riesce a tenere il ritmo e ai poco più di 20 chilometri dal traguardo viene ripreso dal plotone che comincia ad avvicinarsi ai quattro battistrada Sull’ultima salita provano ad allungare Aljaz Jarc e Sebastian Kolze Changizi mentre gli altri due attaccanti vengono riassorbiti dal gruppo I due provano a resistere ma vengono ripresi dentro l’ultimo chilometro dal plotone lanciato verso lo sprint Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato email e sito web in questo browser per la prossima volta che commento.