Yes, it’s true: Zwift is the title sponsor for Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift! At Zwift, we’re committed to elevating women’s cycling, and we’re in it for the long haul. With this historic moment of the first edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, we are excited to announce the ‘Watch the Femmes’ Mission.
During this series, you will get to participate in eight stages modeled after the stages in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. There will be amazing unlocks along the way! After completing a series ride, you will unlock a cap and socks and, once you have completed the mission, you will unlock the full kit and the mission completion badge. Plus have an opportunity to win a signed winners jersey from the inaugural Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift!
Looking for more info on how to join Watch the Femmes? You can learn more on our Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift main page or Support Hub FAQ.
Q: Why is Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift so important to women’s racing?
A: Because the women’s peloton should have a spot at competing in the biggest cycling race in the world. By sponsoring the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, we are challenging the cycling community to rethink what pro cycling looks like and to pave the way for future pro cyclists. As a community, it’s up to us to keep it fun and ride like the entire sport depends on it. The finish line is just the beginning!
Q: What is a grand tour, and how is it different from a one-day classic like Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift?
A: The overall winner of a multi-day stage race is the rider who completes all stages in the least amount of time. Each stage presents different challenges that suit different riders’ abilities. Flat terrain suits riders with a dominant sprint finish, rolling hilly terrain suits strong breakaway specialists, and steep mountain stages favor pure climbers.
Q: Are there any stages in particular that I shouldn’t miss?
A: All eight stages will showcase intense racing action, starting with Stage 1 in Paris where the fastest sprinters will battle it out on the famed cobblestones of the Champs-Elysées.
Each stage this year has a progressively hillier profile, where strong breakaway specialists will have opportunities to take a stage win.
A Queen of the Mountains will emerge from the pack on the final two mountainous stages. The infamous climb up La Super Planche des Belles Fille will decide the overall winner of the maillot jaune.
Q: What do the yellow / polka dot / green / white jerseys mean?
A: After each stage, the rider with the lowest cumulative time (a.k.a. the best time) starts the next day wearing the coveted maillot jaune (yellow jersey). The overall winner puts on the final yellow jersey on the last day.
There are also competitions for riders targeting points in the sprint competitions on flatter routes (green jersey) and Queen of the Mountain (QOM) points on hillier stages (polka dot jersey). Points for both competitions are offered mid-stage as well as the stage finale. Athletes must carefully choose the moments to exert their effort to earn those points.
In Zwift, you’ll see arches that mark both the sprint and QOM // KOM segments. Time your all-out efforts just right and you can earn the leader’s jersey in-game! There’s a prize for the best young rider under age 26 (white jersey), marking them as talents with a bright future.
At Zwift, we are so excited to be a partner in the evolution of Women’s Pro Cycling. Stay tuned for more awesome content, plus chances to win swag during Tour de France Femmes avec Zwif
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