The world’s most iconic women’s cycling race is more thrilling than ever. Here’s everything you need to know to join the excitement.
Picture this: 154 of the world’s best female cyclists, representing 22 teams, racing across France for eight days straight. They’ll tackle everything from pancake-flat sprint stages to grueling mountain climbs that would leave most of us gasping for air. Welcome to the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, a race that’s rewriting the story of women’s professional cycling.
The Basics: How Does It Actually Work?
The race format and points system are similar to the men’s Tour de France, and most of the differences between the two are found in the length, distances and the type of courses. For those unfamiliar with the male version, it’s easy to summarise: unlike many sports where points determine the winner, the Tour de France Femmes is all about time. Think of it as the world’s most intense race against the clock, spread across eight days.
Here’s the simple version: Each day, riders complete one stage (a single day’s race). The clock tracks their time for that stage, and those times add up throughout the week. The rider with the lowest cumulative time at the end wins the coveted yellow jersey, le Maillot Jaune.
But here’s where it gets interesting: while there’s one overall winner, there are actually multiple competitions happening simultaneously:
Three Years, Four Jerseys, Countless Stories
Since returning in 2022, the Tour de France Femmes has delivered drama that rivals any sporting event. Each colored jersey tells its own story of triumph and heartbreak.
The yellow jersey battles have been nothing short of epic. Annemiek van Vleuten won the inaugural edition despite severe stomach illness that had her making emergency stops mid-race. Demi Vollering claimed 2023 with a masterful attack on the fog-shrouded Tourmalet. But nothing prepared fans for 2024’s finale, Kasia Niewiadoma won by just 4 seconds, the smallest margin in Tour de France history, after Vollering’s late-race crash cost her the title.
The green jersey’s history was remade by Marianne Vos, who won it at 35 and again at 37. Her 2024 victory came through sheer grit, captured in rare footage of the champion at her absolute limit. The sprints also gave us the Dutch duel between former teammates Charlotte Kool and Lorena Wiebes, adding personal drama to the speed contests.
Perhaps no story captures the magic better than polka dot jersey winner Justine Ghekiere. Just four years ago, she was working as a lifeguard. After discovering cycling during lockdown on Zwift, she found herself winning a Tour de France stage in 2024, proof that champions can emerge from anywhere.
The white jersey showcases the future, with riders like Puck Pieterse transitioning from cyclocross to match the world’s best climbers in her first-ever stage race. These young stars remind us that women’s cycling’s best days lie ahead.
It’s a Team Sport
This might be cycling’s best-kept secret: despite only one rider standing on the final podium, cycling is intensely team-oriented. Each of the 22 teams brings seven riders, but only one is typically designated as the leader for the overall victory.
The other six? They’re the unsung heroes, the “domestiques” (French for helpers) who do everything from fetching water bottles to creating a protective bubble around their leader in the wind. They’ll sacrifice their own chances to ensure their leader arrives at crucial moments with energy to spare.
Think of it as “chess on wheels”, every move is calculated, every rider has a role, and the smartest teams often beat the strongest individuals.
One of the most exciting aspects of cycling is how each team has developed its own distinct personality.
Some teams radiate fun, outgoing energy, you’ll see them laughing at the start line, posting playful social media content, and bringing a sense of joy to even the toughest stages. Others maintain a more serious, professional demeanor, focused intensely on performance and precision.
These aren’t just corporate cycling squads, they’re 150+ women from around 25 different countries, each bringing their own culture and style to the peloton. Teams that embrace this diversity often find themselves with the strongest chemistry when the racing gets tough. You can get a sense of the teams and their unique flairs by watching the Embrace Every Moment series on Wahoo’s YouTube Channel.
A Historic Route for 2025
The upcoming Tour de France Femmes is breaking new ground in every sense. For the first time ever, the race expands to nine stages, covering a record-breaking 1,165 kilometers with an unprecedented 17,240 meters of elevation gain. This isn’t just adding more, it’s a statement about where women’s cycling has arrived.
Starting in Brittany’s cycling heartland of Vannes and finishing atop the Alps in Châtel, the 2025 route takes riders on a diagonal journey across France that showcases the sport’s growing ambition. The opening stages honor Brittany’s passionate cycling culture before transitioning through central France and building to an Alpine crescendo.
The Queen Stage alone tells the story of this evolution: 112 kilometers with 3,490 meters of climbing, culminating atop the Col de la Madeleine at 2,000 meters elevation. This is territory once reserved for the men’s race, now claimed by women who’ve proven they belong on cycling’s most legendary climbs.
Perhaps most significantly, the 2025 race will overlap with the men’s Tour finale weekend, a scheduling decision that positions women’s cycling as an equal attraction rather than a warm-up act. From Alfonsia Strada attempting to enter the men’s race in 1924 to today’s professionals commanding equal respect on the sport’s biggest stages, the journey has been long but the destination is worth it.
What Makes Each Stage Different?
Not all stages are created equal, and that’s what keeps the race exciting:
Sprint Stages: Flat courses where teams set up high-speed “trains” in the final kilometers, launching their sprinters toward the line at speeds over 40 mph. These stages often see the entire peloton finishing within seconds of each other.
Mountain Stages: Where the race is truly won. The final two stages of this year’s race include the iconic Alpe d’Huez, a climb so steep and demanding that time gaps can stretch to minutes rather than seconds.
Time Trials: Individual races against the clock where riders can’t hide in the pack or rely on teammates. Pure power and pacing determine the winner.
Hilly Stages: The wild cards. Not flat enough for pure sprinters, not mountainous enough for pure climbers, these transitional stages often produce the most chaotic and unpredictable racing.
How to Watch Like a Pro
Women’s cycling is experiencing a renaissance. After decades of fighting for recognition, the sport has exploded in popularity. The athletes racing today aren’t just fast, they’re faster than ever, with training methods, equipment, and support structures that rival any sport in the world.
Here are insider tips for getting the most out of your viewing experience:
Start with Stage 1: Don’t wait for the mountain stages. The opening stages set the narrative, which teams are strong, who’s in form, and what strategies are emerging.
Pick a Team to Follow: Choose based on personality, nationality, or just because you like their kit design. Having “your” team makes every stage more engaging.
Watch the Time Gaps: The rider crossing the line first doesn’t always gain time. In cycling, gaps of even 10 seconds can be pivotal in the overall classification.
Embrace the Chaos: Crashes happen. Mechanicals occur. Weather intervenes. The beauty of the Tour lies in how teams adapt to the unexpected.
Join the Conversation: The cycling community on social media is welcoming and enthusiastic. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even seasoned fans love sharing their knowledge. Follow our Instagram for more.
Allez, Allez!
The Tour de France Femmes isn’t just a race, it’s eight days of human drama played out on some of the world’s most beautiful roads. It’s tactics and teamwork, individual brilliance and collective sacrifice, suffering and glory all rolled into one.
You don’t need to understand every nuance to appreciate the spectacle. Start watching, pick your favorites, and let the race reveal its stories to you. Before you know it, you’ll be planning your mornings around stage start times and debating sprint train tactics with the best of them.
Welcome to the beautiful, chaotic, inspiring world of women’s professional cycling. Once you start watching, you might just find it impossible to stop.
