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Stephen Farrand

'Salaries are being paid that defy all logic' – As the Tour de France Femmes booms, there are warnings about the economics of women's cycling

Philip Roodhooft Tour the Tour de France Femmes France Economics Tour de France Tour de France Femmes Cyclingnews Fenix Premier Tech
Movistar Team's Swiss rider Marlen Reusser celebrates on the podium with the overall leader's yellow jersey after the individual time-trial in the 4th (out of 9) stage of the fifth edition of the Women's Tour de France cycling race, 21 km time trial between Gevrey-Chambertin and Dijon, in Dijon, eastern France on August 4, 2026. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP).

The opening weekend of racing at the 2026 Tour de France Femmes attracted over two million viewers in France and around 80% of the audience for the men's equivalent opening stage, but Fenix-Premier Tech team manager Philip Roodhooft has warned that the economics of women's cycling are under pressure.

Saturday's opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes attracted 2.17 million viewers and an audience share of 27.6% in France according to Puremedias, with 2.51 million and a 30.1% share of viewers watching stage 2 on Sunday. Puremedias suggested that those numbers were roughly 80% of the audience for similar stages of the men's Tour, although an exact like-for-like comparison is difficult due to different dates and time slots.

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