The Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées: a high-level sporting challenge

For a long time, women’s cycling lacked representation, and the women involved in the sport as professionals had no official status. Today, thanks to the efforts of the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées Organising Committee, supported by partners such as Teréga, those women for whom competitive cycling is a career are now fully recognised and enjoy the official status of professional competitive cyclists.

The tough challenges of the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées provide substantial preparation for later events in the cycling calendar, such as the national championships, the women’s Giro in early July, and the women’s Tour de France in mid-August.

The Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées promotes professional women’s cycling, with the aim of creating vocations.

It is also ambitious to become a benchmark challenge, rather like a Critérium du Dauphiné, to prepare cyclists for mountain challenges. The second stage this year includes the climb up the Col d’Aubisque (1709 m).

In just two years since its launch in 2022, the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées has succeeded in bringing women’s cycling to everyone’s attention. Teréga is proud to be able to support this event, which brings professional women’s cycling to the forefront of the sporting scene.

3RD TOUR - 14 to 16 June 2024

17 teams of 6 competitors, 3 stages, 346 km:

• 14 June 2023: Goudon - Lourdes / 125 km

• 15 June 2024: Pierrefitte - Nestalas - Col d’Aubisque / 95 km

• 16 June 2024: Nay - Bosdarros /126 km

2ND TOUR - 9 to 11 June 2023

20 teams of 6 competitors, 3 stages, 347 km:

• 9 June 2023: Argelès - Gazost - Lourdes / 125 km

• 10 June 2023: Pierrefitte - Nestalas - Station de Hautacam / 94 km

• 11 June 2023: Nay - Bosdarros /128 km

1ST TOUR - 5 to 7 August 2022

19 teams of 6 competitors, 4 stages, 326.2 km

• 5 August 2022: Artiguelouve - Lacq / 26.4 km

• 5 August 2022: Pau - Pau / 77.9 km

• 6 August 2022: Pierrefitte - Nestalas /106.2 km

• 7 August 2022: Lourdes - Lourdes /115.7 km

For the first two years, the race was organised by the Association Française des Coureures Cyclistes, a member of the Women’s CPA.

This changed in 2024 following the creation on 2 November 2023 of the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées Organising Committee (COTFIP). The committee wants to make this challenge a major event in the international women’s calendar.

Élisabeth Chevanne, the former competitive cyclist behind the creation of the event, and elected President, will be the race director. Another former competitive cyclist, Alexandra Rannou, also sits on the organising committee. Race safety has been entrusted to CPA Vice President, Pascal Chanteur. The Pyrénées-Atlantique Departmental Cycling Committee works to support the organisation of the event.