The new wave of French women’s cycling presents to shine at the French championships

“The favorite is Cédrine. Kindly given by Audrey Cordon-Ragot, author of the online time trial double last year, the sign could be hard to bear for Cédrine Kerbaol. At 22, the Breton has just won the title against the clock on Thursday, and barely dreams of doing it again today, during the road race that suits her well, designed for climbers-punchers. “Ideally, it would be even better,” she barely whispers.

But the sign will not bother her, because it is a long time ago when the nugget from Ceratizit took a photo with Cordon-Ragot on the podium of the French Championships, barely two years ago. “It’s a new generation of girls who have fangs, who want them,” appreciates the eldest (33 years old). A new wave which is gaining more and more momentum and is breaking into the professional peloton, where the young Blues are multiplying the significant results.

“More and more of us are playing leading roles internationally.”

There was already Evita Muzic (a stage on the Giro 2020), and JulietteLabous (winner of the Tour de Burgos 2022, of the queen stage of the Giro 2022, 4th in the Tour last year), both 24 years old, or Jade Wiel, 2019 French champion, 23 years old. There is now Kerbaol or, of the same age, Victoire Berteau, capable of shining on the Belgian classics in addition to appearing in the track pursuit team, medalist in Paris in a year.

“There is really a big generation coming up behind Juliette (Labous) and me, who have been getting results for a while, and there was a need for it with the Games”, appreciates Muzic. “Everyone pulls themselves up, continues Labous, who will be one of the favorites today in Cassel. There has been a lot of progress in France, more and more of us are playing leading roles internationally. »

The main reason for this multiple outbreak can be summed up in one word, above all: professionalization. “I see that women’s cycling is constantly developing and I’m lucky to see this upturn,” notes Berteau. I arrived at the creation of Cofidis (first season in 2022) and I see the evolution on a daily basis with the teammates and the staff. Pro since 2017 with the Dutch DSM, Labous even assures that “it’s night and day when you compare, and it’s really the right time to become a pro runner”.

“A girl can make a living from cycling now,” summarizes Grégoire Le Calvé, sports director at Cofidis and former member of Arkéa, two men’s teams which have developed their women’s section. After more precarious years, there are now decent salaries, professional structures like for men with mountain courses, coaches. And we feel that this generation has a lot of desire to show off, with a calendar that is similar to that of men, the Tour, the Vuelta, the Giro, Roubaix, which are all on TV. »

“With this generation, I think we have a future world champion.”

The craze follows, especially since the Tour, relaunched last year – “when people talk to me about my prize list, they always quote me my 4th place overall”, smiles Labous, particularly requested for photos yesterday, during the presentation teams in Hazebrouck.

The following ? Win a great classic or a Grand Tour. The ultra-dominance of SD-Worx in all the races (4 riders among the 6 best in the UCI ranking) makes it impossible to dream, but “a podium would be really good”, maintains Juliette Labous. “With this generation, I think we have a future world champion”, wants to believe Cordon-Ragot, which has not been the case since Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt in 2014, in Spain (she had also won mountain bike title that year).

Églantine Rayer, she was “only” vice-world champion in the juniors last year, but, at 19, she embodies better than anyone the bright future for these young French women. “I’m part of a generation that is very lucky to arrive at a time when women’s cycling is changing,” said the one who finished 10th in the very tough Tour de Suisse, which ended on Tuesday. And I believe that the young people who will arrive in the next three years will perform better than the girls who are here today. ” It promises.