Following the conclusion of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, French rider Cédrine Kerbaol and Marion Rousse have offered contrasting views on the future length of the women’s Grand Tour.
Cédrine Kerbaol’s Vision for a Three-Week Race
Speaking on the French television program Stade 2 following the race’s conclusion in Nice, Cédrine Kerbaol expressed her ambition for the evolution of the women’s calendar. The Breton rider finished 6° in the general classification, 6 minutes and 41 seconds behind overall winner Demi Vollering of FDJ United-Suez, according to race records.
“If the Tour already lasted three weeks, I would be very happy,” Kerbaol said on Stade 2, as reported by francetvsport. However, the EF Education-Oatly leader acknowledged that a gradual transition is necessary to protect the wider peloton. “Extending it to two weeks already would be a great step for the coming years,” she added.
Peloton Realities and Diverging Perspectives
While Kerbaol champions a longer format, she noted that her own teammates do not entirely share her immediate readiness for a three-week Grand Tour. “This view is not shared by my teammates,” Kerbaol explained during her television appearance. “And I really need them in every race I participate in. So I think it’s better to go step by step.”
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Organizers have similarly navigated a careful path regarding the expansion of the race. The 2026 edition covered 1,175 kilometers across nine stages, starting with an international Grand Départ in Lausanne, Switzerland, and culminating in Nice. Broadcasters reported surging interest, with France Télévisions achieving record television audiences during the nine-day event.
Reflecting on the 2026 GC Battle
Beyond her logistical ambitions for the sport, Kerbaol offered a realistic assessment of her own performance during the nine days of racing. “We cannot draw only positive conclusions,” she said of her sixth-place finish. “There is still a big step to climb to go and trouble those girls at the front.”
The 2026 edition featured intense battles across varied terrain, including a demanding queen stage to the summit of Mont Ventoux won by Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM), before Demi Vollering ultimately secured the yellow jersey on the final stage into Nice.
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