Women's cycling

Key Insights on Women’s Cycling

Disparity and Challenges

• Disparities in Race Opportunities: Orla Walsh highlighted the ongoing struggles female cyclists face, like cancellations of women’s events due to low participation, and the unequal treatment in race opportunities and distances across genders in races like the Tour de France 1 2.

• Entry and Exit Points: Dotsie Bausch explained the different pathways for men and women entering the sport. Men often start younger, while women tend to begin in college or later, affecting their career longevity and support structures 3 4.

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    1

    Women in Cycling

    00:24:44
    
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    2

    Cycling Journey

    00:08:20
    
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    3

    Women in Cycling

    01:01:11
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    4

    Breaking Barriers

    01:04:10
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    5

    Supporting Female Athletes

    01:12:30
    
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    6

    Promoting Diversity

    01:20:58

Organizational Support and Initiatives

• Supporting Mothers in Sports: Chelsea Sodaro discussed initiatives like setting up lactation stations and providing childcare at races to better support female athletes who are also mothers. This can increase participation and make women feel more welcomed in sporting events 5.

Diversity and Awareness

• Promoting Gender Diversity: Jason Koop emphasized the importance of everyone in the sport—from race organizers to brands—taking responsibility to promote gender diversity. He stressed that neglecting this issue could harm the sport’s growth and highlighted missed opportunities to elevate women in cycling 6.

These insights reflect ongoing efforts and challenges in making cycling more inclusive and supportive for women, emphasizing the need for systemic changes to promote gender equality in the sport.