In and among the antics that go down at the Tour de France, like punching out fellow cyclists or dick pics, you’ll notice that there’s something missing from the cycling event.

Maturity? Good answer, but no dice.

There are no female cyclists.

Not only are women not allowed to participate in the men’s only cycling event, but an equivalent race for women doesn’t exist.

Before you say anything, yes, I realise that a women’s event called the La Course exists, but this one-day cycling contest is hardly on the same level as its all-male, 23-day counterpart.

To point out the absurdities of excluding women from the world famous sporting event, 13 female cyclists took matters into their own hands before the men started the race three weeks ago, Mashable reports:

Thirteen women, known collectively as Donnons Des Elles Au Vélos, cycled the very same mountainous 2 082-mile (3 351 kilometre) route cycled by their male counterparts.

The rather crucial difference for this team was that their achievement wasn’t met with any jerseys, prize money, or podiums. Instead, these women used pedal power to prove a point about gender equality in cycling — or rather, the current lack thereof.

These women also had to cycle in more difficult conditions, as they had to cycle alongside cars and other vehicles that wouldn’t ordinarily be permitted during the official Tour.

Some footage seems apt:

We’re riding the #TourdeFrance.
1 stage down. 20 to go. #ThisIsOurTime #TDF2018 pic.twitter.com/lcCCWq4PIg

— Desellesauvelo (@desELLESauVELO) July 7, 2018

And guess what? They completed every stage by Saturday, July 28.

Beat that, Geraint Thomas.

Anna Barrero, one of the lady cyclists, said that they hoped to bring about gender equality with their cycling campaign:

We want to show the rest of the world, that women are perfectly capable of doing and finishing the Tour de France. We want to have exactly the same opportunities as men. The only ones who say are it’s not possible are the organisers of the Tour de France.

Wow [word changed on behalf of Pieter – see his comment below story], how backwards are these organisers, hey? *Shakes my head*

Barrero continued:

We are gonna keep [cycling] until we have a positive response and we have equality. There’s no reason for not having a women’s race.

Amen to that, sister.

[source:mashable]