United States First Lady, Dr Jill Biden, has tuned into watch the rebirth of the Tour de France Femmes stating that it is “such a great sight to see after 33 long years”.
“What an amazing Stage 1 of @LeTourFemmes — and such a great sight to see after 33 long years,” Biden wrote in a post on the official FLOTUS Twitter feed on Sunday during stage 1, held from the Eiffel Tower to the circuits on the Champs-Élyées.
Dr Biden is referencing the original women’s Tour de France, organised by the former Société du Tour de France from 1984 to 1989, which American Marianne Martin won the inaugural edition of while racing for Team USA.
Martin was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame for her achievement, accepting her induction at a ceremony last November 6 at USA Cycling Headquarters in Colorado, a month after the route of this year’s Tour de France Femmes was announced.
In an interview with Cyclingnews, Martin said she was honoured to accept her place in the US Bicycling Hall of Fame – which comes nearly four decades after she won the coveted yellow jersey – as it was a joy to be part of that edition of the women’s Tour de France.
“I’m so proud and so excited and it’s a huge honour. My family is flying in from various parts of the country,” Martin told Cyclingnews at the time. “It feels like I’ve been getting more press in the last five years than I did right after winning. It’s in my heart and I’m very proud of that win but it’s a personal thing and I’m proud of that accomplishment whether anyone else knows about it or not.”
Greg LeMond was the first American to win the men’s Tour de France in 1986 and went on to win titles in 1989 and 1990. LeMond was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1996 and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2020.
On Sunday in Paris, ASO welcomed the women’s peloton back into the Tour de France, and the spotlight it delivers, with a 1,029-kilometre eight-day race held from July 24-31.
There are six athletes from the US competing at the Tour de France Femmes: Emily Newsom, Krista Doebel-Hickok and Veronica Ewers of EF Education-TIBCO-SVB, Kristen Faulkner (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Leah Thomas (Trek-Segafredo) and Lily Williams (Human Powered Health), who Dr. Biden offered special recognition to.
“Wishing the best of luck to Florida native, @lily_bwilliams, and all the cyclists competing this week,” Dr. Biden wrote.
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