This year, two teams of women cyclists (a French team, and an international one) will cycle the route on 19 July, a day ahead of the male team. Helen Bridgeman, who is one of the five British riders, spoke about the importance of highlighting the inequality between men and women’s cycling during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Asked why the women’s tour hasn’t been properly reintroduced, she said: “It’s one definitely for the organisers to answer. We hear an awful lot of excuses to be honest, and one of the main ones is that it comes down to money [and lack of sponsorship]. I’m not under any illusions, it’s a massive feat to put on such a big race but this is the one event in the cycling calendar that everyone has heard of.

“Not having a female equivalent doesn’t give females the platform to show what they’re capable of, which is a real shame. But we know it’s not impossible because of Giro Rosa, for example, which is the female equivalent of the Italian race and is a 10-day stage race – so it isn’t impossible, other people are doing it.”

Why isn’t there a women’s equivalent of the Tour de France?