Thirteen women who have marked the history of women's cycling

Do you know the leading figures in women's cycling? Many women have commanded admiration over the decades as they sought to make their mark in a male-only world. These bold and daring pioneers paved the way for women's cycling as well as the birth of great women's cycling competitions. Focus on these women of yesterday of today who made history!

Hélène Dutrieu, the Human Arrow

Born in 1877 and died in 1961, Hélène Dutrieu took up cycling at the age of 14, riding in the footsteps of her brother Eugène Dutrieu. This bicycle enthusiast competed in the first women's races on the Tournai velodrome in 1895, where she shattered the hour record on the track.

Two years later, in 1897, the Belgian won the World Speed Championship held in Ostend. From then on nicknamed the Human Arrow, she repeated her feat the following year.

In 1898, she won the European Grand Prix and the London 12-day race. Thereafter, she went on to perform spectacular acrobatic shows on bicycles, but also on motorcycles and cars. Also a distinguished aviatrix, Hélène Dutrieu obtained the Legion of Honor in 1913.

Annie Londonderry, the adventurer

While Hélène Dutrieu distinguished herself on the track in 1895, the feminist Annie Cohen Kopchovsky undertook an entirely different journey across the Atlantic the year before.

This courageous American woman is none other than the first woman to complete a round-the-world bike ride. She intends to prove that women are just as capable, daring and deserving as men. Bet won: Annie Londonderry, named after the company that sponsors her, completes her foolish epic of about 15,000 km in fifteen months!

Tillie Anderson, the accomplished cyclist

A Swedish-American born in 1875, Tillie Anderson has etched her name into cycling history. During her career, this avid cycling advocate would have emerged winning 123 races out of the 130 she would have competed in.

Adept at both track and road, she was elected the world's best cyclist by the League of American Wheelmen. She was then 20 years old.

Thirty-five years after her death in 1965, Tillie Anderson enters the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame.

Alfonsina Strada, the Giro rider

To date, Alfonsina Strada is the only woman in the world to have competed in one of the three men-only grand tours!

Her birth dates back to the year 1891. The Italian racer began cycling at a very early age, first on her father's bike, then on her own bike. This valiant sportswoman won all the titles of the women's competitions on which she pedaled. She even finished about thirty races ahead of male cyclists!

Holding the women's hour record in 1911, she then participated twice in the prestigious Tour of Lombardy classic, one of the five monuments.

Her most notable performance, which signs her entry into the pantheon of women's cycling, is undoubtedly her official participation in the Giro in 1924. The heroine Alfonsina Strada joined the men's peloton and created a surprise by coming to the end of the 3,610 km of the illustrious stage race.

Jeannie Longo, the recordwoman

The emblematic figure of French women's cycling, Jeannie Longo has marked entire generations. A native of Annecy, the former skier is quite simply the most successful runner of all hexagonal athletes!

The 1996 Olympic champion has won no less than 59 French championships and 13 world championships. She has also won the women's Tour de France three times.

Her record of achievement is impressive

Her record of achievement is as impressive as her athletic longevity. As she celebrates her 62nd birthday in 2020, the incredible Jeannie Longo continues her career by awarding herself a new title, that of Paca champion of the individual time trial.

Jeannie Longo is a true legend!

Marianne Martin, the fighter

This great lady offered the general public a real demonstration of courage and perseverance in 1984. That year, Marianne Martin emerged victorious from the first ever women's Tour de France, organized in 18 stages.

An extraordinary feat when you consider that the American cyclist, then 27 years old, learned of her anemia a few months before the race.

Beryl Burton, the British champion

Born in 1937, Beryl Burton was a pioneer of cycling in the United Kingdom. She competed in no fewer than 122 national road and track championships during her 29-year career. The Lady on the Bike swept first place 73 times in them!

If Beryl Burton marked the history of English cycling, she also shone internationally. The individual pursuit specialist distinguished herself in this discipline with 12 medals won at the World Track Championships, including 5 gold-plated victories. She was also twice crowned world champion on the road in 1960 and 1967.

Among her many achievements, she was the first woman to win a medal at the World Championships

Among her unrivaled record: the Men's 12-hour world record, which she won in 1967 by running a distance of 277.25 miles, or 443.6 km.

Anne-Caroline Chausson, the queen of the downhill

The Frenchwoman born in 1977 is none other than the greatest downhill racer in history! Originally from Dijon, she became French, European and world BMX champion in her age category: she was only 15 years old at the time.

She then turned to the downhill and became the first woman to win the world title

She then turned to mountain biking, where she dominated the discipline with 13 world championship titles! In 2007, the mountain biker got back on her BMX with one goal in mind: to win a medal at the Beijing Olympics. The following year, her dream came true: the rider was crowned with the first Olympic title of all time in BMX.

Anne Caroline Chausson has been in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame since 2009.

Annemiek van Vleuten, at the highest level

Currently a professional racer with the Movistar team, Annemiek van Vleuten shines in the international women's peloton.

Born in 1982, the Dutch cyclist boasts numerous successes, from the classics to the most renowned stage races. A two-time winner of the women's version of the Giro d'Italia in 2018 and 2019, Annemiek van Vleuten's victories include the Tour of Flanders and the Women's Route de France.

She is also the world road (2019) and time trial champion (2017 and 2018), and holds national titles in both disciplines. In 2020, she wins gold in the Olympic time trial!"

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the versatile cyclist

The 29-year-old Frenchwoman is no slouch. Thirsty for adventure and sport, she practices both road cycling, cyclo-cross and VTT.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is a regular winner! Her multi-disciplinary track record includes 27 gold medals at the French championships and a world champion crown on the road (2014), the first obtained by a Frenchwoman since 1995, when Jeannie Longo was crowned. Pauline wins world titles in mountain bike mixed relay, mountain bike marathon, cross-country and cyclo-cross.

Since 2021, Pauline has raced under the colors of the Team Absolute Absalon BMC.

You now know some of the big names in women's cycling! How about learning more about the Women's International Grand Loop or the World Road Cycling Championship? Do you know that it is the first women's cycling competition?