Tour De France Seeks U.S.-Based Sponsor To Back Women's Cycling Event

The Tour de France, which "draws sponsors mainly from its home country, is trying to snag a U.S. backer to help bankroll a women’s edition of the cycling race," according to Alex Duff of BLOOMBERG NEWS. Amaury Sport Organization Chair Jean-Etienne Amaury said that the group "wants a backer to finance the extra costs of holding a women’s race of as long as one week on the same course as the men’s." Amaury said that there "was more interest in the race in the U.S. than in most of Europe." He added that "staging a longer race would involve the costs of assembling signage and sponsorship hoardings every day" along the 2,000-mile course. Amaury said that more expensive still "would be the extra costs to broadcast the event." Duff noted that France Televisions network "covers the costs of showing the men’s Tour" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 10/3).