Harman calls for women’s cycle Tour

In a letter to Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme, Ms Harman added her voice to calls for the establishment of a women’s version of the event, days after Chris Froome became the second successive British winner of the men’s race.

More than 70,000 people have now signed a petition for a women’s Tour de France since its launch last month.

A women’s version of the Tour was held in France between 1984 and 2009, but has not been run in recent years, largely due to problems finding sponsors.

Ms Harman said the success of Britain’s women cyclists in last year’s London Olympics made it an ideal time to stage a female race alongside the opening stages of the 101st Tour, which runs between Leeds, Harrogate, York and Sheffield on July 5 and 6 next year before moving on to Cambridge and London on July 7.

In her letter, she wrote: “Britain has some of the best women cyclists in the world – but for years they had to compete for foreign teams as there was no investment in an elite women’s team.

“The Grand Depart being held in Yorkshire and from Cambridge to London in 2014 presents a great opportunity to hold a women’s event and set an example to the rest of Europe and Le Tour.”