Van Vleuten supports possible Tour de France Femmes shift from Paris depart

Annemiek Van Vleuten wins Tour de France Femmes
Annemiek Van Vleuten wins Tour de France Femmes (Image credit: Getty Images)

There is no denying that the rebirth of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift's opening stage in Paris held in conjunction with the stage 21 conclusion of the men's event was a symbolic gesture of the passing of the yellow jersey and a widely viewed spectacle of racing along the circuits of the famed Champs-Élysées this July.

However, according to a report in La Montagne, the Grand Départ of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes will move away from Paris and start instead in Clermont-Ferrand, the capital of Auvergne region, located in the Massif Central on July 23. 

Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.

Read more
The Tour circus will descend on the UK in 2027
Scotland snags Grand Départ for first time in history as both men's and women's Tour de France set for UK start in 2027
La Vuelta Femenina: Demi Vollering celebrates overall victory as she crosses the final finish line
2025 edition of La Vuelta Femenina to kick off in Barcelona
Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2025
Gold medal winner Evenepoel en route to victory up the hill to Montmartre
Tour de France could copy the Paris Olympics and spice up Champs-Elysées procession stage with hilly circuit around Montmartre
Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) and Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek)
Evolution of the Women's Tour Down Under - 'This is the hardest tour that we've seen'
The peloton in action during the first stage of the 2014 Tour de France, a 190km stage between Leeds and Harrogate, on July 5, 2014 in Harrogate, England.
Tour de France Grand Départ set to return to Britain in 2027
Latest in Women's cycling
ARSCHOT BELGIUM MARCH 02 Tiffany Cromwell of Australia and Team CANYONSRAM signing prior to the 17th Fenix Omloop van het Hageland 2025 a 1356km one day race from Aarschot to TieltWinge on March 02 2025 in Aarschot Belgium Photo by Rhode Van ElsenGetty Images
Surgery for Tiffany Cromwell after first fractures of career at Milan-San Remo
Joe Laverick and Chris Mehlman battled at the front of the race, with Laverick pushing away in the final five miles
Joe Laverick, Lauren Stephens take back-to-back wins at Rattlesnake Gravel Grind
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 21 Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Lidl Trek celebrates at finish line as race winner ahead of LR Chiara Consonni of Italy and UAE Team ADQ Daria Pikulik of Poland and Team Human Powered Health and Charlotte Kool of The Netherlands and Team dsmfirmenich PostNL during the 7th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2024 a 155km one day race from Brugge to De Panne on March 21 2024 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
How to watch the Classic Brugge-De Panne 2025 – Live streams, TV coverage
Anna Yamauchi rides to pro women's victory at 2025 Lake Sonoma MTB
Anna Yamauchi tops Katerina Nash in 'slide it to ride it' slippery edition of Lake Sonoma MTB
OUDENAARDE BELGIUM MARCH 31 LR Demi Vollering of The Netherlands and Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Team SD Worx Protime compete passing through the Koppenberg cobblestones sector during the 21st Ronde van Vlaanderen Tour des Flandres 2024 Womens Elite a 163km one day race from Oudenaarde to Oudenaarde UCIWWT on March 31 2024 in Oudenaarde Belgium Photo by Rafa Gomez PoolGetty Images
Tour of Flanders Women 2025 route
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 21 Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Lidl Trek celebrates at finish line as race winner ahead of LR Chiara Consonni of Italy and UAE Team ADQ Daria Pikulik of Poland and Team Human Powered Health and Charlotte Kool of The Netherlands and Team dsmfirmenich PostNL during the 7th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2024 a 155km one day race from Brugge to De Panne on March 21 2024 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Classic Brugge-De Panne Women start list
Latest in News
Snow was an indicator that the high mountains had arrived on stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya with more to follow on stage 4
Volta a Catalunya celebrates summit finish on 'cycling landmark' Montserrat for first time in 30 years
FIRENZE ITALY JUNE 27 Magnus Cort of Denmark Alexander Kristoff of Norway Soren Waerenskjold of Norway Jonas Abrahamsen of Norway Tobias Halland Johannessen of Norway Johannes Kulset of Norway Rasmus Fossum Tiller of Norway Odd Christian Eiking of Norway and Team UnoX Mobility during the 111th Tour de France 2024 Team Presentation UCIWT on June 27 2024 in Firenze Italy Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images
Extra Tour de France wildcard invitations, test of gear restrictions approved by Pro Cycling Council
Team Ineos' Egan Bernal (R) rides during the 3rd stage of the 2025 Volta a Catalunya cycling tour of Catalonia, a 178,3 km race between Viladecans and La Molina, on March 26, 2025. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Egan Bernal calls Volta a Catalunya stage 'crazy' as sprint decides major climbing stage
Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) takes a moment to enjoy the stage 3 victory and GC lead as he sits next to snowbank on mountaintop finish Wednesday at Volta a Catalunya
'I've beaten a great rival' - new Volta a Catalunya leader Juan Ayuso says after narrow mountaintop victory over Primož Roglič
Belgium's Edward Theuns of Lidl-Trek is seen after falling down during the 'Classic Brugge-De Panne'
Four crashes spoil sprinters' hopes in 'really dangerous final' of Classic Brugge-De Panne
Tadej Pogačar attacks Mathieu van der Poel on the Poggio during the 2025 Milan-San Remo
'I think he has a chance' – Mathieu van der Poel considers Tadej Pogačar a serious Paris-Roubaix threat