Grande Boucle

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The Grande Boucle, formerly known as the Tour Cycliste Feminin, or simply Tour Feminin, was one of the Grand Tours of women's cycle races in the world for many years before its demise. The last Grande Boucle took place in 2003. The term "Grande Boucle" itself means "Great Loop" in English and was called thus because the race was held as a series of individual stages which, together, took a circuitous course around France.

Therein lies one of the problems which this race experienced, as well as one of the reasons the race was so difficult. The organizers had to scramble for sponsorship money nearly every year and were forced to schedule the individual stages in those cities which contributed sponsorship money, regardless of their geographical location. As a result, there were often very long auto transfers between the finish of one stage and the start of the next stage - sometimes involving several hours driving after a long, hard day of racing.

Another problem which cropped up in the mid-1990s involved the name of the race itself. Until 1997, the race took place under the name Tour Cycliste Feminin (TCF), when the race was billed as the "Women's Tour de France", or just the Women's Tour, patterned after the (men's) Tour de France which was known as Le Tour. The organizing committee of that latter race objected on trademark grounds to the use of the word "Tour" or the billing of the women's event as a women's Tour de France and in 1998 the TCF organizers changed the name.

In spite of all the troubles, the Grande Boucle, during its run, was one of the premier events each year in women's cycle racing and the list of winners and medalists reads like a Who's Who in women's cycle racing. To win or even medal in the event was considered a stellar achievement, one which would grace any rider's resume.

In 2004, the race could not be held because of organisational difficulties. It returned in 2005 and 2006 in a smaller format. The previous tours were often 10 to 15 stages long, while the recent races had only five stages, and stayed in one region of France. The race was also rated much lower by the UCI, and consequently had a reduced field of competitors.

[edit] La Grande Boucle Feminin Past Medalists

Year	First		Second		Third
2006	Nicole Cooke	United Kingdom	Maryline Salvetat	France	Tatsiana Sharakova	Russia
2005	Priska Doppman	Switzerland	Edwige Pitel	France	Christiane Söder	Austria
2004	Race not held
2003	Joane Somarriba	Spain	Nicole Brandli	Switzerland	Judith Arndt	Germany
2002	Zinaida Stahurskaia	Belarus	Susanne Ljungskog	Sweden	Joane Somarriba	Spain
2001	Joane Somarriba	Spain	Fabiana Luperini	Italy	Judith Arndt	Germany
2000	Joane Somarriba	Spain	Edita Pucinskaite	Lithuania	Geraldine Loewenguth	France
1999	Diana Ziliute	Lithuania	Valentina Polkhanova	Russia	Edita Pucinskaite	Lithuania
1998	Edita Pucinskaite	Lithuania	Fabiana Luperini	Italy	Alessandra Cappellotto	Italy
1997	Fabiana Luperini	Italy	Barbara Heeb	Switzerland	Linda Jackson	Canada
1996	Fabiana Luperini	Italy	Rasa Polikeviciute	Lithuania	Jeannie Longo	France
1995	Fabiana Luperini	Italy	Jeannie Longo	France	L. Zberg	Switzerland
1994	Valentina Polkhanova	Russia	Rasa Polikeviciute	Lithuania	Cecile Odin	France
1993	Leontien van Moorsel	Netherlands	Marion Clignet	France	Heidi Van De Vijver	Belgium
1992	Leontien van Moorsel	Netherlands	Jeannie Longo	France	Heidi Van de Vijver	Belgium
1991	Race not held
1990	Race not held
1989	Jeannie Longo	France	Maria Canins	Italy	Inga Thompson	United States
1988	Jeannie Longo	France	Maria Canins	Italy	E. Hepple	Australia
1987	Jeannie Longo	France	Maria Canins	Italy	U. Enzenauer	West Germany
1986	Maria Canins	Italy	Jeannie Longo	France	Inga Thompson	United States
1985	Maria Canins	Italy	Jeannie Longo	France	Cecile Odin	France
1984	Mary Ann Martin	United States	H. Hage	Netherlands	D. Schumway	United States