Vollering snatches overall lead in Tour de France Femmes with dramatic stage eight win

The lack of comprehensive live coverage of the Tour de France Femmes has left fans and critics frustrated despite a 40% increase in viewership compared to the previous year. Only three of the nine stages are being shown live, which has been criticized by the women's riders' union, The Cyclists' Alliance (TCA), and broadcaster Orla Chennaoui.

The lead sponsor, Zwift, encourages viewers to "Watch the Femmes," yet the majority of fans cannot watch the race in its entirety. This lack of complete broadcast is seen as a step backwards compared to the men's Tour de France, which is fully televised. The TCA has called for a full coverage of all stages, noting the undeniable demand from viewers.

However, France Télévisions, which handles production and distribution of the broadcast, is not providing enough footage, leading to missed moments such as a stage won by Norway's Sigrid Haugset and a pre-race favourite's crash. Similar issues were reported during the women's edition of Paris-Roubaix earlier in the year, where less than 90 minutes of the three-and-a-half hour race were shown.

Despite the increasing viewership, the lack of full coverage continues to disappoint fans and advocates for women's cycling.