grande boucle

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 know as Le Tour. The organizing committe 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.

La Grande Boucle Feminin Past Medalists

	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place
2003	Joane Somarriba (Spa)	Nicole Brandli (Swi)	Judith Arndt (Ger)
2002	Zinaida Stahurskaia	Susanne Ljungskog (Swe)	Joane Somarriba (Spa)
2001	Joane Somarriba (Spa)	Fabiana Luperini (Ita)	Judith Arndt (Ger)
2000	Joane Somarriba (Spa)	Edita Pucinskaite (Lit)	Geraldine Loewenguth (Fra)

1999	Diana Ziliute (Lit)	Valentina Polkhanova (Rus)	Edita Pucinskaite (Lit)
1998	Edita Pucinskaite (Lit)	Fabiana Luperini (Ita)	Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita)
1997	Fabiana Luperini (Ita)	Barbara Heeb (Swi)	Linda Jackson (Can)
1996	Fabiana Luperini (Ita)	Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit)	Jeannie Longo (Fra)

1995	Fabiana Luperini (Ita)	Jeannie Longo (Fra)	L. Zberg (Sui)
1994	Valentina Polkhanova (Rus)	Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit)	C. Odin (Fra)
1993	Leontien Van Moorsel (Ned)	Marion Clignet (Fra)	Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel)
1992	Leontien Van Moorsel (Ned)	Jeannie Longo (Fra)	Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel)

1991	Race not held
1990	Race not held
1989	Jeannie Longo (Fra)	Maria Canins (Ita)	Inga Thompson (USA)
1988	Jeannie Longo (Fra)	Maria Canins (Ita)	E. Hepple (Aus)

1987	Jeannie Longo (Fra)	Maria Canins (Ita)	U. Enzenauer (FRG)
1986	Maria Canins (Ita)	Jeannie Longo (Fra)	Inga Thompson (USA)
1985	Maria Canins (Ita)	Jeannie Longo (Fra)	C. Odin (Fra)
1984	Mary Ann Martin (USA)	H. Hage (Ned)	D. Schumway (USA)

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