France’s National Lottery operator, La Française des Jeux (FDJ), has announced that it will be a major partner of the Tour de France Femmes for three editions, starting in 2022, alongside the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO).
FDJ will continue its commitment to women’s sport when the competition’s first edition takes place on July 24, 2022. Since 2017, it has sponsored the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope women’s cycling team.
FDJ CEO Stéphane Pallez commented: “We have been campaigning for many years for the creation of this event. It was therefore natural that we should be a major partner. We have always wanted to contribute to the development of French races to offer greater visibility to the discipline and promote the practice of all.
“We were among the first sponsors of ‘La Course by le Tour’ and FDJ will be a partner of the first Paris-Roubaix Femmes. Likewise, I am delighted that our women’s cycling team is now professional and that it can play a leading role in all these events.”
In 2020, FDJ renewed its commitment to the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope team for three years. The increased financial backing allowed the team to access the UCI World Tour international circuit, employ its entire cycling workforce and recruit international level cyclists such as Cécilie Uttrup Ludwig.
Stéphen Delcourt, General Manager of the FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope team, added: “Women’s cycling has changed a lot in recent years; he deserved a world event to match his performance. The Tour de France is an unparalleled global event, which will increase the visibility of our sport.
“The champions will inspire little girls in the four corners of the world and give birth to vocations, but also to thrill the general public. The team is working very hard to be ready on D-Day and dream of a Yellow Jersey. We can’t wait to be there!”
