Philippa York: Women's cycling and the road towards equality

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Deignan, Garcia, Vos, Paladin and Majerus on the final podium

Deignan, Garcia, Vos, Paladin and Majerus on the final p𓆏od⛎ium (Image credit: SWpix.com)
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Vos with the winner's trophy

Vos with the winner's trophy (Image credit: SWpix.com)
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Mavi Garcia (Movistar Team) won the mountain classification

Ma🃏vi Garcia (Movistar T☂eam) won the mountain classification (Image credit: SWpix.com)
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The final podium – Mavi Garcia, Marianne Vos, Soraya Paladin (L-R)

The f🌱inal podiumꦅ – Mavi Garcia, Marianne Vos, Soraya Paladin (L-R) (Image credit: SWpix.com)

We often talk about 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:women's equality in cycling as if it's a luxury that's lent out on the odd occasion to soften the demands for parity. To enjoy the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:same conditions and benefits that the men take for granted has in the past been treated as a reluctant step, and there's the perception that women won't be able to cope with climbing the same hillsꦬ or providing anything like the same level of entertainment.

Philippa York is a long-standing Cyclingnews cont♌ributor, providing expert racing analysis. As one of the early British racers to take the plunge and relocate to France with the famed ACBB club in the 1980's, she was the inspiration for a generation of racing cyclists – and cycling fans – from the UK.

The Glaswegian gained a contract with Peugeot in 1980, making ♑her Tour de France debut in 1983 and taking a solo win in Bagnères-de-Luchon in the Pyrenees, the mountain range which would prove a happy hunting ground throughout her Tour career. 

The following year's race would prove to be one of her finest seasons, becoming the first rider from the UK to win the polka dot jersey at the Tou🏅r, whilst also becoming Britain's highest-ever placed GC finisher with 4th spot. 

She finished runner-up at the Vuelta a🃏 España in 1985 and 1986, to Pedro Delgado and Álvaro Pino respectively, and at the Giro d'Italia in 1987. Stage race victories include the Volta a Catalunya (1985), Tour of Britain (1989) and ꧃Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (1990). York retired from professional cycling as reigning British champion following the collapse of Le Groupement in 1995.