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Women can definitely complete the same distances/courses the men do, but they would probably not be competitive in a mixed field TdF. They just don't have the
by loeg 3y ago
Women can definitely complete the same distances/courses the men do, but they would probably not be competitive in a mixed field TdF. They just don't have the W/kg for a climbing stage and they don't have the raw W/CdA for a sprint finish podium.
(The ultra/bikepacking races you mention are a completely different format to the TdF.)
I support your idea of not explicitly forbidding mixed fields, but I suspect it won't happen even without a rule against it.
- light_hue_1 3y agoI don't know. We won't know until it happens! But we aren't even at the not forbidding mixed fields stage in cycling. We're at the "women aren't allowed to ride races of the same length as men" stage even in their own competitions.
- loeg 3y ago> We're at the "women aren't allowed to ride races of the same length as men" stage even in their own competitions. I don't think women actually want this! Again, no objection to allowing it, but I don't think this actually benefits women in sport.
- tokai 3y agoIts not much but world championship mixed relay TT is a thing. So it has already happened.
- loeg 3y ago> So it has already happened. Not sure what "it" is here or how it is responsive to my comment.
- tokai 3y ago>not explicitly forbidding mixed fields, but I suspect [mixed fields] won't happen even without a rule against [mixed fields]. So I point out that in a tiny sliver of pro cycling a mixed gender field is happening.
- loeg 3y agoThe mixed relay is a format that mandates 3 women and 3 men. It's not an open format -- if it was, teams with 6 men would dominate and there wouldn't be women in the event at all -- much like a hypothetical mixed field TdF.
- spongebobstoes 3y agoDo you mean that the format requires a mix (e.g. mixed doubles tennis) or that a mix was not forbidden, and occurred with positive results?