L'Aude de Feminin

The 24th edition of the Tour de l'Aude Feminin begins today. The race began because of the passion and audacity of one man, Jean Thomas.

Today, his legacy is carried on by his daughter Anne-Marie, who with the assistance of a team of more than 50 enthusiastic people and volunteers, and with the support of the General Council, [successive presidents, Robert Capdeville, Raymond Courrière, and since 1998, Marcel Rainaud] make this one of the signature races on the women's international calendar.

As Ben Atkins of Cyclingnews previewed,

"the race - one of the three toughest of the season with the Giro d'Italia and the Thüringen-Rundfahrt - will, as usual, consist of stages over a variety of terrains almost entirely inside the Aude department that gives the race its name.

The stages can be divided into three distinct phases: the first in the mostly flat coastal region close to Narbonne, the second more mountainous section to the south close to Andorra, and the third in the rolling country around the medieval city of Carcassonne."

According to American and two-time winner of the event, Amber Neben (Flexpoint) the Tour de l'Aude is "THE hardest race for women." Strangely, after Flexpoint won the race the past three years (Neben in 2005 and 2006, and Sweden's Susanne Ljungskog in 2007) the team was not invited to participate in the 2008 edition.

Nonetheless, both Ljungskog and Neben will be at the start line today. Ljungskog with her new team Menikini-Selle Italia, which also boast Aussie Rochelle Gilmore, and Neben who found an opening with the USA National Team.

The USA National Team also features Kat Carroll, Alison Powers, Christina Ruitter, Brooke Miller, and our friend Amber Rais, who is ready [and excited] about the "sufferfest."

Three other Americans, Amy Dombroski, Rebecca Much, and Christine Thorburn, all of Webcor Builder's, will also be taking part. Unfortunately, teammate and winner of the season's first World Cup race, Katheryn Curi Mattis, was slated to participate but is currently sidelined with an injury.

Start List

Schedule
Friday, May 16 - Prologue / Individual Time Trial: 3900 m
GRUISSAN - GRUISSAN

Saturday, May 17 - 1st stage: 107 km
RIEUX Minervois - RIEUX Minervois

Sunday, May 18 - 2nd stage: / Against Trial Team: 27 km
NEW PORT - The NEW PORT

Monday, May 19 - 3rd stage: 111 km
LEZIGNAN Corbières - LEZIGNAN Corbières

Tuesday, May 20 - 4th stage: 101 km
OSSEJA - OSSEJA

Wednesday, May 21 - 5th stage: 112 km
TOULOUGES - TOULOUGES

Thursday, May 22 - 6th stage: 117 km
RENNES the BAINS - AXAT

Friday, May 23 - 7th stage: 108 km
CASTELNAUDARY - CASTELNAUDARY

Saturday, May 24 - 8th stage: 116km
BRAM - BRAM

Sunday, May 25 - 9th stage: 71 km
LIMOUX - LIMOUX