Intro:

World and Olympic champion Marianne Vos said on Tuesday (29th April) that women cyclists got a "big boost" when Tour de France organisers agreed to host a one-day race for them in Paris this year. La Course will cover 90 kilometres (55 miles) and include 13 laps on the Champs-Elysees - with a likely sprint finish, race organisers announced on Tuesday in the French capital. The winner will receive 22,500 Euros (around U.S. $31,000), the same sum awarded to men for a Tour stage win.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Marianne Vos, World and Olympic cycling champion:

"We were not talking about equality, we were not talking about that the ASO has to work only on women's cycling. We were talking about the growth of the sport, that's it's interesting for brands, that women get on bikes more and more, so that it can give back... and that the ASO, that the Tour and men's cycling can benefit from women's cycling if you implement it in the right way."

SOUNDBITE (English) Marianne Vos, World and Olympic cycling champion:

"It's great news. It's great news for women's cycling and great news for cycling in general that the ASO wants to launch this - and actually within a year after we got around the table we came up with the idea to do something... that we come up with La Course on the 27th of July. It's fantastic news."

SOUNDBITE (English) Marianne Vos, World and Olympic cycling champion:

"From history, the Tour de France is three weeks, so cycling fans want to see it three weeks - but if you look at the television, it might be more interesting to have shorter distances and (a) shorter race. And women's cycling is a younger sport, with shorter distances and interesting races because it's attacks right from the gun."