Tour cyclists accused of ‘bra-maxxing’ to gain advantage
Cyclists in the Tour de France Femmes are facing extra clothing checks. Photo: AP
Riders in premier road cycling event the Tour de France Femmes are being forced to undergo extra clothing checks amid claims some may be using bra padding to gain an aerodynamic advantage.
The allegations were first aired earlier this week by Dutch cycling news outlet WielerFlits, which reported that several World Tour teams were concerned by “how some female cyclists exploit their breast size in time trials”.
“We are talking about a ‘chest fairing’,” aerodynamics expert Bert Blocken told the website, explaining that padding a larger sports bra alters airflow around a rider’s body.
“As a result, the rider experiences less air resistance. It is not that you gain a benefit of tens of seconds with this in a time trial, but in a ride of 20 to 30 kilometres, it can yield seconds that can be decisive.”
International cycling’s governing body UCI bans the use of padded bras or other non-essential items of clothing that artificially alter body shape, but some claim there have been noticeable examples of cyclists flouting the rules – including at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“There was a rider who suddenly had huge breasts,” Stijn Steels, director of Belgian women’s cycling team AG Insurance-Soudal, told Het Laatste News.
“Last year, many riders filled their bust area completely with ice or other items to create a larger volume, which gives a much better aerodynamic effect… It’s possible and it does make a difference, but I wouldn’t risk it.”
The controversy has been dubbed “boobgate” by Cycling Flash website, with the padding claims referred to by some as “bra-maxxing” and even “bra doping”.
It has also triggered memories of the bizarre “penisgate” row at this year’s Winter Olympics, where male ski jumpers were accused of injecting hyaluronic acid into their penises to gain an aerodynamic advantage by getting a larger suit.
Tour de France Femmes race organisers appear to be taking the bra-padding allegations seriously, with a communique this week confirming the extra clothing checks would be carried out for the stage-four time trial.
It said “particular attention” would be paid to compliance with regulations around “non-essential clothing or other items/accessories … which could modify riders’ morphology”.
The checks have been supported by former world champion Marianne Vos, who told The Guardian it was “good that they try to enforce the rules”.
“I don’t think it’s really body searching, so I don’t have a problem with it, as long as it’s not too invasive,” said Vos, whose teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is the defending Tour de France Femmes champion.
The Tour de France Femmes takes place across France and Switzerland from August 1-9, with riders covering more than 1117 kilometres across nine stages.
Reigning world time-trial champion Marlen Reusser won stage four of the tour on Tuesday (local time) by a margin substantial enough to claim the yellow jersey.
Swiss rider Reusser (Movistar) finished the 21-kilometre time trial from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon in 27 minutes, 30 seconds, earning her a 14-second lead over Dutch former champion Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) in the general classification.
–with Reuters
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