Does the most famous climb in the world know that the Tour de France Femmes is about to begin?

And why this monumental dispute?
A QOM? A blurry view of the summit through bloodshot eyes?

In the cool shadow of his rugged posture,
the mountain hears the riders
HUFF
and PUFF?

The screams of the fans?

Oh, the immense glory and the pain endured,
all for the taste of the Alpine air, taken in desperate bites.

But has the steep hill bent,
or the monster that stirred in the face of their Sisyphean work?
Or will it remain, summit shrouded in mystery,
sleepy and tired,
unimpressed by the stories
their victories?

Despite everything L'Alpe d'Huez knows
or no matter how carefree it may seem,
They will endure the cruel and long climb,
to claim their place in history.
And while they feed their spirits with the loud sounds
by thousands of fans watching the Femmes,
the riders, like the peaks they climb with their snow-capped crowns,
will remain unyielding and unbroken until End.

Rosael Torres-DavisRacing news editor for Ride a bikebelieves that cycling allows us to challenge the status quo, assert our independence and reclaim spaces that have been taken from us. It is a noble endeavor that allows us to escape for a moment from the constraints of gravity, duty and the forces that oppress us all.

Rosael is a writer and editor living in Philadelphia (Lenape country), where she enjoys the city's sports obsession and its accessible trail systems and cycling community. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications and journalism from the University of Puerto Rico.