Harshita Jakhar Becomes First Indian Woman to Be Part of Tour de France Femmes

Harshita Jakhar scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to be part of the prestigious Tour de France Femmes, marking a landmark achievement for Indian cycling on the global stage.

The 19-year-old cyclist was selected by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as one of eight promising riders invited to participate in the ceremonial start of Stage 2 of the race on Sunday. The group featured cyclists from Afghanistan, Algeria, Chile, Ethiopia (two riders), Namibia, and Uganda, representing nations that do not yet have established high-performance cycling pathways in Europe.

The selected riders completed a 4.5-kilometre neutralised section of the course alongside members of the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) Road Team before the professional peloton began racing. The Tour de France Femmes, the women's equivalent of the iconic men's Tour de France, started on August 1 in Lausanne and will conclude on August 9 in Nice. The race is part of the UCI Women's World Tour calendar.

Welcoming the young cyclists, UCI President David Lappartient said he was delighted to see an Indian rider in the UCI World Cycling Talent Programme. He expressed confidence that Harshita would enjoy the experience and hoped she would soon return to compete in the actual Tour de France Femmes.

Harshita said cycling had been her dream since childhood, inspired by her father. She thanked the UCI for giving her the opportunity to ride alongside talented cyclists at the start of one of the world's most prestigious women's races.

Hailing from Rajasthan, Harshita has dominated India's junior cycling circuit and has also established herself in the senior category. As a member of the Target Asian Games Group, she trains at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence in Patiala under the guidance of her father and coach, Rakesh Jakhar, a former cyclist who represented India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and is a qualified coach from NIS Patiala.

Harshita is targeting a top-10 finish at the 2026 Asian Games and hopes to win a medal at the 2030 Asian Games, with this historic milestone serving as another significant step in her international journey.