The 2023 Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift will reportedly start on July 23 with a grande parle in Clermont-Ferrand, capital of the Auvergne region located in the Massif Central.

The women's WorldTour race, which will take place over eight days from July 23 to 30 next summer, could include several stages in the Auvergne region, with some speculating that the mountain stages could include the Puy de Dome.

According to a report in Wednesday's La Montagne (opens in new tab), Tour de France women's director Marion Luce recently visited the Auvergne region to discuss the possibility of hosting multiple stages in next year's event.

The Tour de France Femme starts in Clermont-Ferrand on the same day as the men's 21st stage, held annually in Paris.

However, the Auvergne region and Clermont-Ferrand also host the Tour de France men's race, with the mountain stage to the Puy de Dome finishing ninth on July 9, a rest day on July 10, stage 10 from Vulcania to Issoire on July 11, and stage 12 The 11th stage from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulin will reportedly take place on July 12.

Olivier Bianchi, mayor of Clermont-Ferrand, said gender equality is a key factor in the bid to host the opening stage of the women's race.

"We have made gender equality a key aspect of our sports policy. So we are delighted that the women's Tour de France will be resumed and that Clermont could be part of the program for this event," Bianchi said."

Ruth, who was appointed director of the Tour de France Femme last year, reportedly visited Clermont-Ferrand as the host city to provide validation.

Her visit was not only about Clermont-Ferrand as a venue for the Grande Palais, but also reportedly discussed the possibility of a second stage being held between Saint-Jeunes-Champanel (Puy-de-Dôme) and Mauriac (Cantal).

Last year, the Tour de France women's Grand Depart was held in conjunction with the men's Grand Depart as a circuit race on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

The women's race then moved northeast to the Vosges mountains, finishing at the top of La Super Planche des Belle Filles.

While many had hoped to visit the iconic Alps and Pyrenees mountains of the Tour de France, there were obvious challenges and limitations to how much countryside the Tour de France Femme could traverse in just eight days.

The move of the Grande Palais from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand will be a major change, but it will also allow the race to cover a new variety of regions over the course of the eight-day race.

In addition, by leaving Paris and moving away from shorter circuit races, organizers can replace them with new mountain courses, individual time trials, and other more substantial ones.

ASO will announce the route details on October 27 at the Palais des Congrès convention center in Paris.