In August, I attended the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (TdFFaZ, for short), a race that has become one of the biggest events in women’s cycling since its 2022 debut. I noticed how much access fans had at the race, and with women’s cycling on the rise, wondered how long that might last. We see it often: ordinary fans get behind-the-scenes access, sport grows and access disappears.

But what happens to fans when a sport they love gets much bigger?

When a sport becomes more mainstream, casual interactions with athletes and insider-level access become less common. Of course, reduced access is an inevitable consequence of growth. But for fans who have spent years building their relationship with a sport around that closeness, losing access can feel like losing part of their fandom. That can change not only how fans feel about a sport, but how they experience it. Growth does not just change the size of a sport’s audience — it changes the experience of being a fan.

Intimate Access at Women’s Cycling’s Biggest Event

I had no special credential at the TdFFaZ. As a consumer researcher, I like to experience events as a fan to understand that perspective. Cycling is free to watch from the roadside, but credentials are typically required to enter athlete areas. At the TdFFaZ, however, I meandered into team zones and stood feet from riders and their families.

After Stage 8 of the race, I stood by the FDJ-Suez........

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