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Porn and podium hostesses - former yellow jersey reveals Tour de France survival strategy

Jan Bakelants' comments may have been tongue-in-cheek, but some might see them as outdated...

A former wearer of the yellow jersey at the Tour de France may get more than he bargained for should he step onto the podium at the end of a stage during this year’s race – possibly starting with a slap round the face should the hostesses hear what he’s been saying about them.

In an interview with Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Jan Bakelants, who when he rode with RadioShack-Leopard won Stage 2 of the 2013 race on Corsica to get into the overall lead, said that would get through the prospect of three weeks’ racing without sex by watching porn movies.

The AG2R-La Mondiale rider added that “there are the podium hostesses” – in Dutch, ‘podiummissen’ – too.”

Asked what he would take along with him for his free moments, he said, laughing loudly: “A packet of condoms, for sure. You never know where those podiummissen hang out!”

The 31-year-old revealed his family side too, however. Asked whom he would miss the most, he said, “Julia, my cute little daughter. But we’ll see each other every day via Skype.”

But when asked when he would call his parents for the first time during the race, he said: “If I’m through porn movies, they can bring new ones,” adding, “joke!”

He also told Het Laatste Nieuws that he and Romain Bardet fought to be the rider from the team of nine who got the single room at the team hotel, rather than having to share.

You could be forgiven for wondering whether he might be spending some time alone in the spare room once he gets back from the Tour should his partner notice his comments.

It’s possible, of course, that Bakelants’ comments were meant light-heartedly – and certainly Het Laaste Nieuws highlights where he is laughing as he gives his replies (“loudly,” in one instance)

His interests as listed on the AG2R-La Mondiale website are rather less risqué, too – “walking, cooking, oenology,” the study of wine.

But in a sport where gender inequality is still rife, where races such as the Tour Down Under are moving away from employing female podium hostesses and using young riders instead, and where athletes do receive media awareness training, they will strike many as, well, antediluvian.

> Young riders to replace podium hostesses at Tour Downnder

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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31 comments

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 6 years ago
0 likes

Any society that ignores the talents, abilities, intellect and contribution of its female population is losing out on about half its potential.

But then, except that society in general seems to overvalue such things, I have no real problem with either males or females making a living from their looks. I am conflicted.

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
0 likes

I'm a far better looking chick than a bloke, cracking pins!

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
0 likes

As a male, can I get a job as a podium girl?

 

No. That's sexist.

 

Is a job that exists based on the premise of attributes sexist or demeaning? Well again as a numbers geek I am unlikely to become World's strongest man or advertise underwear, and I'm not sure on Sagan's ability to analyse and segment a customer database to maximise return on advertising revenue.

 

Larry, if you think women are under-represented in terms of 'power' jobs, consider the head of the Country, defence, the police et al. You can argue they're under-represented in terms of banking, insurance etc. but maybe that's more a reflection of an out of date industry.

 

You also skip the point that many women actually aspire to be the very thing you dislike, look at the likes of 'Love Island' and 'Big Brother' for the amount of women that only exist to promote themselves and in doing so completely degrade themselves. Do you suggest I as an older male am sexist for allowing this to happen, have any interest in whether they have their eyebrows shaped? Nope but they're part of a multi-million pound industry selling their image to other women. I think it's all a nonesense but if I were to try and stop it, would that not actually make me sexist?

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Jackson replied to alansmurphy | 6 years ago
0 likes
alansmurphy wrote:

As a male, can I get a job as a podium girl?

Probably not but I reckon you should follow your dreams and show up in France in a dress anyway. You may be lacking a pair but you sound like a tit.

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psling | 6 years ago
0 likes

Well, literally laughed out loud at #3 rh column!

 

Sexism can be so subtle. You ask a married man if he does any housework and he'll invariably reply that he "helps" the wife with the washing/cleaning/cooking/whatever. Saying that is sexist.

Is calling a female who works in marketing/promotions a "podium girl" just because she dresses smartly and presents marketing paraphernalia degrading? After all, she sees it as a respectable marketing job whilst it would appear a number of males see it as phwoooaarrrrh, soft porn. The  disturbing issue is with the male observer in this case. Of course, the company appointing the presenters is being sexist by not also offering the roles to males.

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Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
5 likes

Sexism swings both ways.

//i59.tinypic.com/25hmneu.jpg)

 

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larrydavid | 6 years ago
0 likes

How about we put it another way:

 

Are you on Susanna's or Piers' side....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVExq6zHOXA&feature=share

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Bigtwin replied to larrydavid | 6 years ago
0 likes
larrydavid wrote:

How about we put it another way:

 

Are you on Susanna's or Piers' side....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVExq6zHOXA&feature=share

 

Oooh trickly one.  Which should we take less seriously  - GMB or  interweb forums?

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cyclisto | 6 years ago
2 likes

Well there is porn everywhere nowadays. And yes podium girls is essentially mild porn. They know it and admittedly or not we enjoy it. I (or one of the 90% who may watch such a ceremony as a man instead of a woman) prefer to see a beautiful girl rather than a totally unknown local official. It is just out instict and I am sure women would prefer to have their equivalent, whatever may it be.
But as natural it may be to enjoy porn disguised in any possible form, it is equally important to take it out of our lives. Why? It ruins pretty much everything as we seek to find girls that we are being advertised we may find, and in response girls tend to giving excess attention to their appearance neglecting other important aspects such as time, money, work and even spouses that supposedly they are trying to impress.
So please reduce the porn in our lives, including podiums of all sports. All sports, all countries.

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larrydavid | 6 years ago
0 likes

Dear lord.. it's like anti-PC top trumps brigade. Difficult to pick a winner on this occasion. 

​"I don't have a problem with x" ≠ ​x is not a problem

Espcailly where X neagativly impacts on a fairly large part of the population.

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to larrydavid | 6 years ago
2 likes
larrydavid wrote:

Dear lord.. it's like anti-PC top trumps brigade. Difficult to pick a winner on this occasion. 

​"I don't have a problem with x" ≠ ​x is not a problem

Espcailly where X neagativly impacts on a fairly large part of the population.

Please could you explain the negativity and which portion of society this negativity acts upon and how it manifests in such a massive way you (& others) chose to make an issue over it?

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larrydavid replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
3 likes
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
larrydavid wrote:

Dear lord.. it's like anti-PC top trumps brigade. Difficult to pick a winner on this occasion. 

​"I don't have a problem with x" ≠ ​x is not a problem

Espcailly where X neagativly impacts on a fairly large part of the population.

Please could you explain the negativity and which portion of society this negativity acts upon and how it manifests in such a massive way you (& others) chose to make an issue over it?

]

 

Given your tone ("choose to make an issue over it) I don’t really think this is a genuine request. But I’ll bite.

You’ll have noticed women have, in our society, been discriminated against. Obvious things being voting right, pay (still ongoing), exclusions from positions of power etc etc.

Whilst much improved, women are still face various forms of inequality. There is till a pay gap. So called 'woman's work' is still undervalued. Females are still underpresented in positions of power and authority. These are facts - you can disagree if you prefer your facts alternative. These facts are created by systems and structures which perpetuate and create them. The case in point is one of these.

The objectification of women, and allocating females subservient roles (having 'girls' on male bike race podiums, kissing males riders and so on) is both a manifestation and perpetuation of structures which continue this inequality. The particular message this sends is that a woman's primary role is to stand stationary, looking nice, whilst men  undertake real sport and make sexist comments.

This is a relatively small manifestation over a larger issue, but one none the less. The fact of Thatcher, Merkel, Sturgeon etc etc. make no difference to the above.

Why do I find it objectionable? I want a sport where men and women – despite biophysical difference - are seen as equal. I want my daughters to grow up in a world where they are valued for the same reasons men are. Generally men are valued for intellect, skill achievement, power. Some for their looks, but it tends to follow the previously mentioned.

Anyway, enough of this.  Lets crack on with the: ‘snowflake!’ ‘PC brigade!’ vice-as-virtue-signalling patter.

 

 

 

 

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Paul J | 6 years ago
0 likes

Bear in mind there's a different attitude to porn and sex in the Netherlands and Belgium (dutch speaking Belgium anyway). (Not taking away from the sexism of podium girls).

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Bigtwin replied to Paul J | 6 years ago
1 like
Paul J wrote:

Bear in mind there's a different attitude to porn and sex in the Netherlands and Belgium (dutch speaking Belgium anyway). (Not taking away from the sexism of podium girls).

 

Yeah, they have a lot more showers per capita in the Dutch bits, and thus more engineers.

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Kapelmuur | 6 years ago
2 likes

I was watching some 40 year old footage of the TdF and the presentations were done by the French equivalent of the lady mayoress of the finish town.

When did podium girls replace local dignitaries?

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Jimmy Ray Will | 6 years ago
4 likes

Dear lord... its the PC top trumps brigade. Difficult to pick a winner on this occasion. 

Personally speaking I see no real point in having podium girls - although my missus does think it funny when they tower over the climbers - however, I equally have no real problem with it at all. I do not see a woman performing a PR based role as particularly degrading to women, or compromising the work for equality.

Actually, I do see the point in having podium people. There are things that need to be done on stage, so there needs to be someone on there to give out teddies, fit jersies etc. There is a job that needs to be done.

Does it need to be a woman? Not at all. Does that person need to be pretty? Probably... certainly needs to be publicly presentable. The one thing women can bring to the table in these circumstances is a bigger canvas upon which to paint. How stupid would a podium boy look in a red and white spotty suit? 

At least the podium girls are generally dressed with reasonable class... its not the boob tubes and belt skirts that you see in motor racing. 

 

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Bigtwin replied to Jimmy Ray Will | 6 years ago
3 likes
Jimmy Ray Will wrote:

 

At least the podium girls are generally dressed with reasonable class... its not the boob tubes and belt skirts that you see in motor racing. 

 

 

Very good point.  Who do we complain to?

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Bigtwin | 6 years ago
1 like

I think this is appalling, and firmly believe that woman should be treated at all times as if they are equal...

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bogbrush replied to Bigtwin | 6 years ago
0 likes
Bigtwin wrote:

I think this is appalling, and firmly believe that woman should be treated at all times as if they are equal...

I fully agree, I'm not sexist so I just make sure to treat everyone as if I think they're men...

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antonio replied to Bigtwin | 6 years ago
0 likes
Bigtwin wrote:

I think this is appalling, and firmly believe that woman should be treated at all times as if they are equal...

I agree, the riders and the women should be the same height, the women should never look down on the men!enlightened

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keirik replied to Bigtwin | 6 years ago
0 likes
Bigtwin wrote:

I think this is appalling, and firmly believe that woman should be treated at all times as if they are equal...

"As if" they were equal?

Do you think they aren't then?

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Bigtwin replied to keirik | 6 years ago
0 likes
keirik wrote:
Bigtwin wrote:

I think this is appalling, and firmly believe that woman should be treated at all times as if they are equal...

"As if" they were equal?

Do you think they aren't then?

http://road.cc/content/news/224955-women-cyclists-irish-national-road-ra...

 

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larrydavid | 6 years ago
2 likes

They aren’t podium 'girls'.

They are women.

I hope by the time my daughters (4 months, 3) are at an age where they could be 'podium women' we'll all regard this sort of tosh like we do the 'popular racism' of the 1970s.

The fact there is a 'waiting list' to be 'picked' says more about the value society places on women – especially young women - than those in the queue.

It's totally pathetic and demeaning for all involved.

 

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Stumps | 6 years ago
1 like

I believe there was an article in the Guardian about the podium girls after one grand tour where they were asked about the sexist etc etc. There appears to be a long waiting list to be picked and most of them see it as a stepping stone to other more lucrative contracts.
So whether people see it as archaic or sexist it actually means a lot to the girls who take part

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StewartM | 6 years ago
13 likes

The occasional "podium girl" outrage really gets me. It's considered sexist to ogle them, think about them sexually or - in Peter Sagan's case - pinch them on the bum. That's missing the point. The point is, why the heck do we have them in this day and age? It's sexist to have them there in the first place. If its anachronistic to objectify them, let's not forget it's anachronistic to have them there.

I'm an ugly old male cycling fan from Australia, but I'd happily go over there and hand the guys their flowers and lion. For the love of the sport. Whoever perpeptuates the idea that only someone female and attractive can hand a lycra-clad dude a lion and a bunch of flowers is the dinosaur here, not Jans Bakelants.

If we live in a world where it's inapporriate to objectify them, then we live in a world where it's inappropriate to have them full stop.

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Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
14 likes

Empty your sack every morning - marginal gains. 

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reliablemeatloaf replied to Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
2 likes
Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Empty your sack every morning - marginal gains. 

Do you ever have anything to contribute that is not inane, crude, or just plain ignorant?

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madcarew replied to reliablemeatloaf | 6 years ago
2 likes
reliablemeatloaf wrote:
Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Empty your sack every morning - marginal gains. 

Do you ever have anything to contribute that is not inane, crude, or just plain ignorant?

Yeah, he does. Quite often he contributes funny stuff,  funny crude stuff, and  funny ignorant stuff. Youve got to admit, funny ignorant  stuff isn't plain ignorant stuff; it's ignorant stuff in an arran cardigan doing a ministry of funny walks.

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Yorkshire wallet replied to reliablemeatloaf | 6 years ago
2 likes
reliablemeatloaf wrote:
Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Empty your sack every morning - marginal gains. 

Do you ever have anything to contribute that is not inane, crude, or just plain ignorant?

Not really, this is the internet!!

In all seriousness, this is a gentleman's club compared to some forums you could go on. Try arguing with a Valentino Rossi or a Nintendo fan and keeping any level of dialectic discussion going.

What serious discussion can you really have about a racer that wants to pull hostesses and jack off to porn? Condemn him or just run with the joke?

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thegunshopman replied to Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
5 likes
Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Empty your sack every morning - marginal gains. 

 

Funny!!

 

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