Story highlights Group of elite female athletes have launched online petition for women's Tour de France

75,000 people have signed the petition calling for a women's race

Claims women are treated as second class citizens within cycling world

Documentary film being made to illustrate divide between men and women's cycling

The wheels of change are in motion.

Last week, four top female athletes launched an online petition demanding that the Amaury Sports Organization, which runs the Tour de France, creates a women's edition of the race.

The petition has garnered 75,000 signatures and has provided the inspiration for a film, 'Half the Road' which depicts the "passion, pitfalls and power of women's professional cycling."

It is a cause which has sparked a surge of popularity on social media with the petitioners taking on the sport's governing body -- the International Cycling Union -- and the ASO, in the fight against what it perceives as sexism.

Sick

"We're sick of talking," Kathryn Bertine , former champion cyclist turned filmmaker, told CNN.

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"Women are treated like second-class citizens and valued nowhere near as highly as men.

"For me, the root of sexism is ignorance. If you look at society, whether it's sport or business or education, when you exclude women then that's half of the world you're ignoring."

The disparity in prize money is stark.

Italy's Giro Rosa, the longest race for women in 2013, lasts eight days with a distance of 778.5 kilometers and has a $608 top prize. The winner of the Tour pockets $595,000.

According to UCI rules, elite women are allowed to ride a maximum of 140 km in a day, compared to the maximum distances of 240 to 280 km for the top male cyclists.

Petition

Bertine launched the petition along with Dutch Olympic and World champion cyclist Marianne Vos , former time trial world champion Emma Pooley and four-time World Ironman Triathlon champion Chrissie Wellington

The four women are frustrated at the lack of regulations surrounding a minimum wage and terms of employment for professional female riders as well as the paltry prize money and lack of races on the circuit.

Bertine is now taking the fight to the big screen with her documentary "Half the Road" scheduled to be screened later this year with the possibility of it being entered into the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals.

Financed by two large donors who have invested $10,000 each, the project relies on money given online by the general public via an international crowd funding site Indiegogo

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The number of people who have pledged financial support and signed the petition has surprised Bertine and has given her extra motivation in pursuing the project.

"People need to see these women," she added. "We can't convey it in print as well as we can in a documentary. We want to show the audience that these are real people.

"I'm in a position where I can read comments and see the effect. It invigorates me and gives me so much more encouragement as I'm making this now.

"This is not about us moaning or whinging. It is about equality. It's not that diffcult to achieve."

Manifesto men

Brian Cookson, who is standing against current UCI President Pat McQuaid in September's election, has outlined his vision for improving women's cycling in his manifesto.

Titled "Restoring trust, leading change," Cookson sets out his vision by promising changes to the UCI and the opportunities afforded to women.

"It is clear to me that equality should exist between young female riders and their male counterparts and the UCI must to do more to provide greater opportunities for female riders to progress," Cookson states in his manifesto.

"It's no secret that women's cycling is the poor relation of the men's sport, but in Britain we are starting to see the first signs of a recovery and although there is a long way to go, I'm very optimistic that the principles introduced are relevant to a wider, global audience via the UCI."

McQuaid, who is seeking a third term in office, has also listed a whole host of policies to improve women's cycling in his manifesto including a female commission and a new global elite race calendar.

Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled Lancing the boil – Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins thinks cycling has a bright future now the controversy surrounding Lance Armstrong has dissipated. Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled In absentia – Wiggins was unable to defending the Tour de France title he won in 2012 due to an underlying knee injury that was exacerbated during his aborted Giro d'Italia campaign. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled Damp squib – The Giro was dogged by poor weather which led to Wiggins developing a chest infection that ruled him out of the competition. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled It was all yellow – Wiggins became the first cyclist from Great Britain to win the Tour de France in 2012 with a commanding performance for Team Sky. The London-born rider grabbed the yellow jersey on stage seven and never looked back. Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled Time traveller – Wiggins' victory was all-but confirmed after he won the 19th stage -- a time trial -- to give him a lead of three minutes and 21 seconds going into the final day of competition. Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled History maker – Wiggins lapped up the acclaim on the Champs-Elysees after his landmark victory was confirmed. Thousands of British fans made the trip to Paris to toast his achievement. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled A dream fulfilled – The closest Wiggins had come previously was finishing fourth in the 2009 Tour when he was riding for the Garmin-Slipstream team. Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled Olympic effort – Just six days after his Tour de France triumph, Wiggins was back in the saddle for the men's road race in the London 2012 Olympics. He and the rest of the Great Britain team failed to help Mark Cavendish to victory but when it was a different story when Wiggins took part in the time trial. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled Talk of the town – Wiggins romped to gold in the time trial, winning by a 42-second margin, in front of a vociferous home crowd. It meant he became one of Britain's most decorated Olympians with seven medals, four of them gold. Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Wiggins: Le Tour unrivalled Arise Sir Bradley – Wiggins' stellar 2012 led to him being knighted in the Queen's New Year's Honors list. He called it the "ultimate accolade" and said it would take a while for his new title -- Sir Bradley Wiggins to sink in. Hide Caption 10 of 10

Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France British best – 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins leads this year's favorite Chris Froome on the way to his eventual triumph in Paris Hide Caption 1 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France First edition – Riders tackle the stage from Toulouse to Bordeaux in the first ever edition of the Tour de France in 1903. Hide Caption 2 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Pyrenees first – Riders tackle the first Pyrenean climb -- the Col de Portet d'Aspet -- in 1910. France's Octave Lapize was first over the top and won the race. But in 1995 the Col was the scene of tragedy as Italian Fabio Casartelli died after a crash on the descent.

Hide Caption 3 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Alpine hero – Eventual 1911 winner Gustave Garrigou of France in action on a stage in the Alps on the way to his eventual victory. Hide Caption 4 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France War ravaged – The First World War may have finished nearly three years earlier, but the ravages of the conflict were still in evidence as the riders make their way through Mondidier. Belgian Leon Scieur won the race. Hide Caption 5 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Coming of age – 1927 winner Nicolas Frantz of Luxembourg (right) is congratulated by Andre Leducq. It was the 21st edition and coming of age for the famous race. Hide Caption 6 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Brilliant Bartali – Legendary Italian rider Gino Bartali rides in splendid isolation on the Col d'Izoard on his way to victory on the 14th stage and his first overall triumph in the iconic classic. Hide Caption 7 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Epic battle – Roger Lapebie of France claimed his first and only Tour victory in 1937 after Bartali crashed on the eighth stage while in the lead and was forced to retire. Hide Caption 8 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Ventoux challenge – Riders tackle the infamous Mont Ventoux climb for the first time during the 1951 race. Hide Caption 9 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Incomparable Coppi – Legendary Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi claimed the Tour de France twice and won the stage to Alpe d'Huez in superb style in 1952 to clinch his second truimph. Hide Caption 10 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Dutch adventure – The race first went outside of France in the 1954 edition as it visited the Netherlands. Hide Caption 11 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Ocana agony – Spanish climber Luis Ocana suffered a sickening crash in the 1971 Tour when leading Merckx. He was forced to retire but won the 1973 race. Hide Caption 12 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Merciless Merckx – Belgian Eddy Merckx dominated the Tour de France and other major cycling races for nearly a decade -- here leading the peloton when riding on the cobbles of the Champs Elysees for the first time in 1975 Hide Caption 13 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France The Badger – Famous French cyclist Bernard Hinault on the Puy de Dome in 1978 as he claimed the first of five wins in the famous race. Hide Caption 14 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Fabulous Fignon – Laurent Fignon continued French domination with back-to-back wins in the 1983 and 1984 editions. Hide Caption 15 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Roche treble – Stephen Roche needed oxygen after a famous effort on the 21st stage to La Plagne in 1987 -- the year he won the Tour, Giro d'Italia and world championship treble. Hide Caption 16 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Berlin breakthrough – Colombian rider Luis Herrera at the Berlin Wall in 1987 as the Tour spent three days in the still divided country of Germany that year. Hide Caption 17 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France American revolution – Greg LeMond celebrates his remarkable triumph in the 1989 Tour as he edged out Fignon by just eight seconds having won the final time trial stage into Paris using then revolutionary tri bars. Hide Caption 18 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Uzbek flyer – Uzbekistan's Djamolidine Abdoujaparov crashes spectacularly as he sprints for the line on the Champs Elysees in 1981. He scraped himself off the asphalt to claim the green points jersey. Hide Caption 19 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Indurain era – Spain's Miguel Indurain tracks Italian Claudio Chiappucci on a stage in the Pyrenees on the way to the first of five successive Tour wins in 1981 for 'Big Mig'. Hide Caption 20 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Infamous first – A young Lance Armstrong announces his arrival into the annuls of Tour history by claiming the eighth stage of the 1993 race in Verdun. Hide Caption 21 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Five timer – Armstrong and his family signal his fifth straight win in the Tour de France in 2003. The Texan was to eventually claim seven titles in a row, but was stripped of them in 2012 after revelations of doping emerged. Hide Caption 22 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France London calling – The Tour de France visited British capital London for the first time in 2007, scene of a prologue before the riders departed on the first stage to Canterbury. Hide Caption 23 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France British superstars – 2012 winner Wiggins leads out his Sky teammate and compatriot Mark Cavendish on the Champs Elysees. Sprinting ace Cavendish went on to claim his 23rd stage win on the Tour de France. Hide Caption 24 of 25 Photos: 100th edition and counting: Images of the Tour de France Peloton power – The near 200-strong peloton in the modern Tour de France tackle some of the most picturesque and intimidating terrain during their 3,000km plus journey. Hide Caption 25 of 25

Photos: Photos: On the spot – British cyclist David Millar sits down with CNN's Amanda Davies ahead of the 2013 Tour de France. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Fighting from the front – Millar is riding in the 2013 Tour for the Garmin-Sharp team. His career has seen him sink into the depths of doping despair before rising to become a key figure in cycling's battle against drugs cheats. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Into the saddle – The Scot, who was born in Malta in 197, is pictured here competing at the 1997 Road Cycling World Championships. He signed his first professional contract with the Cofidis team. Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Youngster in yellow – Millar announced his arrival on the global stage by winning the prologue of the 2000 Tour de France, his first involvement in cycling's most prestigious race. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Arrested and banned – His career was derailed in 2004 when Millar was arrested and detained by French police while having dinner with British Cycling's performance director Dave Brailsford. Millar was subsequently banned from cycling for two years. Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Tour return – Millar's ban expired weeks before the start of the 2006 Tour de France, during which he rode for Saunier Duval-Prodir. He finished 59th out of the 139 riders who completed the race. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Golden glory – The Scot represented his country at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. Millar took gold in the Time Trial event and bronze in the Road Race. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Reprieved – Millar's ban looked to have ended his hopes of competing in the Olympic Games as the British Olympic Association had a policy of issuing lifetime bans to drugs cheats. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled the policy was not compliant with the World Anti-Doping Association's code. The ruling opened the door for Millar, who was part of the British team for the Road Race at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Hide Caption 8 of 8

"The UCI must bring a new focus on developing women's cycling," he wrote.

"Inequality in any sport is unacceptable. No distinction should be made between the achievements of men and women in cycling.

"It's not acceptable that women in cycling do not receive the same pay, prize money and conditions as men. It is past time for this inequality to be brought to an end."

But for the likes of Bertine, who is a trained journalist, it's time for action now.

She recalls how she was shocked by cycling's attitude to women after her switch from triathlon.

"The problem with the UCI is that it doesn't think it's sexist because they think its tradition," she added.

"But that's very easy to change. I absolutely believe we'll see a woman at the top one day. It's bit too far off at the moment. We need it to happen sooner."

Outdated

The idea of a women's Tour is not a completely new one.

The Tour Feminin was held on occasions between 1984 and 2009 but struggled to make any impression following poor sponsorship, unpaid prize money and a legal wrangle over the name.

Britain's Pooley, a former time trial world champion and an Olympic silver medalist, was the last winner of the race in 2009 and is adamant women should be given the opportunity to have their own version of the Tour.

"It's the biggest race in the world," Pooley told CNN. It's a matter of principle, why shouldn't we race?

"It's outdated and old fashioned to think women can't do it --professional sport is there to inspire.

"So many women watch the Tour de France and they should have the chance to be able to be inspired.

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"It's a marketing game, it's about sponsorship and money and I know that. But the sponsors and authorities should see the dollar signs because there's a huge growing market and it's growing quickly."

Winner of the last edition of the La Grande Boucle Féminine -- considered to be the closest equivalent to the men's Tour -- in 2009, Pooley believes a women's Tour would capture the imagination of cycling fans across the globe.

"It's a real opportunity," added Pooley. "Look how many people watch the women at the Olympics and enjoyed it.

"I've raced at the Tour of Flanders and Fleche Wallonne and they've been great. The crowd are going crazy at the side of the road and they absolute love it.

"There's no reason why that can't happen with the Tour de France."

Trailblazers

Tennis affords women equal pay at grand slam tournaments, which had much to do with Billie-Jean King founding the Women's Tennis Association 40 years ago.

"We look back at tennis and what Billie-Jean did and then look at how women were allowed to run in marathons," added Wellington.

"How foolish does it seem now that women weren't allowed to run in marathons?

"It's all about taking small incremental steps and reaching the highest level. We want to galvanize change at grass roots level.

"It's not all about elite sport, it's about increasing participation and providing role models for young girls and women.

"Unless you create then you won't drive the demand or generate public interest. It's a circular process.

"I would suggest that the Olympics show that there's a demand. People want to watch women on bikes."

Olympics

One of those women who caught the public's imagination during the 2012 Games was double Olympic gold medalist Laura Trott.

"I would like to see it for sure," said the 21-year-old Trott, who is competing in the Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix and starting the Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle world record attempt.

"But I don't think it should be run alongside the men's race.

"Having it run over the same distance as the men won't work. Only 20 girls will finish and I don't believe it will be as exciting.

"There aren't enough riders with top ability and the field will get too stretched."

Opposition

For the likes of Pooley, Wellington, Bertine and Vos, it is not just the current generation they are fighting for.

It's about the future -- the young girls who grow up riding their bikes and ask whey they're not allowed to compete in the Tour.

"The Tour is the greatest race on earth," added Wellington.

"Why should a parent have to tell their little girl that she won't be allowed to ride in the Tour because she's not a man?"