Key events
Via the official website of the Tour de France Women, a few quotes from Elisa Longo Borgini of Trek-Segafredo summarizing her racing experience: “It’s been a great week. It was fantastic to ride these roads with so many people. Yesterday was an epic stage. I struggled on the last climb but it was beautiful. I think it was a nice Tour de France.
“It means a lot [for women’s cycling]. I must thank all the people who supported us and also those who did not support us, because they give us attention, so thank you anyway to the haters! But we love those who encourage us. Today is the end, we have to refuel on the last climb.
Worry when they don’t talk about you, as someone once said.
86km to cover: A number of riders were dropped, with the peloton setting a strong pace. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) is one of them. They are currently 47 seconds behind.
90 km to cover: “Listening to Annemiek van Vleuten this morning (in Dutch) she will control more than she will attack today,” wrote Peter van Balen. “The finish is more for the punchers, like Niewiadoma, who will try to win today’s stage. Vollering will also try, but his main objective is to retain second place and the polka dot jersey. Enjoy the race.
Thank you Peter, you too.
92km to cover: The peloton is still united but it is not at all relaxed. Many breakaway hopefuls are there or close to the front of the peloton. The BikeExchange-Jayco riders are particularly active as they attempt to form an escape group.
In the meantime, here are this week’s progress reports. My favorite stage was number two, when this incredibly strong group of breakaways pulled away on the final circuit, and Marianne Vos sped away from them all to take the yellow jersey. What was yours?
96km to cover: The peloton is still complete and is heading at a good pace towards the first climb of the day. They have a fairly significant, uncategorized climb to tackle shortly, before a long slightly uphill drag, including the intermediate sprint point, to the start of the first categorized climb of the day, the Côte d’Esmoulières.
Ideas on the action? You can send me an email or contact me on Twitter.
100 km to go: There are some great shots in our Tour de France Women gallery.
Hats off in particular to AFP’s Jeff Pachoud for capturing these wonderful images of a Frenchwoman and her cat enjoying the action on stage six, somewhere between Saint-Dié-les-Vosges and Rosheim:
106km to cover: The average speed so far is 41.5 km/h. The temperature is 30.3C in the shade, and therefore considerably warmer than that on the road. It’s going to be hot for the runners.
108km to cover: The peloton is complete after 15km of racing. The significant points along the route are as follows:
Intermediate sprint: Faucogney and the Sea
Ascent Cat 2: Côte d’Esmoulières
Category 1 climb: Ballon d’Alsace
Ascension Cat 1 (arrival at the top): The Super Planche des Belles Filles
Preamble
The Women’s Tour de France – back in a new format after a 33-year hiatus – has had no shortage of drama over the past week. There was the raw speed of Team DSM sprinter Lorena Wiebes, who won two stages, starting in Paris last Sunday when she took the yellow jersey with a fearsome sprint finish on the Champs-Élysées.
Not to mention the unparalleled racing skill and all-round ability of Jumbo-Visma’s Marianne Vos, who also won two stages and took the yellow jersey for herself until Annemiek van Vleuten. main dish for Movistar Team on the first big mountain stage yesterday.
The emotion of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Suez Futuroscope) after her superb stage victory in Champagne was another memorable moment, but where does that leave us? The situation in the General classification before today’s last stage, after Van Vleuten’s domination yesterday, the Dutchman leads second-placed Demi Vollering (SD Worx) by 3 minutes 14 seconds. Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM Racing) is third overall, 4:33 behind the pace set by Van Vleuten.
Can a rider or a team hope to revise Van Vleuten and Movistar? It seems an impossible task but there is always the prestigious prospect of a stage victory at the top of La Super Planches des Belles Filles. The peloton is off and rolling for stage eight. Go on !
theguardian Gt