Demi Vollering clinched her second Tour de France Femmes victory, executing a pivotal attack on the final climbs near Nice to finish 1 minute and 18 seconds ahead of her closest rival, Kasia Niewiadoma. The Dutch cyclist made her decisive move on the Col d’Èze, pulling away from Niewiadoma during the last 600 meters of the ascent. Despite the former champion’s persistent attempts to gain the upper hand during the climbs, Niewiadoma was unable to overtake Vollering.
The competition was marked by tension between Vollering and Niewiadoma, stemming from a tactical disagreement during Saturday’s stage. Niewiadoma accused Célia Gery, one of Vollering’s teammates, of hindering her progress during a critical segment of the race. This incident fueled ongoing discussions and criticism as the final stage approached. Nonetheless, Niewiadoma commended Vollering’s strength, expressing her desire to maintain fair play.
Vollering expressed her wish for the victory to highlight her team’s deserved success based on athletic prowess. Niewiadoma’s second-place finish continues her impressive streak of podium appearances in recent editions of the Tour de France Femmes.
Meanwhile, Marlen Reusser faced challenges during the final stage. The Swiss rider, who began the day in third place overall, suffered a setback after crashing on the descent of the Col d’Èze. This incident caused her to fall to 14th in the general classification, impacting her standing in the race.