Tourer
First Marianne Vosthen Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar and now again: on the 3. stage of the Tour de France Femmes The yellow jersey again changed its wearer. The two leaders only separate six seconds.
There was more going on next door. One might think that the yellow jersey would exercise a certain attraction. But that also comes against the French hopes of hope Maillot Jaune not on. And so the bus was made by Team Visma-Lease A Bike before the start of the 3rd stage in La Gacilly almost besieged by fans. All with the hope, a look at her heroine Pauline Ferrand Prevot to be able to catch. Her teammate Marianne Vos is the actual star of the team. No other driver has achieved as many professional victories as the Dutch woman in her career.
Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar, who had the best view of this spectacle from her bus, couldn’t care. Because the driver from the Insurance AG – Soudal team started the race as the carrier of the yellow jerseys. And that as the first cycling professional – whether men or women – from Africa at all. Happiness, however, only lasted one day for the time being. Thanks to her second place in the expected victory of Lorena Wiebes, VOS conquered the yellow jersey through the timeline. But it remains scarce.
It could hardly be more tightly
So that the Buses of Insurance – Soudal Team and Team Visma -Lease A Bike were right side by side is not a certain irony. Both Equipment a three -way battle for the yellow jersey, which could not have been closer on the first two stages. Ferrand Prevot, VOS and Le Court-Pienaar separated just six seconds before it was to the stage of La Gacilly Angers went.
About who would ultimately carry the yellow jersey 163 kilometers long – the previous owner VOS and Le Court -Pienaar ended the second stage at the same time – then the placement of the past two racing days decided. And the latter was very narrow. What she could hardly believe in Quimper on Sunday. She shook her head in disbelief, said to the team that she wanted to see that with her own eyes. “I didn’t even notice it and actually wanted to go back to the buses”Le Court-Pienaar told her surprise that he had been lying off the yellow jersey immediately after the race. “I was quite shocked.”
VOS no candidate for overall victory
As close as in Quimper On the other hand, it was not possible on the 3rd stage. A mass crash in the last curve, which also made the top favorite on the overall victory, Demi full ring, difficult to go to the ground, disabled Le Court-Pienaar, who then missed the sprint at the top. Unlike VOS. In the end she had to leave Lorena Wiebes the lead, but the lead in the overall classification should be comforting plaster for the sprinter. No other has been driving in the yellow jersey since the new edition of the Tour de France 2022 as the 38-year-old sprinter.
However, VOS is not a candidate for overall victory. The route of this year’s tour of France is too heavy, too few stages are designed for the sprinters. Le Court-Pienaar and her team, on the other hand, have a firm eye on the overall classification. The team can now tick off a first partial success, namely to have had the yellow jersey in their ranks. “That alone is an incredible performance for our team”according to the Mauritierin. Now only the stage victory is missing.
Comeback on the street
Le Court-Pienaar only returned to professional road cycling around a year and a half ago. Until then, the 31-year-old mainly drove mountain bike races. She quickly drove in. Already in her first season she won a stage at Giro d’Italia, this year she won the Liège-Bastogne-Liège cycling monument. And also that as the first African cyclist. A comeback that is impressive.
Kimberley Le Court Pienaar in the yellow jersey
Le Court-Pienaar almost stood in the way of rejection. After the decision to return to the street, her husband finally took over contact with the teams. In the end it was AG Insurance – Soudal, which Le Court -Pienaar gave the trust and signed it. Because on her last trip to the street almost ten years ago, she does not like to recall herself. “I tried to end every race, but had to give up every time or was the penultimate”according to Le Court-Pienaar. “So I am still learning. Although I am no longer so young, I feel like this in cycling.”
Sportschau Tourfunk, 07/28/2025 8:46 p.m.
Handbeat with importance
Even if Le Court-Pienaar looks back at the time with negative feelings, she is very happy to remember a moment. And this has to do with none other than her current main competitor at the Tour de France Femmes. “Marianne was one of the first I got to know in 2015. Back then I was at the very back of the race and became penultimate with one and a half hours behind”says Le Court-Pienaar. “But Marianne waited for me at the finish line and handed my hand.”
It still has to be shown whether both will still deal with each other as friendly when it comes to the prestigious smalling piece in cycling. One thing is certain, however: the duel around the fans has definitely won the Visma Lease A Bike in Angers. Because AG Insurance – Soudal took his bus directly from the route to the hotel.