Tourer
There are still two stages to drive at this Tour de France Femmes. And the favorites only separate a few seconds. The Col de la Madeleine Could become a fate.
The tourtross has arrived in the Alps. More precisely in Chambérya small town in the Savoie, which was named Alpine City of the Year in 2006. The drivers will hardly be able to enjoy the scenic beauty of this area, because the coming days will be exhausting and probably painful for most. Especially when it comes to the roof of this year’s Tour de France Femmes, the almost 2,000 meter high Col de la Madeleine on Saturday.
In Bourg-en-Bressethe starting point of the seventh stage, the mood was still very exuberant. No wonder, around a hundred of the 159 kilometers of mostly flat land. But then they came, the Alps. The young Frenchess Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) best made it over the 1,128 meter high Col de Granier And thus secured the second day of the day in a row.
Le Court-Pienaar shows fighting spirit
For Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar, the Col de Granier, on the other hand, was a foretaste of what threatens on Saturday. She almost lost the yellow jersey. The driver of the Insurance-Soudal team almost cost a weak phase on the last climb. Your competitor Pauline Ferrand Prevot Let the French fans dream of the yellow jersey briefly, but Le Court-Pienaar got up again in the final departure.
Her body was completely shut down, says the 29-year-old driver from the island state of Mauritius at the later press conference. “I had to concentrate fully on myself to create the climb up as much as possible, but without doing myself.“Back in the group of favorites, Le Court-Pienaar finally reports of blockades by two FDJ Jeux drivers for fellow competitor Demi full ring. “It wasn’t nice, but that’s how cycling is. I’m just happy that I could keep the yellow jersey.”
Showdown at Col de la Madeleine
So everything is done for a showdown on the Col de la Madeleine. Because only 35 seconds separate the first five drivers from each other before going to the royal stage of this year’s Tour de France Femmes. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, Anna van der Breggen and finally Demi full ring-all big names in cycling and able not only to lose the yellow jersey, but also to take out time on the penultimate stage.
It reminds a bit of the past year when Niewiadoma-Phinney and full ring on the last stage Alpe d’Huez up a dramatic struggle for the tour win. In the end, it was four seconds that decided on victory and defeat. Franziska Koch, who has become the best German in Chambéry, predicts an exciting final. “Tomorrow the race for the yellow jersey will explode”according to the German champion.
Each writes their own story
And each of these drivers can write their own story: Ferrand-Prévot could crown the first French driver to carry the yellow jersey. Fulling, on the other hand, could defeat her trauma from last year, van der Breggen celebrate a phenomenal comeback into cycling and make Le Court-Pienaar proud of a whole continent, because not to wear the yellow jersey has not yet succeeded in doing the yellow jersey. In contrast, Niewiadoma-Phinney could lay the foundation for your title defense.
Ricarda Bauernfeind, in turn, is particularly located on the latter. The mountain today was not her case, and her team Canyon-Sram Zondacrypto with Soraya Paladin lost an important driver. The more she hopes to be able to help again tomorrow. “Kasia is so strong that she can cope alone. Thank God we have not lost a second to the other favorites”Said Bauernfeind relieved in the interview after the race. “I hope that I feel better the day tomorrow and that I can stay by your side longer.”
Duel around the white jersey
The Col de la Madeleine could not only become a fate for the carrier of the yellow jerseys. Because while the green jersey of the best sprinter is firmly in Lorena Wiebes’ hand- however, she has to make it to the finish on Sunday- the mountain and white jersey is still exciting. The latter in particular suddenly became a German matter. Julie Bego was the best young driver in the Peloton for six days. In her hometown of all people, she now lost it to Nienke Vinke.
Sportschau Tourfunk, 01.08.2025 7:41 p.m.
“It is normal for Julie to be disappointed. We just try to rebuild it”says Clara Koppenburg, teammate of Bego at French Team Cofidis, after the race. “But there are only 21 seconds and two stages, a lot can still happen.” However, her teammate Franziska Koch wants to worry that the white jersey stays with Vinke. “Our goal was to get the jersey today and we achieved that. We will protect it tomorrow.”
Enthusiasm sounds different
The Col de la Madeleine has already experienced many history on the tour. The women are now tackling the legendary summit for the first time. Le Court-Pienaar was asked whether she was looking forward to it at the press conference. “Oh, I’m thrilled”she replied with a sarcastic laugh. “No, I haven’t actually dealt with it yet”according to the former mountain biker a little more serious. “The days in yellow passed so quickly, I just want to enjoy it. As far as tomorrow is concerned, I try to recover as well as possible and hopefully we will shoot off fireworks.” The prerequisites for this are definitely met.