The Tour de France Femmes (July 23-30, 2023) starts in a few days. All eyes are open Annemiek van Vleuten directed, who wants to defend her title at the end of her career. With Demi Vollering there is a serious competitor.
It’s every rider’s dream, but only for a handful of the 154 starters in the Tour de France women The wish also comes true: wear the yellow jersey of the leaders once in a lifetime. One who already knows what that feels like – Annemiek van Vleuten – is also this year’s top favorite. But drivers like compatriots Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma or Elisa Longo Borghini will make her life difficult.
Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar)
When it comes to the top favorite for the overall victory of the Tour de France Femmes, one name always comes up first and that is Annemiek van Vleuten. The rider from the Spanish team Movistar already won the inaugural 2022 edition in such a dominant way that nobody really doubts that she will repeat it this year.
Annemiek Van Vleuten (centre) in the yellow jersey at the 2022 Tour alongside Demi Vollering (left) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (right).
The 40-year-old will be particularly motivated because this year’s Tour de France will be the last in her career. Van Vleuten announced her retirement at the end of the current season last year. And why not, the Dutchwoman has won everything there is to win in cycling. She is a multiple Olympic champion and world champion and has won all major tours of the Women’s World Tour. Same with the Giro d’Italia Donne at the beginning of the month.
Van Vleuten feels particularly at home in mountainous terrain. That’s why the climber particularly likes the penultimate mountain stage on the legendary Tourmalet, where she can probably win the overall ranking. If this is not the case, she can catch up as reigning world champion in the final time trial. With the German Liane Lippert and Emma Noorsgaard, van Vleuten also has strong helpers at her side.
Demi Vollering (SD Worx)
Demi Vollering was able to keep up with Annemiek van Vleuten in the fight for overall victory for a long time last year, but she also had to give up on the final mountain stages. Her compatriot was too strong. This season, however, it seems that Vollering has been able to close the gap to van Vleuten.
Demi Vollering celebrated her first success at the Strade Bianche.
The 26-year-old has had an outstanding season so far – first at Strade Bianche and three Ardennes classics, plus second places in the Vuelta Feminina (behind van Vleuten) and the Tour de Suisse. At the Dutch road championships, Vollering left the entire national elite behind.
Unlike her biggest competitor, Vollering did without the Giro d’Italia Donne in order to be able to concentrate fully on the Tour de France Femmes. What makes the climbing specialist, who incidentally won the mountain jersey in 2022, so strong is not just her qualities in the mountains, but also the team she is part of: SD Worx. This has dominated the team classification on the Women’s WorldTour for years and will give everything to bring home the overall victory.
Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon // SRAM Racing)
The Pole starts for the only German World Team Canyon SRAM and surprised at the premiere edition with third place in the overall ranking. And Kasia Niewiadoma can be expected again this year. The 28-year-old has already achieved several top ten results, including in the spring classics and the Tour de Suisse.
However, Niewiadoma has not taken part in any races since mid-June. Instead, she focused on training in the mountains of Andorra to face the steep climb of the Tourmalet on the penultimate stage. However, the all-rounder also benefits from her good stamina, which is why the second and fourth stages in particular with their many steep climbs are made for Niewiadoma.
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl – Trek)
Elisa Longo Borghini is one of several women to break through the phalanx of Dutch riders this year. With top 3 results in spring and third place in the Tour de Suisse, it has been a successful season for the Italian so far.
She showed how good Longo Borghini is in shape at this year’s Giro d’Italia. There she won stage four and was on course for a top result when she fell on stage five and had to abandon the race. However, she was nominated for the Tour de France Femmes. If she is fit, you have to reckon with the driver from Lidl – Trek.
Juliette Labous (Team dsm-firmenich)
Last year all hopes of a home win rested on the shoulders of Frenchwoman Juliette Labous. And with her fourth place in the overall standings, the driver from the dsm-firmenich team did not disappoint. After second place at this year’s Giro D’Italia Donne, the 24-year-old is now aiming for the podium at the Tour.
Labous should not be underestimated, especially on the queen stage. In addition, she worked on her time trial skills, which is why she is also a serious competitor in the final time trial in Pau.