Nat Bromhead
Welcome to Bicycling Australia’s day-by-day coverage of the cycling event of the year, the Tour de France. Check this pinned post daily for the latest stage results and at the end of the tour you’ll be able to scroll back to see how the race unfolded. A big thanks to Rouvy who are supporting our coverage – you can check out their impressive augmented reality training platform at www.Rouvy.com
Demi Vollering Wins The 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
Demi Vollering has won the 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, with teammate Marlen Reusser winning the final-stage time trial.
26-year-old Vollering, of Team SD Worx, said even 24hours after the huge win it hadn’t fully sunk in.
“I still haven’t had time to realise,” she said. “Yesterday, I arrived at the hotel at 11:30, we had a very quick massage, shower and off to bed. But then, I couldn’t sleep so I thought about things and I realised a little bit,”
“Yesterday, I just focused on my own effort, and when Annemiek [van Vleuten] crossed the line, I was happy with the gap,” she continued. “I didn’t want to be too close before the time trial, I didn’t know if I could do a good time trial.
“It’s amazing what we did this week,” Vollering continued. “We’ve had lots of ups, also some downs, and we showed how strong our team is and how motivated we are to get the best of each day, to fight for the wins. We make each other stronger. I love to see it, and I think it’s nice for the world to see you can conquer everything with good people around you. It inspires me a lot.’
2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Top 5
- Demi Vollering (SD Worx): 25:17:35
- Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx): +3:03
- Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM): +3:03
- Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar): +3:59
- Juliet Labous (Team DSM-Firmenich): +4:48
Amanda Spratt of LIDL-Trek was best-placed Australian, Spratty finishing 10th overall.
Stage 6 – Albi – Blagnac 126km
Movistar’s Emma Norsgaard Bjerg sprinted to a thrilling victory at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift overnight.
The 24yo Danish rider powered to Stage 6 success in Blagnac, at the end of quick 126km day in the saddle.
After a fast and furious six days of racing, the riders now face decisive final weekend of racing.
Tonight’s summit finish on Col du Tourmalet is the Queen stage iof this year’s TDF Femmes and will no doubt provide absolutely brilliant viewing. Then tomorrow night it’s the finale, the Individual Time Trial in Pau.
Top 5 Riders After Stage 6
| 01 | KOPECKY Lotte Team SD Worx | 21:54:30 | |
| 02 | MOOLMAN-PASIO Ashleigh AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step | + 53 | |
| 03 | VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek Movistar Team | + 55 | |
| 04 | LONGO BORGHINI Elisa Lidl-Trek | + 55 | |
| 05 | NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna CANYON//SRAM Racing | + 55 |
Stage 5 Onetime-Le-Chateau to Albi 126.5km
23yo Ricarda Bauernfeind of Canyon/ SRAM delivered a stunning performance to take the solo victory in Albi on day 5 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
After a furious battle over the first climbs of the day, the young German champ attacked with 36 kilometres to go. No other rider was able to come back to her as she soloed her way to the greatest victory of her developing career.
Marlen Reusser of SD Worx and Movistar’s Liane Lippert rounded out the stage top 3 after they escaped the peloton in the final kilometres.
Yellow Jersey wearer Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) was the fastest from the bunch, but it wasn’t all good news for the dominant team as they lost Lorena Wiebes who pulled out of the race due to illness.
Stage 6 will offer a new battle between the sprinters and attackers ahead of the final fireworks for the overall standings this weekend.
Then Saturday’s Stage 7 will be the big one as riders tackle the mighty Tourmalet.
Stage 4 Cahors to Rodez – 177km
Yesterday on Stage 3 Julie Van der Velde came close to showing us one of the rarest but most exciting top-level race finishes, the solo victory, and today Yara Kastelijn did it.
Kastelijn, of team Fenix–Deceuninck, managed to keep just ahead of the talented chase group to cross the line alone and enjoy the major career highlight of a TDF Femmes stage victory. It was also the 25yo Dutch cyclocross rider’s first WorldTour road win.
The longest stage of this year’s edition of the Tour, there was a total of 177km with more than 2400m of climbing.
“It was actually the longest ride I’ve ever done,” an ecstatic Kastelijn later said.
“If I had to do that in training, it would just be boring.”
Despite several strong attacks from Annemiek van Vlueten, who’s clearly eager to get into yellow, Lotte Kopecky of team SD Worx retains the leader’s jersey, with a lead of 43 seconds over team-mate Demi Vollering.
Stage 5 covers 126.5km from Onet-Le-Château to Albi. Despite including rolling terrain and several short (2km or so) climbs, it looks certain to provide another fast finish.
Stage 3 Collonges-La Rouge to Montignac-Lascaux 147.5 km
Stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes delivered one of the most thrilling finales cycling fans have seen in the past month, the rapidly-accelerating bunch chasing down solo breakaway rider Julie Van de Velde.
With less than 400m to go it was a race against the clock, and the fast-approaching bunch, as Van der Velde did all she could to time trial to the line.
But she was caught, consumed, and conquered as the lead riders took their final positions and roared towards the line.
In the end it was European Champion Lorena Wiebes who crossed first, just ahead of veteran pro and all-time legend Marianne Voss and Yellow Jersey custodian Lotte Kopecky.
More to come.
TDF Femmes Top 10 After Stage 3
1: Lotte Kopecky SD Worx 11:07:19
2: Liane Lippert Movistar +55
3: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio Soudal Quick Step +1:05
4: Katarzyna Niewiadoma Canyon SRAM +1:05
5: Elisa Longho-Borghini Lidl-Trek +1:05
6: Annemiek Van-Vleuten Movistar +1:05
7: Tamara Dronova Israel Premier Tech +1:05
8: Demi Vollering Team SD Worx
9: Cecile Ludwig Israel Premier Tech +1:05
10: Amanda Spratt Lidl Trek +1:09
Stage 2 – Clermont Ferrand – Mauriac 148km
German rider Liane Lippert powered to an impressive Stage 2 Victory at the tour de France Femmes overnight, the Movistar rider managing to stay upright and cross the line first in wet and slippery conditions.
Rain pelted down in the final hour of racing with numerous riders sadly crashing, the worst appearing to be Dutchwoman Eva van Agt who went down heavily while leading the race. Laying motionless, with her bike on top of her and half under a roadside barrier, van Agt had to retire from the race due to concussion.
Movistar’s Lippert out-sprinted Lotte Kopecky across the line and a short time later said it was an epic stage of racing.
“It was a very intense day from the start and ultimately chaotic, but I was well placed by my team,” she said.
“I lacked grip in the last metres. I understood why when I discovered after the line that my rear wheel was flat,” she explained.
Lotte Kopecky maintains her overall lead, she’s 49-seconds ahead of Liane Lippert.
Tonight’s Stage 3 will be one for the sprinters, it covers 147.2km from Collonges-la-Rouge to Montignac-Lascaut.
Stage 1 – Clermont-Ferrand to Clermont-Ferrand (124 km)
Team SD Worx have started the Tour de France Femmes with a bang, the Dutch WorldTeam making it a stage 1-2 with Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes finishing first and second.
Kopecky finished 41-seconds ahead of Wiebes and said she had been planning the stage and dreaming of the victory for weeks.
“This solo had been in my head for weeks,” Kopecky said from the podium. “Every day I sent a message to my best friend: ten more kilometres to yellow. I’m happy I was able to realise it.”
More to come
