Analysis: 'I lost all my respect for them', but Célia Gery's Tour stage 8 move was hard racing, not a foul

Analysis: 'I lost all my respect for them', but Célia Gery's Tour stage 8 move was hard racing, not a foul

The French champion’s positioning helped Demi Vollering take yellow and forced Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney to brake. It was decisive, frustrating and entirely consistent with hard racing.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 5 min read

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM) was furious after losing the Tour de France Femmes yellow jersey on Saturday, blaming Célia Gery (FDJ United-Suez) for forcing her towards the barriers as Demi Vollering attacked. Her anger was understandable, and the positioning was decisive, but our reading of the footage is that Gery’s move remained within the normal limits of hard racing.

The moment came as FDJ United-Suez led the reduced group of favourites onto the final kicker on stage 8. It was around 500 metres long with an average gradient of 13% and a max of 17%. Gery was leading but swung off onto her leader’s wheel just before the start so Vollering could lead while she acted as a sweeper, letting her leader’s wheel go as the European champion launched her attack.

Gery was on Vollering’s wheel, was ahead of Niewiadoma-Phinney and held her line all the way through the corner while the Polish yellow jersey wearer tried to force her way around the side of the French champion. Because of Gery’s line, she then moved in front of Niewiadoma-Phinney and it appeared that she slammed the door shut with the yellow jersey having to brake and stop pedalling just as she needed to carry her momentum onto the climb. Combined with being slightly boxed in by Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'IMAD), this meant that by the time Niewiadoma-Phinney was clear of traffic, Vollering already had a lead of a few bike lengths.

Results

Aug 8

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Demi Vollering
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ4:02:39
🥈
Elisa Longo Borghini
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:17
🥉
Katarzyna Anna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM +0:17
4
Mary Patricia Kimberley le Court de Billot - Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:38
5
Lotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:38
6
Dominika Wlodarczyk
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:38
7
Sarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:38
8
Noemi Rüegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:38
9
Paula Blasi Cairol
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:38
10
Cedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:38
11
Antonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM +0:38
12
Marlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:38
13
Thalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:37
14
Debora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+1:37
15
Kristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+1:37
16
Lorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:50
17
Elisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+1:50
18
Marianne Vos
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:50
19
Pfeiffer Zara Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+1:50
20
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+1:50
21
Clémence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+1:50
22
Celia le Mouel
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+1:50
23
Nienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:50
24
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:50
25
Puck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+1:50
26
Juliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+1:50
27
Isabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+1:50
28
Célia Gery
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+1:50
29
Josie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+1:50
30
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:50
31
Daniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:50
32
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+1:50
33
Amalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+2:10
34
Letizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+2:10
35
Gaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:10
36
Lieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+2:10
37
Laura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+2:10
38
Niamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+2:10
39
Urška Žigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+2:10
40
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+2:10
41
Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+2:10
42
Romina Hinojosa Cruz
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+2:38
43
Fiona Mangan
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+2:51
44
Malwina Mul
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+3:05
45
Paula Ostiz Taco
MOVISTAR TEAM+3:17
46
Jeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+3:22
47
Linda Riedmann
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+3:22
48
Eline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+3:22
49
Yuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+3:22
50
Arianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+3:22
51
Riejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+3:35
52
Karolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+4:08
53
Justine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+4:31
54
Sophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+4:31
55
Rosa Klöser
CANYON//SRAM +4:31
56
Lotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+4:31
57
Zoe Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM +4:31
58
Mischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+4:31
59
Marte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+4:38
60
Franziska Koch
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+4:38
61
Lily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+4:38
62
Mireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+4:38
63
Sara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+4:38
64
Titia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+4:38
65
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+4:38
66
Nina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+4:38
67
Maeva Squiban
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+4:38
68
Lucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+4:44
69
Loes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+4:44
70
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+4:44
71
Anouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+5:05
72
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+5:05
73
Océane Mahe
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+5:05
74
Maud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+6:46
75
Quinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+6:46
76
Idoia Eraso Lasa
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+6:46
77
Millie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+7:29
78
Caroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+8:34
79
Natalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+8:34
80
Victorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+8:34
81
Noemie Abgrall
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+9:14
82
Silvia Persico
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+9:14
83
Ana Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:14
84
Chiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM +9:14
85
Heidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+9:14
86
Lucie Fityus
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+9:14
87
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+9:14
88
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:14
89
Liane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:14
90
Sara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:14
91
Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka
CANYON//SRAM +9:14
92
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:14
93
Sandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+9:14
94
Soraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM +9:14
95
Elena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+9:14
96
Mia Griffin
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+9:14
97
Anneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+9:14
98
Ruby Roseman-Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+9:14
99
Alessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+9:14
100
Paula Andrea Patiño Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+9:14
101
Henrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+9:14
102
Alice Madeleine Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+9:14
103
Valentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+9:14
104
Julie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+9:14
105
Ema Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+9:14
106
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+10:21
107
Malou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+10:21
108
Constance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+10:21
109
Marie le Net
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+10:21
110
Nadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+10:21
111
Marine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+10:21
112
Mackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+10:21
113
Naia Amondarain Gaztañaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+10:21
114
Usoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+10:21
115
Solène Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+10:21
116
Morgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+10:21
117
Silke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+11:24
118
Alice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+11:24
119
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+11:42
120
Lore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+11:42
121
Robyn Clay
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+11:51
122
Shari Bossuyt
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+12:00
123
Letizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+12:00
124
Evita Muzic
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+12:00
125
Amber Kraak
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+12:00
126
Nikola Nosková
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+12:00

Niewiadoma-Phinney initially responded superbly and, along with Longo Borghini, got back to Vollering. However, Vollering had something left and used it to kick one more time over the top as she opened up a gap onto the descent down to Nice. Longo Borghini did all the chasing in the two-rider group and cut the gap back to just seven seconds. But once they reached the Promenade des Anglais, Vollering pulled away, won the stage and took an eight-second lead over Niewiadoma-Phinney into the final day.

After the stage, Niewiadoma-Phinney sat on the road surrounded by a scrum of international media. Still visibly angry:: “I was annoyed at the beginning of the climb because Gery, on purpose, just blocked me to the barriers where I had to stop pedalling,” she said. “I feel like, if they want to compete they should compete fair play and not look to block me on the barriers because I feel it is so childish. Honestly, I lost all the respect for them for that."

The move was decisive but within the normal limits of racing. Gery’s job was to deliver Vollering into the ramp with an advantage. FDJ United-Suez had spent the closing kilometres controlling the group through Franziska Koch, Juliette Berthet and Gery, in pursuit of the solo victory needed to erase Vollering’s 15-second deficit.

After the race, FDJ United-SUEZ sports director Lars Boom told Eurosport: “Franziska Koch went full gas exactly where she needed to, then Juliette Berthet took over. Célia Gery had to stay with them over the top and, in the final corner before the steep section, switch positions with Demi. That already gives you two or three metres on Kasia because there is another rider in between. That was the plan, and from there Demi went full gas.”

With Vollering first into the climb and Gery protecting her position immediately behind, Niewiadoma-Phinney chose the exposed side of the road. Gery had no obligation to leave space for the yellow jersey to pass, or to preserve a route back to Vollering’s wheel. Closing that route completed her lead-out.

The available helicopter footage makes the positioning clearer than the live broadcast, which missed roughly two seconds around the incident. Gery runs wide and Niewiadoma-Phinney has to react, but the footage does not establish an illegal deviation. The stage communiqué contained no fine, warning or penalty.

Frustration does not make it a foul

Niewiadoma-Phinney confronted Gery while the 20-year-old French champion was being interviewed after the finish.

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“Why did you do that? Why did you close me to the barriers?” she asked in the post-race mixed zone. “Was it part of the plan?”

Her reaction came moments after finishing the longest stage of the race that was 171.9km with a 10.5km neutral on top off the back of her incredible display on Mont Ventoux, it was clearly a heat of the moment thing from Niewiadoma-Phinney and totally understandable to be frustrated and/or disappointed. But there isn’t really anything for her to go off and the jury agrees.

Vollering said Gery had probably been so depleted by the lead-out that she did not see Niewiadoma-Phinney. Intent is difficult to prove, and it is not needed to assess the move. Even if Gery knew exactly where her rival was, a rider holding the advantageous line can shut the door while staying within the normal limits of road positioning.

Longo Borghini occupying the space around Niewiadoma-Phinney as the climb began, also added to the problem. The decisive factor was tactical position before the acceleration.

Niewiadoma-Phinney now begins Sunday’s 99.2km final stage around Nice eight seconds behind Vollering. Four ascents of the Col d’Èze give Canyon//SRAM four chances to respond. Teammate Antonia Niedermaier put the situation more usefully in the official race interview: “I told Kasia it’s not over yet. Tomorrow, there is still a very hard day so we should never stop believing. I think everything is still possible.”

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Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

Expertise:Racing