Wiebes survives rivals' best chance to crack her, and four more Tour de France Femmes stage 1 talking points

Wiebes survives rivals' best chance to crack her, and four more Tour de France Femmes stage 1 talking points

Late attacks could not dislodge the sprint favourite in Lausanne, while crashes, early GC losses and a fruitless Lidl-Trek move shaped a tense opening stage.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 5 min read

Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) won the opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes on Saturday after her rivals failed to exploit a 138km Lausanne route built to test her climbing limits.

The Dutch sprinter followed attacks from FDJ United-Suez on the Côte Saint-François, then beat Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) in the reduced uphill sprint. Wiebes starts stage 2 in yellow, with Le Court four seconds behind and Vollering at six seconds. Just 10 seconds separate the top 10.

Results

Aug 1

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Lorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME3:29:11
🥈
Mary Patricia Kimberley le Court de Billot - Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
🥉
Demi Vollering
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
4
Puck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:00
5
Noemi Rüegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
6
Elisa Longo Borghini
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:00
7
Katarzyna Anna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM +0:00
8
Pauline Ferrand Prevot
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
9
Cedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
10
Marlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
11
Niamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+0:05
12
Paula Blasi Cairol
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:08
13
Anna van der Breggen
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:08
14
Isabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+0:08
15
Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:08
16
Juliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:08
17
Antonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM +0:08
18
Marianne Vos
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:08
19
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:16
20
Monica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:16
21
Thalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:16
22
Malwina Mul
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+0:19
23
Yara Kastelijn
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:19
24
Usoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:19
25
Pfeiffer Zara Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:22
26
Urška Žigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:22
27
Célia Gery
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:22
28
Silke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:24
29
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:30
30
Sarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:30
31
Eline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+0:30
32
Eleonora Ciabocco
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:34
33
Justine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:37
34
Laura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+0:37
35
Dominika Wlodarczyk
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:37
36
Elisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+0:37
37
Katrine Aalerud
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:37
38
Zoe Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM +0:37
39
Solène Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:42
40
Lore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:42
41
Julie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+0:44
42
Linda Riedmann
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+0:47
43
Marte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:47
44
Rosa Klöser
CANYON//SRAM +0:54
45
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:54
46
Maeva Squiban
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:54
47
Nadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:54
48
Sara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:54
49
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:54
50
Paula Andrea Patiño Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:54
51
Debora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:54
52
Malou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+1:01
53
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:01
54
Fiona Mangan
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:05
55
Anouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+1:05
56
Barbara Malcotti
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:05
57
Mischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
58
Lotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
59
Nienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
60
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:05
61
Ema Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+1:05
62
Valentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
63
Karolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:05
64
Quinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+1:05
65
Titia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:14
66
Lotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+1:15
67
Anneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+1:15
68
Marine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:24
69
India Grangier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+1:39
70
Kristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+1:45
71
Mackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+1:47
72
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:56
73
Lily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:56
74
Alice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:56
75
Letizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+2:14
76
Mireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+2:14
77
Laura Molenaar
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+2:14
78
Evita Muzic
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+2:17
79
Chiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM +2:17
80
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+2:17
81
Josie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:25
82
Clémence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+2:38
83
Nina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+2:44
84
Riejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+2:46
85
Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka
CANYON//SRAM +2:46
86
Gaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:49
87
Silvia Persico
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+2:54
88
Maud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+2:59
89
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+3:00
90
Amber Kraak
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+3:04
91
Sophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+3:08
92
Sara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+3:08
93
Daniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:14
94
Alice Madeleine Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:17
95
Henrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:17
96
Lieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:17
97
Ruby Roseman-Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+3:24
98
Letizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+3:24
99
Lucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+3:40
100
Loes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+3:40
101
Millie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+3:59
102
Shari Bossuyt
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+4:03
103
Nikola Nosková
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+4:10
104
Ana Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:09
105
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:09
106
Océane Mahe
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+5:50
107
Jeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+6:21
108
Soraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM +6:25
109
Idoia Eraso Lasa
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+6:27
110
Yuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+11:21
111
Natalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+11:21
112
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+11:21
113
Sandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+11:21
114
Elena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+11:21
115
Alessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+11:21
116
Heidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:21
117
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:21
118
Franziska Koch
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+11:21
119
Caroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:21
120
Amalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+11:21
121
Arianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+11:21
122
Liane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+11:21
123
Morgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+11:21
124
Paula Ostiz Taco
MOVISTAR TEAM+11:21
125
Constance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+11:21
126
Noemie Abgrall
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+14:54
127
Marieke Meert
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+14:54
128
Elisabeth Ebras
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+14:54
129
Naia Amondarain Gaztañaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+14:54
130
Romina Hinojosa Cruz
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+14:54
131
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+14:54
132
Lucie Fityus
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:54
133
Victorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+14:54
134
Mia Griffin
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:54
135
Marie le Net
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+14:54
136
Brodie Chapman
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+14:54
137
Teuntje Beekhuis
UNO-X MOBILITY+15:08
138
Robyn Clay
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+15:08
139
Dina Boels
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+15:08
140
Sterre Vervloet
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+15:08
141
Kiara Lylyk
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+15:08
142
Charlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+15:08
143
Christina Schweinberger
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+15:08
144
Hannah Ludwig
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+19:17
145
Celia le Mouel
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+19:17

Five lessons from stage 1

1. Wiebes survived because the sustained pressure came too late

Three categorised climbs and a 2.6km finish averaging 4.6% appeared to offer the puncheurs several opportunities to isolate Wiebes. Instead, the Dutchwoman managed to cling on with enough in the legs to power passed her rivals and storm to a remarkably impressive opening stage win.

Célia Gery (FDJ United-Suez) attacked on the last steep section before Vollering accelerated inside the final kilometre, but Wiebes followed both moves and helped bring Vollering back in the final few hundred metres. She launched from about 250 metres and won by several bike lengths.

“I almost cannot believe it. The team worked super hard today and they got me to the front with 1km to go but then Demi attacked and I needed to follow,” Wiebes said in the Tour’s post-race interview.

Wiebes came into the race as a favourite, probably alongside Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike). But while the climbing proved too much for Vos, who finished 18th at eight seconds, Wiebes clung on to the end. Only nine riders finished on the same time as Wiebes. The reduced group showed how selective the finish had been, yet Wiebes still proved the strongest.

2. Several GC squads looked short of support

Multiple teams appeared to have a few frailties on the opening stage with multiple riders performing well below where they were expected to be. FDJ United-Suez may have taken third with Vollering, but she was left rather short-handed after her usually dependable helpers, Amber Kraak and Franziska Koch, were both dropped. The team told TNT Sports mid-race that Koch simply did not have good legs on the day.

The French squad were not the only ones to struggle for numbers, though. The other super-team, SD Worx-Protime, also lacked its usual presence near the front. Lotte Kopecky was distanced on the climbs and unable to assist Wiebes or GC leader Anna van der Breggen.

Visma-Lease a Bike and UAE Team L’IMAD appeared to provide the strongest support around their leaders, with Canyon-SRAM also well represented. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Elisa Longo Borghini and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) all finished inside the top eight.

One stage cannot establish the race’s support hierarchy, but it offered an early indication of which leaders may become isolated when the terrain gets harder.

3. Repeated crashes carried immediate consequences

The final 80km contained at least five crashes, possibly six, including incidents on uphill sections. Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) and Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team L’IMAD) came down on the final climb.

Laura Tomasi (Uno-X Mobility) abandoned after crashing. Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Premier Tech) was left in tears and struggling to hold her handlebars properly following another incident. The Austrian finished 143rd, 15:08 behind Wiebes. Alison Avoine (Ma Petite Entreprise) finished outside the time limit.

Marlen Reusser (Movistar) also came down with her teammate Arlenis Sierra before suffering a mechanical problem. Two teammates helped Reusser return, and she recovered to finish 10th without losing time to her main rivals.

4. Océane Mahé secured the first polka-dot jersey

Océane Mahé (Ma Petite Entreprise) was the day’s standout from a breakaway that gained about six minutes. She won the first two QOM contests and placed second on the Côte de Vulliens, collecting enough points to take the mountains lead.

Nikola Nosková (Cofidis) beat Mahé over Vulliens and attacked alone with roughly 40km remaining, but the peloton absorbed the breakaway around 6km from the finish. Mahé’s jersey gave her and her team a significant result on day one, including a podium appearance and the right to wear polka dots on stage 2.

5. 5. Lidl-Trek spent resources without helping its leaders

Lidl-Trek attacked on the Côte de Vulliens through Riejanne Markus before Amanda Spratt bridged to the break after a crash in the peloton opened the group up allowing Spratt to get away easier. Spratt helped reunite the move out front after Nosková began fading from her solo effort, but the group was subsequently caught.

However, this rather odd tactical choice by the team left their two leaders, Niamh Fisher-Black and Isabella Holmgren exposed on the final climb. They still managed their race well with Fisher-Black finishing in 11th just five seconds down on Wiebes as Holmgren finished in the Vos group eight seconds down, now 15 and 18 seconds down in the GC after bonus seconds.

It was a chaotic and fascinating opener to the Tour with a likely sprint and Wiebes win again tomorrow. But, much more awaits the riders as the race meanders through very tough terrain once in France.

Cover image credit: Gaetan Flamme

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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.

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