Lorena Wiebes in yellow jersey celebrates at the Tour de France Femmes winners stage with plush toys and team bags

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
🥇
NL flagLorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME3:29:11
🥈
Mary Patricia Kimberley le Court de Billot - Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
🥉
NL flagDemi Vollering
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
4
NL flagPuck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:00
5
CH flagNoemi Rüegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
6
IT flagElisa Longo Borghini
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:00
7
PL flagKatarzyna Anna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM +0:00
8
FR flagPauline Ferrand Prevot
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
9
FR flagCedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
10
CH flagMarlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
11
NZ flagNiamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+0:05
12
ES flagPaula Blasi Cairol
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:08
13
NL flagAnna van der Breggen
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:08
14
CA flagIsabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+0:08
15
ES flagMargarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:08
16
FR flagJuliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:08
17
DE flagAntonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM +0:08
18
NL flagMarianne Vos
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:08
19
FR flagEmilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:16
20
IT flagMonica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:16
21
NL flagThalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:16
22
PL flagMalwina Mul
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+0:19
23
NL flagYara Kastelijn
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:19
24
ES flagUsoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:19
25
GB flagPfeiffer Zara Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:22
26
SI flagUrška Žigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:22
27
FR flagCélia Gery
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:22
28
NL flagSilke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:24
29
NL flagFemke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:30
30
CA flagSarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:30
31
NL flagEline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+0:30
32
IT flagEleonora Ciabocco
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:34
33
BE flagJustine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:37
34
FR flagLaura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+0:37
35
PL flagDominika Wlodarczyk
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:37
36
IT flagElisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+0:37
37
NO flagKatrine Aalerud
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:37
38
GB flagZoe Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM +0:37
39
FR flagSolène Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:42
40
BE flagLore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:42
41
FR flagJulie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+0:44
42
DE flagLinda Riedmann
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+0:47
43
NO flagMarte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:47
44
DE flagRosa Klöser
CANYON//SRAM +0:54
45
NO flagSigrid Ytterhus Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:54
46
FR flagMaeva Squiban
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+0:54
47
CA flagNadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:54
48
IT flagSara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:54
49
CA flagMagdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:54
50
CO flagPaula Andrea Patiño Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:54
51
IT flagDebora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:54
52
NL flagMalou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+1:01
53
FR flagMarion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:01
54
IE flagFiona Mangan
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:05
55
NL flagAnouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+1:05
56
IT flagBarbara Malcotti
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:05
57
NL flagMischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
58
BE flagLotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
59
NL flagNienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
60
NL flagNina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:05
61
FR flagEma Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+1:05
62
AT flagValentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:05
63
PL flagKarolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:05
64
NL flagQuinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+1:05
65
FR flagTitia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:14
66
BE flagLotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+1:15
67
NL flagAnneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+1:15
68
FR flagMarine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:24
69
FR flagIndia Grangier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+1:39
70
US flagKristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+1:45
71
AU flagMackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+1:47
72
CU flagArlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:56
73
US flagLily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:56
74
FR flagAlice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:56
75
IT flagLetizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+2:14
76
ES flagMireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+2:14
77
NL flagLaura Molenaar
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+2:14
78
FR flagEvita Muzic
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+2:17
79
IT flagChiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM +2:17
80
NL flagMarit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+2:17
81
GB flagJosie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:25
82
FR flagClémence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+2:38
83
LU flagNina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+2:44
84
NL flagRiejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+2:46
85
PL flagAgnieszka Skalniak-Sójka
CANYON//SRAM +2:46
86
IT flagGaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:49
87
IT flagSilvia Persico
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+2:54
88
NL flagMaud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+2:59
89
AU flagAmanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+3:00
90
NL flagAmber Kraak
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+3:04
91
NL flagSophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+3:08
92
ES flagSara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+3:08
93
NL flagDaniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:14
94
GB flagAlice Madeleine Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:17
95
NZ flagHenrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:17
96
NL flagLieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:17
97
AU flagRuby Roseman-Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+3:24
98
IT flagLetizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+3:24
99
NL flagLucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+3:40
100
NL flagLoes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+3:40
101
GB flagMillie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+3:59
102
BE flagShari Bossuyt
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+4:03
103
CZ flagNikola Nosková
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+4:10
104
BR flagAna Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:09
105
IT flagFrancesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:09
106
FR flagOcéane Mahe
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+5:50
107
NL flagJeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+6:21
108
IT flagSoraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM +6:25
109
ES flagIdoia Eraso Lasa
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+6:27
110
UA flagYuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+11:21
111
US flagNatalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+11:21
112
IT flagCarlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+11:21
113
BE flagSandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+11:21
114
IT flagElena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+11:21
115
IT flagAlessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+11:21
116
US flagHeidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:21
117
CA flagAlison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:21
118
DE flagFranziska Koch
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+11:21
119
US flagCaroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:21
120
DK flagAmalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+11:21
121
IT flagArianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+11:21
122
DE flagLiane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+11:21
123
FR flagMorgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+11:21
124
ES flagPaula Ostiz Taco
MOVISTAR TEAM+11:21
125
FR flagConstance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+11:21
126
FR flagNoemie Abgrall
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+14:54
127
BE flagMarieke Meert
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+14:54
128
EE flagElisabeth Ebras
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+14:54
129
ES flagNaia Amondarain Gaztañaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+14:54
130
MX flagRomina Hinojosa Cruz
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+14:54
131
ES flagAlicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+14:54
132
AU flagLucie Fityus
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:54
133
FR flagVictorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+14:54
134
IE flagMia Griffin
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:54
135
FR flagMarie le Net
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+14:54
136
AU flagBrodie Chapman
UAE TEAM L'IMAD+14:54
137
NL flagTeuntje Beekhuis
UNO-X MOBILITY+15:08
138
GB flagRobyn Clay
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+15:08
139
BE flagDina Boels
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+15:08
140
BE flagSterre Vervloet
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+15:08
141
CA flagKiara Lylyk
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+15:08
142
NL flagCharlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+15:08
143
AT flagChristina Schweinberger
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+15:08
144
DE flagHannah Ludwig
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+19:17
145
FR flagCelia 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 past 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 stage 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. 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. 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.

Tim Bonville-Ginn headshot

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