'I just feel so much gratitude' - Niewiadoma-Phinney storms into yellow on Mont Ventoux, but there’s much more racing to come

'I just feel so much gratitude' - Niewiadoma-Phinney storms into yellow on Mont Ventoux, but there’s much more racing to come

A 10km solo attack transformed the Tour de France Femmes, but Demi Vollering and Marlen Reusser remain within 39 seconds before a demanding finale in Nice.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 5 min read

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM) overturned a 1:17 deficit to win stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes alone on Mont Ventoux on Friday, taking the yellow jersey with two stages remaining.

The Polish rider attacked around 10km from the summit and won by 1:16 over Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez), who finished second. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'IMAD) finished 1:42 down after passing yellow jersey wearer Marlen Reusser (Movistar) near the line to take third. Reusser finished fourth at 1:46. The result leaves Niewiadoma-Phinney 15 seconds ahead of Vollering and 39 seconds clear of Reusser, keeping all three riders in contention before Sunday's final stage in Nice.

“Honestly, it's hard to describe my feelings. I am speechless. I just feel so much gratitude,” Niewiadoma-Phinney said following the stage. “This victory goes to so many people that were with me throughout this very long period without claiming a big victory.”

Results

Aug 7

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM4:22:53
🥈
Demi Vollering
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+1:16
🥉
Elisa Longo Borghini
UAE Team L’IMAD+1:42
4
Marlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:46
5
Paula Blasi Cairol
UAE Team L’IMAD+1:48
6
Antonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM+1:48
7
Cedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+2:01
8
Dominika Wlodarczyk
UAE Team L’IMAD+3:26
9
Kim le Court de Billot Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+3:58
10
Isabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+4:11
11
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:38
12
Thalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+6:03
13
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+8:00
14
Niamh Fisher Black
LIDL - TREK+8:28
15
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+9:59
16
Justine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+10:02
17
Noemi Ruegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+10:41
18
Pauline Ferrand Prevot
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+10:44
19
Maeva Squiban
UAE Team L’IMAD+11:12
20
Nienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+11:12
21
Solene Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:40
22
Quinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+11:54
23
Debora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+12:23
24
Mavi Garcia Canellas
UAE Team L’IMAD+13:51
25
Nadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+13:52
26
Urska Zigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+14:39
27
Celia Gery
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+15:33
28
Juliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+15:33
29
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+15:33
30
Ema Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+16:23
31
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+16:46
32
Oceane Mahe
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+16:47
33
Karolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+17:56
34
Sigrid Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+18:45
35
Anouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+18:45
36
Titia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+19:41
37
Clemence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+19:43
38
Marine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+20:11
39
Kristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+20:42
40
Lotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+23:02
41
Lucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+24:30
42
Lieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+24:30
43
Celia le Mouel
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+24:30
44
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+24:30
45
Riejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+24:30
46
Sarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+24:30
47
Paula Ostiz
MOVISTAR TEAM+24:36
48
Mireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+24:36
49
Laura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+24:47
50
Letizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+24:59
51
Morgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+25:57
52
Sandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+29:29
53
Usoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+29:33
54
Gaia Masetti
Team Picnic PostNL+29:33
55
Ruby Roseman Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+29:33
56
Liane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+29:38
57
Marte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+29:38
58
Franziska Koch
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+29:38
59
Silke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+29:38
60
Yuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+29:38
61
Maud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+29:38
62
Sara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+29:42
63
Puck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+29:42
64
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+29:42
65
Daniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+29:42
66
Victorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+29:42
67
Amalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+29:42
68
Loes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+30:04
69
Lore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+30:04
70
Lorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+30:44
71
Lucie Fityus
Team Picnic PostNL+30:44
72
Silvia Persico
UAE Team L’IMAD+30:44
73
Alice Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+30:44
74
Nina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+30:44
75
Alice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:44
76
Sara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:44
77
Ana Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:44
78
Maria Rosa Kloeser
CANYON//SRAM+30:44
79
Noemie Abgrall
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+30:44
80
Agnieszka Skalniak Sojka
CANYON//SRAM+30:44
81
Zoe Jane Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM+30:51
82
Soraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM+30:51
83
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+30:51
84
Alessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+30:51
85
Romina Hinojosa Cruz
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+30:54
86
Constance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:54
87
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:54
88
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:54
89
Elisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+30:54
90
Fiona Mangan
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:54
91
Henrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+30:54
92
Jeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+30:54
93
Mischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+30:54
94
Pfeiffer Georgi
Team Picnic PostNL+30:54
95
Arianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+30:54
96
Millie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+30:54
97
Mackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+31:05
98
Valentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+31:09
99
Malwina Mul
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+31:11
100
Paula Patino Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+31:13
101
Julie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+31:13
102
Marie le Net
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+31:20
103
Linda Riedmann
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+31:45
104
Josie Nelson
Team Picnic PostNL+32:00
105
Idoia Eraso Lasa
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+32:00
106
Nikola Noskova
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+33:23
107
Anneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+33:34
108
Marianne Vos
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+33:34
109
Naia Amondarain Gaztanaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+33:34
110
Mia Griffin
Team Picnic PostNL+34:13
111
Elena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+35:15
112
Malou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+35:15
113
Lene Robyn Clay
Team Picnic PostNL+35:15
114
Letizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+35:15
115
Shari Bossuyt
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+35:19
116
Lily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+35:19
117
Caroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+35:19
118
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+35:19
119
Chiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM+35:23
120
Evita Muzic
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+35:26
121
Lotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+35:27
122
Amber Kraak
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+35:43
123
Eline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+35:43
124
Sophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+37:14
125
Heidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+39:57
126
Natalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+40:08
127
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+43:21

Stage 7 featured approximately 3,500 metres of climbing between La Voulte-sur-Rhône and the Ventoux summit. The classified final ascent from Bédoin measured 15.7km at an average gradient of 8.8%, although the road had been rising for roughly 5km before it began. The famous exposed upper section and a persistent headwind made the racing even more emphatic.

Niewiadoma-Phinney began the climb alongside the other favourites as the peloton was whittled down by FDJ United-Suez, Movistar and EF Education-Oatly. Eventually, only Niewiadoma-Phinney, Vollering and Reusser remained before Niewiadoma-Phinney made her decisive acceleration. Vollering and Reusser initially remained together behind her, but their pursuit lost momentum as each sought shelter from the wind and avoided taking full responsibility for the chase.

With 8km remaining, Niewiadoma-Phinney had already gained enough time to become the virtual race leader. Her advantage continued to grow through Chalet Reynard, the point at which she had planned to be alone.

Cyclist Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney in rainbow jersey rides past cheering fans during Tour de France Femmes

“My idea was that I had to make it to Chalet Reynard on my own, because from then on the wind would be quite strong and the chasers would try to stay on each other's wheel for as long as possible,” she said. “Once I made it there, riding was hard because of the headwind but I knew that the riders behind me would just be playing the game.”

Canyon//SRAM rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney in the start area for Tour de France Femmes at Mont Ventoux

Vollering eventually left Reusser behind with an explosive all-or-nothing attack in the closing kilometres, limiting her deficit to the new yellow jersey. Longo Borghini then caught and passed Reusser in the final 100 metres, securing third place and the remaining time bonus.

Longo Borghini's performance marked a resurgence after she lost 1:43 on stage 5. She remains in fourth overall, now 2:59 behind Niewiadoma-Phinney, while her teammate Paula Blasi finished fifth on Ventoux just two seconds behind Reusser.

After the stage, Italian national champion spoke to TNT Sports broadcast about her ride after taking an impressive third place on the day. “The climb was ridden at a really high pace chapeau to Kasia, she did an amazing climb,” she said. “I personally had my own pacing, I wasn't paying too much attention to the others. I worked very well with Paula (Blasi), we rotated and we were able to reel Marlen (Reusser) back and I got a decent third place, can’t complain.”

Adding that the final climb was very hard but she had time to take it in and enjoy the experience. “I’m enjoying racing. I have to say, I enjoyed the climb. In the end, I gave my absolute best. It’s a climb that requires a lot of patience and mind. You have to have brains and legs.”

Vollering and Reusser remain within 39 seconds

Niewiadoma-Phinney has moved from third overall to first, but her advantage offers little room for control. Vollering is only 15 seconds behind, with Reusser another 24 seconds back in third.

Canyon-SRAM also retained the white jersey through Antonia Niedermaier, who sits fifth overall at 3:21. Niedermaier said she had encouraged her teammate at the foot of the final climb.

“I told her at the bottom of the climb that she was the strongest, that she could make it,” Niedermaier said in the race organiser's post-stage comments. “A lot of things can happen from here to Nice.”

Niewiadoma-Phinney had prepared specifically for Ventoux, previously riding the climb three times with friends and her husband, Taylor Phinney. She also received encouragement at the start of the ascent when she saw her parents beside the road.

“I saw my father yelling for me and I thought I had to make him proud today,” she said, crediting her family, friends, husband, team, coach and management for supporting her through the period before the victory.

Saturday's 171.9km stage from Sisteron to Nice is the longest of the race and provides an opportunity for the puncheurs and sprinters. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) has said her team will commit to pursuing a third stage victory at this year’s race.

The overall battle continues on Sunday. The 99.2km finale around Nice features the Col d'Èze climbed four times, with the final pass coming by its hardest side. Niewiadoma-Phinney will start that day with Vollering and Reusser less than 40 seconds back from yellow, unless something dramatic happens on stage 8.

Cover image credit: Billy Ceusters

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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