Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney rides past cheering fans during a Tour de France Femmes stage

'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
🥇
PL flagKatarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM4:22:53
🥈
NL flagDemi Vollering
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+1:16
🥉
IT flagElisa Longo Borghini
UAE Team L’IMAD+1:42
4
CH flagMarlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:46
5
ES flagPaula Blasi Cairol
UAE Team L’IMAD+1:48
6
DE flagAntonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM+1:48
7
FR flagCedrine Kerbaol
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+2:01
8
PL flagDominika Wlodarczyk
UAE Team L’IMAD+3:26
9
Kim le Court de Billot Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+3:58
10
CA flagIsabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+4:11
11
FR flagMarion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:38
12
NL flagThalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+6:03
13
NL flagNina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+8:00
14
NZ flagNiamh Fisher Black
LIDL - TREK+8:28
15
FR flagEmilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+9:59
16
BE flagJustine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+10:02
17
CH flagNoemi Ruegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+10:41
18
FR flagPauline Ferrand Prevot
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+10:44
19
FR flagMaeva Squiban
UAE Team L’IMAD+11:12
20
NL flagNienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+11:12
21
FR flagSolene Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:40
22
NL flagQuinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+11:54
23
IT flagDebora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+12:23
24
ES flagMavi Garcia Canellas
UAE Team L’IMAD+13:51
25
CA flagNadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+13:52
26
SI flagUrska Zigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+14:39
27
FR flagCelia Gery
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+15:33
28
FR flagJuliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+15:33
29
NL flagFemke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+15:33
30
FR flagEma Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+16:23
31
CA flagMagdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+16:46
32
FR flagOceane Mahe
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+16:47
33
PL flagKarolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+17:56
34
NO flagSigrid Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+18:45
35
NL flagAnouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+18:45
36
FR flagTitia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+19:41
37
FR flagClemence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+19:43
38
FR flagMarine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+20:11
39
US flagKristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+20:42
40
BE flagLotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+23:02
41
NL flagLucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+24:30
42
NL flagLieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+24:30
43
FR flagCelia le Mouel
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+24:30
44
AU flagAmanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+24:30
45
NL flagRiejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+24:30
46
CA flagSarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+24:30
47
ES flagPaula Ostiz
MOVISTAR TEAM+24:36
48
ES flagMireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+24:36
49
FR flagLaura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+24:47
50
IT flagLetizia Paternoster
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+24:59
51
FR flagMorgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+25:57
52
BE flagSandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+29:29
53
ES flagUsoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+29:33
54
IT flagGaia Masetti
Team Picnic PostNL+29:33
55
AU flagRuby Roseman Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+29:33
56
DE flagLiane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+29:38
57
NO flagMarte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+29:38
58
DE flagFranziska Koch
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+29:38
59
NL flagSilke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+29:38
60
UA flagYuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+29:38
61
NL flagMaud Rijnbeek
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+29:38
62
IT flagSara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+29:42
63
NL flagPuck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+29:42
64
NL flagMarit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+29:42
65
NL flagDaniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+29:42
66
FR flagVictorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+29:42
67
DK flagAmalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+29:42
68
NL flagLoes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+30:04
69
BE flagLore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+30:04
70
NL flagLorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+30:44
71
AU flagLucie Fityus
Team Picnic PostNL+30:44
72
IT flagSilvia Persico
UAE Team L’IMAD+30:44
73
GB flagAlice Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+30:44
74
LU flagNina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+30:44
75
FR flagAlice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:44
76
ES flagSara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:44
77
BR flagAna Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:44
78
DE flagMaria Rosa Kloeser
CANYON//SRAM+30:44
79
FR flagNoemie Abgrall
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+30:44
80
PL flagAgnieszka Skalniak Sojka
CANYON//SRAM+30:44
81
GB flagZoe Jane Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM+30:51
82
IT flagSoraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM+30:51
83
IT flagCarlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+30:51
84
IT flagAlessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+30:51
85
MX flagRomina Hinojosa Cruz
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+30:54
86
FR flagConstance Valentin
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:54
87
IT flagFrancesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:54
88
CU flagArlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+30:54
89
IT flagElisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+30:54
90
IE flagFiona Mangan
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+30:54
91
NZ flagHenrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+30:54
92
NL flagJeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+30:54
93
NL flagMischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+30:54
94
GB flagPfeiffer Georgi
Team Picnic PostNL+30:54
95
IT flagArianna Fidanza
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+30:54
96
GB flagMillie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+30:54
97
AU flagMackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+31:05
98
AT flagValentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+31:09
99
PL flagMalwina Mul
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+31:11
100
CO flagPaula Patino Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+31:13
101
FR flagJulie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+31:13
102
FR flagMarie le Net
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+31:20
103
DE flagLinda Riedmann
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+31:45
104
GB flagJosie Nelson
Team Picnic PostNL+32:00
105
ES flagIdoia Eraso Lasa
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+32:00
106
CZ flagNikola Noskova
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+33:23
107
NL flagAnneke Dijkstra
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+33:34
108
NL flagMarianne Vos
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+33:34
109
ES flagNaia Amondarain Gaztanaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+33:34
110
IE flagMia Griffin
Team Picnic PostNL+34:13
111
IT flagElena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+35:15
112
NL flagMalou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+35:15
113
GB flagLene Robyn Clay
Team Picnic PostNL+35:15
114
IT flagLetizia Borghesi
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+35:15
115
BE flagShari Bossuyt
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+35:19
116
US flagLily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+35:19
117
US flagCaroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+35:19
118
ES flagAlicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+35:19
119
IT flagChiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM+35:23
120
FR flagEvita Muzic
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+35:26
121
BE flagLotte Kopecky
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+35:27
122
NL flagAmber Kraak
FDJ UNITED-SUEZ+35:43
123
NL flagEline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+35:43
124
NL flagSophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+37:14
125
US flagHeidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+39:57
126
US flagNatalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+40:08
127
CA flagAlison 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.

Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney rides past cheering fans during a Tour de France Femmes stagePhoto: Billy Ceusters

“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 VentouxPhoto: Gaetan Flamme

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.

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