Stefan Tabeling, dpa
After the Tour is before the Tour. This Saturday sees the start of the fifth edition of the Women’s Tour de France since its revival in 2022. The Tour de France Femmes has quickly established itself. Four different winners are testament to the competitiveness of the field, and there are also several promising riders from Germany on the start line. The highlight of the week-long cycling tour is the climb up Mont Ventoux.
What is the route like?
The race gets underway on 1 August in Lausanne, Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva. Spanning nine stages and 1,174.7 kilometres, it will culminate in the Tour finale on 9 August in Nice. The absolute highlight is the mountain finish on Mont Ventoux on the seventh stage. It is quite possible that the winner on the ‘Giant of Provence’ will also go on to win the tour. The individual time trial on the fourth stage to Dijon will also be crucial.
Who are the favourites?
Last year’s winner, French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, is set to take part in the race. The Olympic mountain bike champion from Paris has sparked huge excitement in her home country. However, PFP has yet to put in a particularly convincing performance this year. The Dutch rider Demi Vollering, who won the tour back in 2023, is likely to be the favourite. Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma, the 2024 overall winner, is also always a force to be reckoned with.
What about Tadej Pogacar’s girlfriend, Urška Zigart?
The Slovenian suffered a serious crash at the Tour de Suisse back in June and was forced to take a break after breaking her jaw. Zigart would hardly have been considered a contender for victory anyway; she hasn’t been quite good enough to challenge at the very front so far. However, a sixth place in the Vuelta and an eighth place overall in the Giro d’Italia have already been commendable achievements this year.
What can we expect from the German female riders?
Antonia Niedermaier is the biggest hope in German women’s cycling. In June, the 23-year-old from Rosenheim surprisingly finished second overall in the Giro d’Italia – just 50 seconds behind Vollering. “You’re supposed to dream big,” says Niedermaier, who would love to win the yellow jersey one day. Franziska Koch caused a stir with her victory at Paris–Roubaix in the spring and could secure stage wins on flat stages. Liane Lippert has already achieved this in the past. However, the two-time World Championship fourth-place finisher has to settle for a supporting role behind the Swiss rider Marlen Reusser in the Movistar team.
What has been the response to the Women’s Tour?
In France, the women’s equivalent of the Tour de France is proving very popular. With large crowds lining the roads and strong TV viewing figures, the Tour celebrations in France are continuing seamlessly a week after Tadej Pogacar’s fifth triumph in Paris. “After just a few editions, it’s clear that our race has really come into its own. (...) Four years ago, I was worried about the future of women’s cycling, but now I can’t imagine anything that could prevent its continued growth,” says Tour director Marion Rousse, the partner of former world champion Julian Alaphilippe.
Where can I watch the race on TV?
ARD will broadcast the first two and final stages on its main channel. At the same time, all the day’s stages will be shown via livestream. Eurosport will also be broadcasting the Women’s Tour, with all stages shown on free-to-air television. The coverage can also be followed via livestream on HBO Max and discovery+.
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