Wiebes writes history
She is the First stage winner of the Tour de France Femmes: Lorena Wiebes. On the day that the men's Tour of France ends in the French capital, the sprinter from Team DSM opens the women's race with a victory on the magnificent boulevard along the Seine.
This will not be the last success for the Dutchwoman on her way to the Super Planche des Belles Filles. On the 5th stage she strikes again.
Serious crashes overshadow stage 2
The second stage of the women's Tour de France is characterised by numerous crashes. There are three crashes in the last 30 kilometres. Many riders reach the finish with injuries, such as Ursa Pintar, who falls outside the time limit. For others, the journey to Provins ends in an ambulance.
Co-favourite Marta Cavalli of the FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope team suffers a traumatic brain injury after she and her teammate Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, who continues the race, is involved in a mass crash.
Laura Süßemilch was hit particularly hard: the German rider from Team Plantur-Pura, who had already fallen on stage 1, initially lay motionless at the side of the road after her crash around 22 kilometres before the finish. Her team announced after the stage that Süßemilch had broken two vertebrae. A few days later the track cycling team world champion reports from hospital and announces that she has been diagnosed with a third vertebral fracture, a broken rib and a fracture in the back of her head.
Marianne Vos' victory on stage 2 was almost overshadowed by these terrible accidents.
FDJ strikes back
One of the best stories of the Tour de France Femmes 2022 is that of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig. After her crash on stage 2, the Dane picked herself up and won the stage in Epernay the following day. She defeated Marianne Vos in the sprint.
At the finish line, Uttrup Ludwig gives free rein to her emotions: "It feels like a super comeback after yesterday. Now I'm a stage winner of the Tour de France," the 26-year-old explains tearfully.
Missed opportunity
Annemiek van Vleuten's rivals have the opportunity to take time off the top favourite on stage 4, as the Dutchwoman falls behind in the meantime. But no team is prepared to consistently set the pace. Van Vleuten comes back and doesn't lose any time - a missed opportunity.
Team SD Worx has reason to celebrate on this day. Swiss rider Marlen Reusser, a member of their team, wins the stage. Two days later, however, the Tour de France Femmes is also over for Reusser after a crash.
Garcia hit by car
Stage 4 has another sad story in store. Mavi Garcia from the UAE ADQ team was hit by her team's car around 13 kilometres before the finish and crashed heavily. Although she is able to continue the race, she loses a lot of time.
Van Vleuten's solo ride into the yellow jersey
Stage 7 is a Van Vleuten show. On the first of two sections through the Vosges, the top favourite breaks away from her last rival Demi Vollering 62 kilometres before the finish at the Col du Platzerwasel and reaches the finish in Le Markstein with a lead of 3:26 minutes. It was an incredible triumphant ride by an exceptional athlete, who is at least a class above the rest of the peloton on this day.
Dutch women clear the field at the Tour de France Femmes
The grand finale of the Tour de France Femmes 2022 will take place at the Super Planche des Belles Filles, where Lennard Kämna will compete in the men's race around three weeks earlier. was only overtaken by Tadej Pogacar shortly before the finish line. In the women's race there is no doubt who the strongest rider is: Annemiek van Vleuten.
Even three wheel changes couldn't throw the 39-year-old off her stride. She celebrates with a 30-second lead over Vollering their second stage win within 24 hours and makes the double Giro Donne and Tour de France Femmes perfect. Van Vleuten is not the only Dutchwoman who had reason to celebrate on this day.
Her compatriot Vollering secured the mountain jersey on the final stage. The green jersey also goes to Marianne Vos and the young rider classification to Shirin van Anrooij - two other Dutch riders.
Canyon//SRAM Racing, a German team, won the team classification, with Liane Lippert from Team DSM in 16th place, 29:49 minutes behind in the overall standings.
