After Marianne Vos (Visma - Lease a Bike), the second oldest rider at 38 years of age, celebrated a stage win the day before, the oldest starter now followed suit. After all of the day's breakaway riders had previously been caught, Garcia had to make her escape eleven kilometres before the finish. She was never able to gain more than a few seconds on the undulating final sections of the 110-kilometre stage between Brest and Quimper. When there were only five riders left 600 metres before the finish, the day's and classification favourites suddenly stopped working. None of them wanted to give the others anything. And so the Spaniard saved a three-second lead on Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx - Protime), who won the group sprint.
Kimberly Le Court (AG Insurance - Soudal Team), who had already finished second the day before, came third. At the same time as Vos, the woman from Mauritius took the overall leader's yellow jersey. In fourth place was Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), who had crashed on stage 1 and was therefore unable to take part in the finale.
Class favourites this time without losing time
"I still can't believe it," said Garcia, delighted with her victory. "I've had a very tough year. I've been riding for so many years and thought maybe it was time to stop. But this gives me a lot now. I couldn't believe it until five metres before the finish."
17 riders finished behind Garcia at the same time, including the majority of the class favourites. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) proved that despite her victory at the Giro, she is not one of them. Once again, she finished almost two minutes behind. Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance - Soudal Team) and Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) were able to limit their time loss to eleven seconds, while everyone else stayed together.
This leaves third-placed Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) six seconds behind Le Court and Vos and defending champion Katarzyna Niewiadoma (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) ten seconds behind. Top favourite Demi Vollering (FDJ - Suez) in fifth place is 13 seconds behind.
Vos will tackle the more sprinter-friendly 3rd stage in the green jersey. Elise Chabbey (FDJ - Suez) defended her mountain jersey, Julie Bego (Cofidis Women Team) the young rider classification.
Tour de France Femmes 2025 - Results of the 2nd stage
Stage 2: Brest - Quimper
Tour de France Femmes 2025: Stage 2, Brest - Quimper
| Rnk. | Riders | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liv AlUla Jayco | 02:44:29 |
| 2 | Team SD Worx - Protime | +00:00:03 |
| 3 | AG Insurance - Soudal Team | +00:00:03 |
| 4 | Movistar Team | +00:00:03 |
| 5 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +00:00:03 |
| 6 | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | +00:00:03 |
How the 2nd stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2025 went
After several unsuccessful attacks, it was initially Franziska Koch (Picnic PostNL) and Aude Biannic (Movistar Team) who had opened up a lead of just under one and a half minutes after around 30 kilometres. Without captain Charlotte Kool, who had not yet fully recovered after a crash in her last race and did not start the second stage, Koch's role was much freer than perhaps originally planned.
However, the lead dropped again in the light rain. However, the leading duo made it to the intermediate sprint after a good 45 kilometres, where Koch took 20 points. From the peloton, Vos and Wiebes duelled for the remaining points from the peloton - with the European champion coming out on top. Chabbey and Silke Smulders (Liv AlUla Jayco) went on the offensive in the subsequent 3rd category climb of Menez Quelerc'h and replaced the previous leading duo.
Smulders secured the mountain classification, but then continued to make common cause with Chabbey and Maud Rijnbeek (VolkerWessels Cycling Team), who had already been active as a breakaway rider the day before. Chabbey returned the favour in the second mountain prize on the Côte de Locronan (4th category). However, the lead of the leading duo, who had left Rijnbeek behind again, remained within 40 seconds. At the Côte du Chemin de Trohéir (4th category) 30 kilometres before the finish, Chabbey was once again in front. Shortly afterwards, they both reached the final circuit of Quimper. The Swiss rider collected six bonus seconds at the finish line.
Niewiadoma and Ferrand-Prévot also attack
After the peloton reached the 26-kilometre circuit, it took 3000 metres for Niewiadoma to break away. Ferrand-Prévot immediately followed suit. However, the duo was unable to break away decisively. The next attempt was made by Riejanne Markus (Lidl - Trek) and together with Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ), who had been between the peloton and the front for some time, she managed to make the jump to the front. However, the new leading quartet was short-lived - 13 kilometres from the end they were caught by the remaining peloton.
Then Garcia made her move. Shortly before the final ten kilometres, she attacked. However, over the Côte du Chemin de Trohéir, which had to be ridden again, her lead always remained within seconds, almost within sight. Nevertheless, she made it to the Flamme Rouge. Shortly afterwards, however, she was almost caught, with only five seconds left on the final climb 600 metres before the finish. But because none of the chasers were prepared to work after that, the gap did not narrow until the 41-year-old stood up to celebrate. Wiebes was only able to secure second place by winning the sprints of the chasers.
