{"id":2071215,"date":"2026-07-31T09:45:54","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T06:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2071215"},"modified":"2026-07-31T09:45:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T06:45:54","slug":"five-years-in-this-tour-de-france-femmes-looks-like-it-will-be-the-best-edition-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2071215","title":{"rendered":"Five years in, this Tour de France Femmes looks like it will be the best edition yet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-2560-80.png&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 1 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hwq4f3gy8aQDoDq83JVD5U-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hwq4f3gy8aQDoDq83JVD5U-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-4 h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">1<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    Eight conclusions from the Tour de France \u2013 A new Poga\u010dar, Evenepoel&#8217;s next challenge and questions over racing in July\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 2 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">2<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    Tour de France Femmes contenders \u2013 Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot poised for fantastic duel with Ventoux finale\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 3 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wer6QLcyXjxskivvUjjhLj-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wer6QLcyXjxskivvUjjhLj-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">3<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    How to watch Tour de France Femmes 2026 \u2013 Live streams and official broadcasters\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nTour de France Femmes\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Five years in, this Tour de France Femmes looks like it will be the best edition yet<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nMatilda Price <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-07-31T09:45:54Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n31 July 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The race continues to grow at pace, and this year&#8217;s stacked GC battle and brilliant course could take it to even higher heights, writes Matilda Price<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1920-80.png.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1600-80.png.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-750-80.png.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-06b625b2-8c50-11f1-ab87-ebe8a7e54ea9\">I\u2019m writing this on my way to the fifth Tour de France Femmes, which feels like one of this race\u2019s first big milestones. Half a decade! It\u2019s sometimes strange to think that, because it feels like this race has been around forever and is already the defining point of the calendar despite being so new to it, but amazingly this is only the fifth edition.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a whirlwind half-decade, and the race \u2013 which already felt enormous in the first year \u2013 has only grown and grown, bringing in new viewers and fans, new sponsors, platforming new teams and riders. It has also lifted the level of the sport in more ways than one, whether it&#8217;s the knock-on effect of higher salaries or the rapidly rising performance that goes along with the increasing challenge of women&#8217;s Grand Tours.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-06b625b2-8c50-11f1-ab87-ebe8a7e54ea9-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I was very lucky to be on the ground at the first edition of the Tour Femmes in 2022, incidentally working for <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> at the time, too. Back then, I was a freelancer, and I had the luxury of writing (and podcasting) exclusively about women\u2019s cycling before I became staff and now do a bit of everything. It felt really cool to be able to dedicate myself full-time to the women&#8217;s peloton, and it left me with a really deep understanding of the sport, I think.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Being immersed in both a pre- and post-Tour de France Femmes women\u2019s cycling world, and having been to most of the editions, I\u2019ve been reflecting a lot on the last five years of this race, how it has changed, and how it\u2019s changed the sport, too.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There aren&#8217;t many things that I&#8217;ve been able to witness from day 1 and experience those nascent, essential first years, but I have done that with the Tour \u2013 as many of you have too \u2013 and it&#8217;s left plenty of thoughts swirling around my head on my travels to Switzerland.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France Femmes 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France Femmes contenders \u2013 Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot poised for fantastic duel with Ventoux finale<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Pauline will be on the same level or better; we are only focused on ourselves&#8217; \u2013 Inside FDJ United-Suez and Demi Vollering&#8217;s preparation, mindset and ambitions for the Tour de France Femmes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The women\u2019s Tour now is a huge moment for the whole industry. Everyone who is anyone will be there, all the big brands, all the most influential people in women\u2019s cycling, from all corners of the industry.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In truth, I don\u2019t remember the first edition being quite as big in that sense, which is sad to think in some ways, and I do wonder if some people had to see the proof of concept before they really believed this would work. Either way, the huge fanfare is here now, which is amazing to see.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">(The next step will be how we extend this support and popularity to races like the Classics, Giro d\u2019Italia Women and Vuelta Feminina. Trust me, you don\u2019t get quite the feeling of women\u2019s cycling booming when you\u2019re the only person standing in the mixed zone at the finish of the women\u2019s Dwars door Vlaanderen. But that\u2019s a conversation for another day\u2026)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But more than a big moment, it&#8217;s also a big race, a big sporting spectacle \u2013 which I think is what anyone who loves women&#8217;s cycling has always wanted. The fanfare is great, and welcomed, but even when you peel back the hype and commercialisation, you&#8217;re still left with an utterly fantastic race. In fact, I think this year&#8217;s might just be the best yet.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-a-truly-fiery-gc-battle\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>A truly fiery GC battle<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc432-8cc4-11f1-bbe3-8fae6c9eefd5\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63ce8-8c51-11f1-82d0-8ff851d31456\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I spoke to FDJ team boss Stephen Delcourt the other day (go ahead and read that Q&amp;A if you haven\u2019t already), and he said that there are six or seven potential winners on the start list for this year\u2019s Tour, and he\u2019s completely correct.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Cooke&#8217;s Mont Ventoux masterclass and a C\u00f4te d&#8217;Azur classic \u2013 A history of the Tour de France Femmes&#8217; key climbs<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Can FDJ United-SUEZ defend their title without Demi Vollering? \u2013 Analysing the contenders for La Vuelta Femenina 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In 2022, the reality was that there was probably only one potential winner on the start list. We knew Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney were going to be good, sure, but I don\u2019t think anyone would have bet against Annemiek van Vleuten winning the yellow jersey.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No one since Van Vleuten has replicated her level of dominance when it comes to stage racing. Even Vollering, who you&#8217;d say is the most successful stage racer right now, hasn&#8217;t experienced that singular ability, as I wrote before the Giro. And to be honest, that&#8217;s been the best thing about the Tour de France Femmes: not randomness, but unpredictability.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Whilst the men&#8217;s Tour has been won by the same two riders for the last seven years, every edition of the women&#8217;s race has had a different winner. While that might not quite continue this year \u2013 the chances of one of Vollering or Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot winning seem high \u2013 it&#8217;s a testament to the ever-growing depth of talent right at the highest levels of the sport. The days of there being a singular favourite are long gone.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That&#8217;s because every year, more and more riders are getting stronger and stronger. A vast array of factors are behind that, but a big one is the level of resources and investment in the sport, which very simply means that more riders are able to train better and with better support. And unsurprisingly, that means the level goes up.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Which leaves us in this situation that would have felt unimaginable four years ago, with five, six, seven riders all more than capable of winning this race, even though it has one of the sport&#8217;s toughest climbs as its centrepiece. A few years ago, some corners of the cycling world would have told you that including a climb like Mont Ventoux would kill the competition, as only a few riders could apparently manage it. But the peloton has resolutely proven that theory to be untrue, and now we see the inclusion of big mountains as a catalyst for exciting and open racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ll have gathered that Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot are the favourites for this year&#8217;s race, but don&#8217;t presume they&#8217;ll go unchallenged. Marlen Reusser is a formidable GC rider, Anna van der Breggen came close to winning both the Vuelta and the Giro, and UAE Team L&#8217;IMAD have a potentially lethal combination of Elisa Longo Borghini and Paula Blasi, both Grand Tour winners.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The TT and Ventoux, plus the tough stages in between, mean that nothing is a given, and any rider who goes for it at the right moment has a chance of winning. The course is really fantastic this year, better designed that the Vuelta and the Giro combined, balancing all sorts of different challenges instead of just backloading the climbing, and ensuring that the eventual winner will need to employ every skill to win this race, which is exactly what a Grand Tour should be about, This won&#8217;t just be a two-rider battle on Ventoux, I assure you \u2013 the yellow jersey battle is going to be much more fiery than that.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-finally-a-new-generation\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>Finally, a new generation<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc4b4-8cc4-11f1-929d-8b351819b1e6\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Vuelta Femenina winner Paula Blasi is one of the rising stars in the women&#8217;s peloton <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63dba-8c51-11f1-9376-136af88ba6eb\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">One of the things that I\u2019ve thought about a lot over the years is how the names at the top of the sport really haven\u2019t changed that much since 2022. That\u2019s exemplified by the fact that Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney have been on the podium of every single edition.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But this year, a new generation is very much arriving, and one that is more than ready to challenge the established upper echelons of the peloton. Paula Blasi has arguably already done that, with her Vuelta Femenina win that may well make her one of the highest-paid riders in the peloton for 2027.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Isabella Holmgren out-climbed her teammate Niamh Fisher-Black on the Colle delle Finestre to finish seventh in the Giro and earn a late call-up for the Tour, while Valentina Cavallar is being primed as SD Worx&#8217;s next big contender. Finally, 20-year-old Lore De Schepper impressed so much that she was given her debut this year in a very strong AG Insurance-Soudal team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Women&#8217;s cycling has long been dominated by a fairly stable core of big names, which in some ways has been really good for building fandom and support, but it has sometimes made me question why new names weren&#8217;t quite able to cut through to the very highest level. There&#8217;s nothing to worry about on that front anymore \u2013 well, unless you&#8217;re one of the established guard who suddenly has a scarily talented wave of young guns to face up to\u2026<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If there&#8217;s a feeling this year that we might get the first-ever repeat winner of the Tour de France Femmes, I have an equally strong feeling that very soon, we&#8217;ll have a brand new name on the podium to shake up the combination of the same few riders we have seen so far. How fantastic would that be?<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-what-next-for-the-tour-de-france-femmes\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>What next for the Tour de France Femmes?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63e78-8c51-11f1-b887-1dfa971a78d0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This is kind of the ultimate question right now, and one I hope to talk to lots of people about this week, because truthfully, I&#8217;m not sure what my ideal answer or vision would be.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s clear that the race could be longer. It seems a given to us in the sport that women&#8217;s Grand Tours are shorter than three weeks because, well, they just are, but when a friend of mine asked me why I was only going to the women&#8217;s Tour for nine days when the men&#8217;s is three weeks, I felt like my answer wasn&#8217;t very satisfactory. I&#8217;m not expecting a three-week Tour immediately, or perhaps ever, but there is room to grow this event.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Other than that, it&#8217;s hard to predict what the next step for the Tour is, and perhaps that actually is the answer: the next phase of the story isn&#8217;t about continuing to evolve, as we have done every year so far, but perhaps a stage of consolidation. The constant growth and experimentation has been fantastic, but maybe it&#8217;s time for this race to set down some roots, form some traditions \u2013 like the men&#8217;s Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es finish \u2013 and write some history books on big climbs that are longer than just one entry.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Five years in, I&#8217;m sure many people, from ASO to Zwift to the riders and teams, will take this year&#8217;s edition as a time to stop and evaluate and think about what is really the best path forward. In four brilliant editions, this race has more than proven its worth, showing that we can do foreign Grand Departs, huge mountains, and time trials. There&#8217;s nothing to prove anymore, I don&#8217;t think, and this race is no longer a novelty \u2013 it&#8217;s fast becoming an institution, and building those foundations should be the next priority.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc536-8cc4-11f1-94d6-932027e4217e\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-what-do-you-want-from-the-race\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>What do you want from the race?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63f40-8c51-11f1-9e85-d35cecdcd203\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As well as thinking about the racing and the evolution of this event, as I&#8217;ve been on my travels to Switzerland, I&#8217;ve also been thinking a lot about how we&#8217;re going to cover it and how we can expand what we do to match the way the race has transformed.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Of course, my colleagues and I have plenty of ideas and plans up our sleeves, but before the race gets underway, I also wanted to open the floor to you all and hear what you&#8217;re looking forward to, what you hope to see, and indeed, what you&#8217;d like to read on Cyclingnews for the next 10 days or so.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Whether you&#8217;re a dedicated women&#8217;s cycling fan or someone who is coming to the women&#8217;s Tour with mainly knowledge of men&#8217;s cycling, we want to offer you the best coverage possible, covering all the storylines you&#8217;re interested in \u2013 from the obvious to the not so obvious \u2013 and speaking to all the most important and interesting people.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Please do drop your ideas, thoughts, observations, questions \u2013 anything! \u2013 in the comments below. I&#8217;d love to hear from you. I&#8217;ll be in the comments chatting with you, and hopefully we can all enjoy a really brilliant week of racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>Support our unrivalled coverage of the Tour de France Femmes and women&#8217;s cycling by subscribing to Cyclingnews. In return, you get unlimited access to high-quality journalism, with breaking news, race analysis, and expert insight from inside the women&#8217;s peloton. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><u><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3 slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Matilda Price<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__role\">Assistant Features Editor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined <em>Cyclingnews <\/em>in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at <em>GCN<\/em>, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to <em>Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull <\/em>and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s Tours de France, the Giro d&#8217;Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women&#8217;s cycling, and women&#8217;s sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tour de France Femmes 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tour de France Femmes contenders \u2013 Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot poised for fantastic duel with Ventoux finale<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Pauline will be on the same level or better; we are only focused on ourselves&#8217; \u2013 Inside FDJ United-Suez and Demi Vollering&#8217;s preparation, mindset and ambitions for the Tour de France Femmes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Cooke&#8217;s Mont Ventoux masterclass and a C\u00f4te d&#8217;Azur classic \u2013 A history of the Tour de France Femmes&#8217; key climbs<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Can FDJ United-SUEZ defend their title without Demi Vollering? \u2013 Analysing the contenders for La Vuelta Femenina 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Pressure is a privilege&#8217; \u2013 Calm, mature Demi Vollering taking Tour de France Femmes favourite status in her stride as search to reclaim yellow continues<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Everything needs to be perfect&#8217;\u00a0\u2013 Lorena Wiebes eyes Tour de France Femmes yellow jersey in Swiss uphill opener<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;We still have to win a race before the year ends&#8217; \u2013 Alison Jackson and ambitious St Michel squad aim high at the Tour de France Femmes and beyond<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I don&#8217;t think other teams know our strategy&#8217; \u2013 UAE Team L&#8217;IMAD start Tour de France Femmes with strength in depth and Longo Borghini and Blasi at the helm<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">SD Worx-Protime led by Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes and Anna van der Breggen at uncontrollable Tour de France Femmes with mixed ambitions<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Cooke&#8217;s Mont Ventoux masterclass and a C\u00f4te d&#8217;Azur classic \u2013 A history of the Tour de France Femmes&#8217; key climbs<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Helmets<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Design UAE Team Emirates-XRG\u2019s next helmet and you could win a trip to the 2027 UAE Tour<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Will Tadej Poga\u010dar win a sixth Tour de France? &#8211; What can we expect from the 2027 Grand Boucle<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Wheels &amp; Tyres<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">What are the fastest UCI-legal road wheels? Wind tunnel testing the big-name brands and Chinese contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Delving beyond the Mont Ventoux showstopper: Analysing the key stages of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice\">\n<section class=\"popular-box\" data-component-name=\"Slice:PopularBox\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">\nLATEST ARTICLES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"99vw\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Tour de France Femmes bikes: An equipment guide for all 21 teams<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Tour de France runner-up Remco Evenepoel back to racing as Cl\u00e1sica San Sebasti\u00e1n top contender<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>How to watch Cl\u00e1sica San Sebasti\u00e1n 2026: All the broadcasters and live streams<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;We still have to win a race before the year ends&#8217; \u2013 Alison Jackson and ambitious St Michel squad aim high at the Tour de France Femmes and beyond<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Incolour SSR review: Lightweight, aero, and shockingly uncomfortable<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nTour de France Femmes\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Five years in, this Tour de France Femmes looks like it will be the best edition yet<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nMatilda Price <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-07-31T09:45:54Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n31 July 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The race continues to grow at pace, and this year&#8217;s stacked GC battle and brilliant course could take it to even higher heights, writes Matilda Price<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1920-80.png.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1600-80.png.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-750-80.png.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-06b625b2-8c50-11f1-ab87-ebe8a7e54ea9\">I\u2019m writing this on my way to the fifth Tour de France Femmes, which feels like one of this race\u2019s first big milestones. Half a decade! It\u2019s sometimes strange to think that, because it feels like this race has been around forever and is already the defining point of the calendar despite being so new to it, but amazingly this is only the fifth edition.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a whirlwind half-decade, and the race \u2013 which already felt enormous in the first year \u2013 has only grown and grown, bringing in new viewers and fans, new sponsors, platforming new teams and riders. It has also lifted the level of the sport in more ways than one, whether it&#8217;s the knock-on effect of higher salaries or the rapidly rising performance that goes along with the increasing challenge of women&#8217;s Grand Tours.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-06b625b2-8c50-11f1-ab87-ebe8a7e54ea9-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I was very lucky to be on the ground at the first edition of the Tour Femmes in 2022, incidentally working for <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> at the time, too. Back then, I was a freelancer, and I had the luxury of writing (and podcasting) exclusively about women\u2019s cycling before I became staff and now do a bit of everything. It felt really cool to be able to dedicate myself full-time to the women&#8217;s peloton, and it left me with a really deep understanding of the sport, I think.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Being immersed in both a pre- and post-Tour de France Femmes women\u2019s cycling world, and having been to most of the editions, I\u2019ve been reflecting a lot on the last five years of this race, how it has changed, and how it\u2019s changed the sport, too.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There aren&#8217;t many things that I&#8217;ve been able to witness from day 1 and experience those nascent, essential first years, but I have done that with the Tour \u2013 as many of you have too \u2013 and it&#8217;s left plenty of thoughts swirling around my head on my travels to Switzerland.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France Femmes 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France Femmes contenders \u2013 Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot poised for fantastic duel with Ventoux finale<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Pauline will be on the same level or better; we are only focused on ourselves&#8217; \u2013 Inside FDJ United-Suez and Demi Vollering&#8217;s preparation, mindset and ambitions for the Tour de France Femmes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The women\u2019s Tour now is a huge moment for the whole industry. Everyone who is anyone will be there, all the big brands, all the most influential people in women\u2019s cycling, from all corners of the industry.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In truth, I don\u2019t remember the first edition being quite as big in that sense, which is sad to think in some ways, and I do wonder if some people had to see the proof of concept before they really believed this would work. Either way, the huge fanfare is here now, which is amazing to see.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">(The next step will be how we extend this support and popularity to races like the Classics, Giro d\u2019Italia Women and Vuelta Feminina. Trust me, you don\u2019t get quite the feeling of women\u2019s cycling booming when you\u2019re the only person standing in the mixed zone at the finish of the women\u2019s Dwars door Vlaanderen. But that\u2019s a conversation for another day\u2026)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But more than a big moment, it&#8217;s also a big race, a big sporting spectacle \u2013 which I think is what anyone who loves women&#8217;s cycling has always wanted. The fanfare is great, and welcomed, but even when you peel back the hype and commercialisation, you&#8217;re still left with an utterly fantastic race. In fact, I think this year&#8217;s might just be the best yet.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-a-truly-fiery-gc-battle\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>A truly fiery GC battle<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc432-8cc4-11f1-bbe3-8fae6c9eefd5\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63ce8-8c51-11f1-82d0-8ff851d31456\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I spoke to FDJ team boss Stephen Delcourt the other day (go ahead and read that Q&amp;A if you haven\u2019t already), and he said that there are six or seven potential winners on the start list for this year\u2019s Tour, and he\u2019s completely correct.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Cooke&#8217;s Mont Ventoux masterclass and a C\u00f4te d&#8217;Azur classic \u2013 A history of the Tour de France Femmes&#8217; key climbs<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Can FDJ United-SUEZ defend their title without Demi Vollering? \u2013 Analysing the contenders for La Vuelta Femenina 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In 2022, the reality was that there was probably only one potential winner on the start list. We knew Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney were going to be good, sure, but I don\u2019t think anyone would have bet against Annemiek van Vleuten winning the yellow jersey.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No one since Van Vleuten has replicated her level of dominance when it comes to stage racing. Even Vollering, who you&#8217;d say is the most successful stage racer right now, hasn&#8217;t experienced that singular ability, as I wrote before the Giro. And to be honest, that&#8217;s been the best thing about the Tour de France Femmes: not randomness, but unpredictability.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Whilst the men&#8217;s Tour has been won by the same two riders for the last seven years, every edition of the women&#8217;s race has had a different winner. While that might not quite continue this year \u2013 the chances of one of Vollering or Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot winning seem high \u2013 it&#8217;s a testament to the ever-growing depth of talent right at the highest levels of the sport. The days of there being a singular favourite are long gone.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That&#8217;s because every year, more and more riders are getting stronger and stronger. A vast array of factors are behind that, but a big one is the level of resources and investment in the sport, which very simply means that more riders are able to train better and with better support. And unsurprisingly, that means the level goes up.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Which leaves us in this situation that would have felt unimaginable four years ago, with five, six, seven riders all more than capable of winning this race, even though it has one of the sport&#8217;s toughest climbs as its centrepiece. A few years ago, some corners of the cycling world would have told you that including a climb like Mont Ventoux would kill the competition, as only a few riders could apparently manage it. But the peloton has resolutely proven that theory to be untrue, and now we see the inclusion of big mountains as a catalyst for exciting and open racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ll have gathered that Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot are the favourites for this year&#8217;s race, but don&#8217;t presume they&#8217;ll go unchallenged. Marlen Reusser is a formidable GC rider, Anna van der Breggen came close to winning both the Vuelta and the Giro, and UAE Team L&#8217;IMAD have a potentially lethal combination of Elisa Longo Borghini and Paula Blasi, both Grand Tour winners.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The TT and Ventoux, plus the tough stages in between, mean that nothing is a given, and any rider who goes for it at the right moment has a chance of winning. The course is really fantastic this year, better designed that the Vuelta and the Giro combined, balancing all sorts of different challenges instead of just backloading the climbing, and ensuring that the eventual winner will need to employ every skill to win this race, which is exactly what a Grand Tour should be about, This won&#8217;t just be a two-rider battle on Ventoux, I assure you \u2013 the yellow jersey battle is going to be much more fiery than that.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-finally-a-new-generation\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>Finally, a new generation<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc4b4-8cc4-11f1-929d-8b351819b1e6\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Vuelta Femenina winner Paula Blasi is one of the rising stars in the women&#8217;s peloton <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63dba-8c51-11f1-9376-136af88ba6eb\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">One of the things that I\u2019ve thought about a lot over the years is how the names at the top of the sport really haven\u2019t changed that much since 2022. That\u2019s exemplified by the fact that Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney have been on the podium of every single edition.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But this year, a new generation is very much arriving, and one that is more than ready to challenge the established upper echelons of the peloton. Paula Blasi has arguably already done that, with her Vuelta Femenina win that may well make her one of the highest-paid riders in the peloton for 2027.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Isabella Holmgren out-climbed her teammate Niamh Fisher-Black on the Colle delle Finestre to finish seventh in the Giro and earn a late call-up for the Tour, while Valentina Cavallar is being primed as SD Worx&#8217;s next big contender. Finally, 20-year-old Lore De Schepper impressed so much that she was given her debut this year in a very strong AG Insurance-Soudal team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Women&#8217;s cycling has long been dominated by a fairly stable core of big names, which in some ways has been really good for building fandom and support, but it has sometimes made me question why new names weren&#8217;t quite able to cut through to the very highest level. There&#8217;s nothing to worry about on that front anymore \u2013 well, unless you&#8217;re one of the established guard who suddenly has a scarily talented wave of young guns to face up to\u2026<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If there&#8217;s a feeling this year that we might get the first-ever repeat winner of the Tour de France Femmes, I have an equally strong feeling that very soon, we&#8217;ll have a brand new name on the podium to shake up the combination of the same few riders we have seen so far. How fantastic would that be?<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-what-next-for-the-tour-de-france-femmes\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>What next for the Tour de France Femmes?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63e78-8c51-11f1-b887-1dfa971a78d0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This is kind of the ultimate question right now, and one I hope to talk to lots of people about this week, because truthfully, I&#8217;m not sure what my ideal answer or vision would be.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s clear that the race could be longer. It seems a given to us in the sport that women&#8217;s Grand Tours are shorter than three weeks because, well, they just are, but when a friend of mine asked me why I was only going to the women&#8217;s Tour for nine days when the men&#8217;s is three weeks, I felt like my answer wasn&#8217;t very satisfactory. I&#8217;m not expecting a three-week Tour immediately, or perhaps ever, but there is room to grow this event.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Other than that, it&#8217;s hard to predict what the next step for the Tour is, and perhaps that actually is the answer: the next phase of the story isn&#8217;t about continuing to evolve, as we have done every year so far, but perhaps a stage of consolidation. The constant growth and experimentation has been fantastic, but maybe it&#8217;s time for this race to set down some roots, form some traditions \u2013 like the men&#8217;s Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es finish \u2013 and write some history books on big climbs that are longer than just one entry.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Five years in, I&#8217;m sure many people, from ASO to Zwift to the riders and teams, will take this year&#8217;s edition as a time to stop and evaluate and think about what is really the best path forward. In four brilliant editions, this race has more than proven its worth, showing that we can do foreign Grand Departs, huge mountains, and time trials. There&#8217;s nothing to prove anymore, I don&#8217;t think, and this race is no longer a novelty \u2013 it&#8217;s fast becoming an institution, and building those foundations should be the next priority.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc536-8cc4-11f1-94d6-932027e4217e\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-what-do-you-want-from-the-race\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>What do you want from the race?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63f40-8c51-11f1-9e85-d35cecdcd203\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As well as thinking about the racing and the evolution of this event, as I&#8217;ve been on my travels to Switzerland, I&#8217;ve also been thinking a lot about how we&#8217;re going to cover it and how we can expand what we do to match the way the race has transformed.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Of course, my colleagues and I have plenty of ideas and plans up our sleeves, but before the race gets underway, I also wanted to open the floor to you all and hear what you&#8217;re looking forward to, what you hope to see, and indeed, what you&#8217;d like to read on Cyclingnews for the next 10 days or so.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Whether you&#8217;re a dedicated women&#8217;s cycling fan or someone who is coming to the women&#8217;s Tour with mainly knowledge of men&#8217;s cycling, we want to offer you the best coverage possible, covering all the storylines you&#8217;re interested in \u2013 from the obvious to the not so obvious \u2013 and speaking to all the most important and interesting people.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Please do drop your ideas, thoughts, observations, questions \u2013 anything! \u2013 in the comments below. I&#8217;d love to hear from you. I&#8217;ll be in the comments chatting with you, and hopefully we can all enjoy a really brilliant week of racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>Support our unrivalled coverage of the Tour de France Femmes and women&#8217;s cycling by subscribing to Cyclingnews. In return, you get unlimited access to high-quality journalism, with breaking news, race analysis, and expert insight from inside the women&#8217;s peloton. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><u><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3 slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Matilda Price<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__role\">Assistant Features Editor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined <em>Cyclingnews <\/em>in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at <em>GCN<\/em>, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to <em>Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull <\/em>and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s Tours de France, the Giro d&#8217;Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women&#8217;s cycling, and women&#8217;s sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tour de France Femmes 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Tour de France Femmes contenders \u2013 Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot poised for fantastic duel with Ventoux finale<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Pauline will be on the same level or better; we are only focused on ourselves&#8217; \u2013 Inside FDJ United-Suez and Demi Vollering&#8217;s preparation, mindset and ambitions for the Tour de France Femmes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Cooke&#8217;s Mont Ventoux masterclass and a C\u00f4te d&#8217;Azur classic \u2013 A history of the Tour de France Femmes&#8217; key climbs<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Can FDJ United-SUEZ defend their title without Demi Vollering? \u2013 Analysing the contenders for La Vuelta Femenina 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R9fjniWKaCGHvYzTeSTkpW-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Pressure is a privilege&#8217; \u2013 Calm, mature Demi Vollering taking Tour de France Femmes favourite status in her stride as search to reclaim yellow continues<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/A3ePqfdwqCHa9CWkNT7RgL-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Everything needs to be perfect&#8217;\u00a0\u2013 Lorena Wiebes eyes Tour de France Femmes yellow jersey in Swiss uphill opener<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/h62jRZjQYyMgvcAPGGLq5L-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;We still have to win a race before the year ends&#8217; \u2013 Alison Jackson and ambitious St Michel squad aim high at the Tour de France Femmes and beyond<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kiw4M2NRFdqtTPazzFAbQ7-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I don&#8217;t think other teams know our strategy&#8217; \u2013 UAE Team L&#8217;IMAD start Tour de France Femmes with strength in depth and Longo Borghini and Blasi at the helm<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8r6nc4LCSG6ojytsGfLBD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">SD Worx-Protime led by Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes and Anna van der Breggen at uncontrollable Tour de France Femmes with mixed ambitions<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Cooke&#8217;s Mont Ventoux masterclass and a C\u00f4te d&#8217;Azur classic \u2013 A history of the Tour de France Femmes&#8217; key climbs<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZJahVPMvGwMj9NetKqDxAN-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Helmets<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Design UAE Team Emirates-XRG\u2019s next helmet and you could win a trip to the 2027 UAE Tour<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jYQwNfFJ6KcW6PUrza45Ck-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Will Tadej Poga\u010dar win a sixth Tour de France? &#8211; What can we expect from the 2027 Grand Boucle<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sKWF6VNwL8aBFdUFVhiyPR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Wheels &amp; Tyres<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">What are the fastest UCI-legal road wheels? Wind tunnel testing the big-name brands and Chinese contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dbzz8VNsXoCE8rLCWo5WfM-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Delving beyond the Mont Ventoux showstopper: Analysing the key stages of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice\">\n<section class=\"popular-box\" data-component-name=\"Slice:PopularBox\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">\nLATEST ARTICLES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/giMJ8qqaVDtvBzGobPWGYb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"99vw\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Tour de France Femmes bikes: An equipment guide for all 21 teams<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Tour de France runner-up Remco Evenepoel back to racing as Cl\u00e1sica San Sebasti\u00e1n top contender<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>How to watch Cl\u00e1sica San Sebasti\u00e1n 2026: All the broadcasters and live streams<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;We still have to win a race before the year ends&#8217; \u2013 Alison Jackson and ambitious St Michel squad aim high at the Tour de France Femmes and beyond<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Incolour SSR review: Lightweight, aero, and shockingly uncomfortable<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nTour de France Femmes\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Five years in, this Tour de France Femmes looks like it will be the best edition yet<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nMatilda Price <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-07-31T09:45:54Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n31 July 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The race continues to grow at pace, and this year&#8217;s stacked GC battle and brilliant course could take it to even higher heights, writes Matilda Price<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-06b625b2-8c50-11f1-ab87-ebe8a7e54ea9\">I\u2019m writing this on my way to the fifth Tour de France Femmes, which feels like one of this race\u2019s first big milestones. Half a decade! It\u2019s sometimes strange to think that, because it feels like this race has been around forever and is already the defining point of the calendar despite being so new to it, but amazingly this is only the fifth edition.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a whirlwind half-decade, and the race \u2013 which already felt enormous in the first year \u2013 has only grown and grown, bringing in new viewers and fans, new sponsors, platforming new teams and riders. It has also lifted the level of the sport in more ways than one, whether it&#8217;s the knock-on effect of higher salaries or the rapidly rising performance that goes along with the increasing challenge of women&#8217;s Grand Tours.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-06b625b2-8c50-11f1-ab87-ebe8a7e54ea9-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I was very lucky to be on the ground at the first edition of the Tour Femmes in 2022, incidentally working for <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> at the time, too. Back then, I was a freelancer, and I had the luxury of writing (and podcasting) exclusively about women\u2019s cycling before I became staff and now do a bit of everything. It felt really cool to be able to dedicate myself full-time to the women&#8217;s peloton, and it left me with a really deep understanding of the sport, I think.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Being immersed in both a pre- and post-Tour de France Femmes women\u2019s cycling world, and having been to most of the editions, I\u2019ve been reflecting a lot on the last five years of this race, how it has changed, and how it\u2019s changed the sport, too.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There aren&#8217;t many things that I&#8217;ve been able to witness from day 1 and experience those nascent, essential first years, but I have done that with the Tour \u2013 as many of you have too \u2013 and it&#8217;s left plenty of thoughts swirling around my head on my travels to Switzerland.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wVivTeF6EuqCfYFZpr28Nb-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France Femmes 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/x2erRPrkRHSd8wS8rNtXkN-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Tour de France Femmes contenders \u2013 Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot poised for fantastic duel with Ventoux finale<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZLhTWBqryzGHCk2dKSRmye-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;Pauline will be on the same level or better; we are only focused on ourselves&#8217; \u2013 Inside FDJ United-Suez and Demi Vollering&#8217;s preparation, mindset and ambitions for the Tour de France Femmes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The women\u2019s Tour now is a huge moment for the whole industry. Everyone who is anyone will be there, all the big brands, all the most influential people in women\u2019s cycling, from all corners of the industry.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In truth, I don\u2019t remember the first edition being quite as big in that sense, which is sad to think in some ways, and I do wonder if some people had to see the proof of concept before they really believed this would work. Either way, the huge fanfare is here now, which is amazing to see.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aD3vWpJi4T5JPSyUNdcED3 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">(The next step will be how we extend this support and popularity to races like the Classics, Giro d\u2019Italia Women and Vuelta Feminina. Trust me, you don\u2019t get quite the feeling of women\u2019s cycling booming when you\u2019re the only person standing in the mixed zone at the finish of the women\u2019s Dwars door Vlaanderen. But that\u2019s a conversation for another day\u2026)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But more than a big moment, it&#8217;s also a big race, a big sporting spectacle \u2013 which I think is what anyone who loves women&#8217;s cycling has always wanted. The fanfare is great, and welcomed, but even when you peel back the hype and commercialisation, you&#8217;re still left with an utterly fantastic race. In fact, I think this year&#8217;s might just be the best yet.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-a-truly-fiery-gc-battle\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>A truly fiery GC battle<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc432-8cc4-11f1-bbe3-8fae6c9eefd5\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ivaSNzLeStyC54RHKMYMa-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63ce8-8c51-11f1-82d0-8ff851d31456\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I spoke to FDJ team boss Stephen Delcourt the other day (go ahead and read that Q&amp;A if you haven\u2019t already), and he said that there are six or seven potential winners on the start list for this year\u2019s Tour, and he\u2019s completely correct.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8p6Mc4zX9wMKoj4au5g4qe-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Cooke&#8217;s Mont Ventoux masterclass and a C\u00f4te d&#8217;Azur classic \u2013 A history of the Tour de France Femmes&#8217; key climbs<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LwGNhVYdXrv3dnnhovVZoi-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;I pick my battle, and I choose the Tour de France&#8217; \u2013 Forget year-long dominance, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot is all about delivering when it counts most<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6Qwro5SviMvjEWT5r6dTD4-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Can FDJ United-SUEZ defend their title without Demi Vollering? \u2013 Analysing the contenders for La Vuelta Femenina 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In 2022, the reality was that there was probably only one potential winner on the start list. We knew Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney were going to be good, sure, but I don\u2019t think anyone would have bet against Annemiek van Vleuten winning the yellow jersey.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No one since Van Vleuten has replicated her level of dominance when it comes to stage racing. Even Vollering, who you&#8217;d say is the most successful stage racer right now, hasn&#8217;t experienced that singular ability, as I wrote before the Giro. And to be honest, that&#8217;s been the best thing about the Tour de France Femmes: not randomness, but unpredictability.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Whilst the men&#8217;s Tour has been won by the same two riders for the last seven years, every edition of the women&#8217;s race has had a different winner. While that might not quite continue this year \u2013 the chances of one of Vollering or Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot winning seem high \u2013 it&#8217;s a testament to the ever-growing depth of talent right at the highest levels of the sport. The days of there being a singular favourite are long gone.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That&#8217;s because every year, more and more riders are getting stronger and stronger. A vast array of factors are behind that, but a big one is the level of resources and investment in the sport, which very simply means that more riders are able to train better and with better support. And unsurprisingly, that means the level goes up.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Which leaves us in this situation that would have felt unimaginable four years ago, with five, six, seven riders all more than capable of winning this race, even though it has one of the sport&#8217;s toughest climbs as its centrepiece. A few years ago, some corners of the cycling world would have told you that including a climb like Mont Ventoux would kill the competition, as only a few riders could apparently manage it. But the peloton has resolutely proven that theory to be untrue, and now we see the inclusion of big mountains as a catalyst for exciting and open racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ll have gathered that Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot are the favourites for this year&#8217;s race, but don&#8217;t presume they&#8217;ll go unchallenged. Marlen Reusser is a formidable GC rider, Anna van der Breggen came close to winning both the Vuelta and the Giro, and UAE Team L&#8217;IMAD have a potentially lethal combination of Elisa Longo Borghini and Paula Blasi, both Grand Tour winners.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The TT and Ventoux, plus the tough stages in between, mean that nothing is a given, and any rider who goes for it at the right moment has a chance of winning. The course is really fantastic this year, better designed that the Vuelta and the Giro combined, balancing all sorts of different challenges instead of just backloading the climbing, and ensuring that the eventual winner will need to employ every skill to win this race, which is exactly what a Grand Tour should be about, This won&#8217;t just be a two-rider battle on Ventoux, I assure you \u2013 the yellow jersey battle is going to be much more fiery than that.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-finally-a-new-generation\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>Finally, a new generation<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc4b4-8cc4-11f1-929d-8b351819b1e6\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hhqMhXpq4wQErDTbSvgE89-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Vuelta Femenina winner Paula Blasi is one of the rising stars in the women&#8217;s peloton <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63dba-8c51-11f1-9376-136af88ba6eb\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">One of the things that I\u2019ve thought about a lot over the years is how the names at the top of the sport really haven\u2019t changed that much since 2022. That\u2019s exemplified by the fact that Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney have been on the podium of every single edition.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But this year, a new generation is very much arriving, and one that is more than ready to challenge the established upper echelons of the peloton. Paula Blasi has arguably already done that, with her Vuelta Femenina win that may well make her one of the highest-paid riders in the peloton for 2027.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Isabella Holmgren out-climbed her teammate Niamh Fisher-Black on the Colle delle Finestre to finish seventh in the Giro and earn a late call-up for the Tour, while Valentina Cavallar is being primed as SD Worx&#8217;s next big contender. Finally, 20-year-old Lore De Schepper impressed so much that she was given her debut this year in a very strong AG Insurance-Soudal team.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Women&#8217;s cycling has long been dominated by a fairly stable core of big names, which in some ways has been really good for building fandom and support, but it has sometimes made me question why new names weren&#8217;t quite able to cut through to the very highest level. There&#8217;s nothing to worry about on that front anymore \u2013 well, unless you&#8217;re one of the established guard who suddenly has a scarily talented wave of young guns to face up to\u2026<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If there&#8217;s a feeling this year that we might get the first-ever repeat winner of the Tour de France Femmes, I have an equally strong feeling that very soon, we&#8217;ll have a brand new name on the podium to shake up the combination of the same few riders we have seen so far. How fantastic would that be?<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-what-next-for-the-tour-de-france-femmes\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>What next for the Tour de France Femmes?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63e78-8c51-11f1-b887-1dfa971a78d0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This is kind of the ultimate question right now, and one I hope to talk to lots of people about this week, because truthfully, I&#8217;m not sure what my ideal answer or vision would be.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s clear that the race could be longer. It seems a given to us in the sport that women&#8217;s Grand Tours are shorter than three weeks because, well, they just are, but when a friend of mine asked me why I was only going to the women&#8217;s Tour for nine days when the men&#8217;s is three weeks, I felt like my answer wasn&#8217;t very satisfactory. I&#8217;m not expecting a three-week Tour immediately, or perhaps ever, but there is room to grow this event.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Other than that, it&#8217;s hard to predict what the next step for the Tour is, and perhaps that actually is the answer: the next phase of the story isn&#8217;t about continuing to evolve, as we have done every year so far, but perhaps a stage of consolidation. The constant growth and experimentation has been fantastic, but maybe it&#8217;s time for this race to set down some roots, form some traditions \u2013 like the men&#8217;s Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es finish \u2013 and write some history books on big climbs that are longer than just one entry.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Five years in, I&#8217;m sure many people, from ASO to Zwift to the riders and teams, will take this year&#8217;s edition as a time to stop and evaluate and think about what is really the best path forward. In four brilliant editions, this race has more than proven its worth, showing that we can do foreign Grand Departs, huge mountains, and time trials. There&#8217;s nothing to prove anymore, I don&#8217;t think, and this race is no longer a novelty \u2013 it&#8217;s fast becoming an institution, and building those foundations should be the next priority.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-9ddbc536-8cc4-11f1-94d6-932027e4217e\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XPj5Lnpx2HzaAndkfzRHZJ-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-what-do-you-want-from-the-race\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>What do you want from the race?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-4eb63f40-8c51-11f1-9e85-d35cecdcd203\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As well as thinking about the racing and the evolution of this event, as I&#8217;ve been on my travels to Switzerland, I&#8217;ve also been thinking a lot about how we&#8217;re going to cover it and how we can expand what we do to match the way the race has transformed.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Of course, my colleagues and I have plenty of ideas and plans up our sleeves, but before the race gets underway, I also wanted to open the floor to you all and hear what you&#8217;re looking forward to, what you hope to see, and indeed, what you&#8217;d like to read on Cyclingnews for the next 10 days or so.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Whether you&#8217;re a dedicated women&#8217;s cycling fan or someone who is coming to the women&#8217;s Tour with mainly knowledge of men&#8217;s cycling, we want to offer you the best coverage possible, covering all the storylines you&#8217;re interested in \u2013 from the obvious to the not so obvious \u2013 and speaking to all the most important and interesting people.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Please do drop your ideas, thoughts, observations, questions \u2013 anything! \u2013 in the comments below. I&#8217;d love to hear from you. I&#8217;ll be in the comments chatting with you, and hopefully we can all enjoy a really brilliant week of racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>Support our unrivalled coverage of the Tour de France Femmes and women&#8217;s cycling by subscribing to Cyclingnews. In return, you get unlimited access to high-quality journalism, with breaking news, race analysis, and expert insight from inside the women&#8217;s peloton. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><u><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/five-years-in-this-tour-de-france-femmes-looks-like-it-will-be-the-best-edition-yet\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ePxGEBDAcx43r8MiDvwGvn-2560-80.png&#8221;] 1 Eight conclusions from the Tour de France \u2013 A new Poga\u010dar, Evenepoel&#8217;s next challenge and questions over racing in July 2 Tour de France Femmes contenders \u2013 Demi Vollering and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot poised for fantastic duel with Ventoux finale 3 How to watch Tour de France Femmes 2026 \u2013 Live streams [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,68],"class_list":["post-2071215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-cyclingnews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2071215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2071215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2071215\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2071215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2071215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2071215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}