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Jeremy Whittle previews the nine days ahead on the Tour de France Femmes.
The pair have other rivals, with Marlen Reusser, winner of the Tour of Switzerland and second in the Giro d’Italia, and Elisa Longo Borghini, winner of the women’s Giro, leading the way. Others capable of mounting a serious challenge include the Australian climber Sarah Gigante, France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, winner of the women’s Paris-Roubaix, and Anna van der Breggen of the Netherlands, third in the women’s Vuelta and Vollering’s former sports director.
Australia has a real hope in Sarah Gigante.
Preamble
Last year’s race was an all-time classic, going to four seconds on Alpe D’Huez in moments of almost indescribable drama. This year’s model has a lot to live up to, but the main protagonists, as Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma do battle once more. There’s a host of other contenders, too. First up, a short, punchy stage set for a tea-time finish.
Let’s quote the excellent Rouleur Magazine’s short profile of the stage.
The 79km route is short but far from easy. After rolling north through lumpy terrain, the peloton tackles the Côte de Botségalo before entering a finishing circuit in Plumelec, where the Côte de Cadoudal awaits them not once, but three times. This 1.7 km climb, averaging 6.2% with a steep final pitch, will decide the stage – and the first yellow jersey. It’s a day for the puncheurs, not the sprinters, and fireworks are all but guaranteed on the final ascent.
