Key events
The race has begun on stage five!
125km to go: The race proper is on, but who will be first to attack?
Stage five is underway!
126km to go: The peloton is off. They’ll have a bit of a neutralised zone and then, perhaps, the attacks will start straight away. Or maybe not. I don’t have a crystal ball, sadly.
There are three riders not starting today. As well as Wiebes, Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Uno-X) and Jenny Rissveds (Team Coop – Hitec Products) have withdrawn from the Tour ahead of stage five. That means that there are 140 riders out on the road today…
Who’s in what jersey?
Lotte Kopecky remains in the maillot jaune, while Anouska Koster will wear the polka-dot jersey. She put in a big effort yesterday to take it away from Julie Van de Velde (Fenix-Deceuninck) and upped her QOM points to 19.
Again, although Kopecky leads in the points classification, it will be Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step) who wears the green jersey today. Although, the South African rider is third in the standings (92pts), second placed Wiebes’ European champion jersey prevails, hence why we’ll see a green-clad Moolman Pasio.
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Yellow: Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) 15hr 47min 25sec
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Green: Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) 128pts
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Polka-dot: Anouska Koster (Uno-X) 19pts
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White: Cedrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT)
Lorena Wiebes is out of the Tour due to illness
Big news coming in: Wiebes, a favourite for the stage win is not starting today. Her team have released a statement to say that due to suffering from stomach issues, Wiebes consequently can’t start in Onet-Le-Chateau.
Lorena Wiebes is leaving @LeTourFemmes after illness. She’s suffering from stomach issues & consequently can’t start in Onet-Le-Château. “Of course this is a sportive loss for Team SD Worx, ‘cause there were still sprint opportunities. But health always prevails,” says Danny Stam pic.twitter.com/gqM1vh9AN6
— Team SD Worx (@teamsdworx) July 27, 2023
The top 10 on General Classification
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Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) 15hr 47min 25sec
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Demi Vollering (SD Worx) +43
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Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Soudal-Quickstep) +51sec
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Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram) +51sec
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Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) +51sec
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Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) +51sec
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Yara Kastelijn (Fenix–Deceuninck) +1min
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Liane Lippert (Movistar) +1min 39sec
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Juliette Labous (DSM–Firmenich) +1min 48sec
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Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) +1min 49sec
Tour de France Femmes: Yara Kastelijn goes on her own to snare stage four win
Stage four report: Time is proving tight between Annemiek van Vleuten and her rival Demi Vollering, the two favourites for final victory in the Tour de France Femmes this year. In an echo of the sparring match that characterised much of the men’s race this year, the Team SD Worx rider Vollering has the upper hand, for now at least and if only by a few seconds.
Yara Kastelijn of the Netherlands won the longest stage of this year’s Tour de France Femmes, from Cahors to Rodez, after spending just under 160 kilometres on the front of the race, much of it in a 14-rider move that went clear on the day’s first climb, the Col de Crayssac.
Stage five: Onet-leChâteau to Albi (126.5km)
Today’s 126.5km stage is surely a day for the sprinters. The parcours would suggest a bunch sprint at the finish line in the historic city of Albi, but race director of the Tour de France Femmes, Marion Rousse thinks otherwise. “The routes are almost ideal for a breakaway,” she says. “So, there are some women out there who could go for victory. Why not?”
She adds: “At the same time, we’re thinking about sprinters who can get over the bumps well – Marianne Vos comes to mind – and who are capable of getting over the final hurdles. Because, it’s far from simple and it’s far from flat. The Laguépie climb in particular: 1.5km at an average gradient of almost 10%…It’s going to be really tricky to get over. So there you have it, the uncertain scenario, whether you’re a daredevil or a sprinter who can handle the bumps.
As well as Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) is also a favourite for today’s win. Can Wiebes make it two stage wins in a period of three days at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift? Let’s wait and see. I think it’s going to be an exciting day with some explosive attacks.
