2023 Tour de France Femmes

Taking place earlier on the same day of the final stage of the men's Tour, stage 1 of the race looped around Clermont-Ferrand.[23] On the final climb, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) attacked, accelerating further in the final 5 km (3.1 mi). She took a solo stage win by 41 seconds, taking the first maillot jaune (yellow jersey) of the race, as well as the points classification and the Queen of the Mountains (QoM) classification. Cédrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling) took the lead in the young rider classification.[24]

The second stage took the riders south from Clermont-Ferrand to Mauriac, over a hilly course with six categorised climbs.[23] The second half of the stage was affected by heavy rain, with several riders crashing in the last 20 km (12 mi), including Eva van Agt (Jumbo–Visma) who was taken to hospital with a concussion.[25][26] In the uphill sprint towards the finish line, Demi Vollering (SD Worx) led out her teammate Kopecky, however Liane Lippert (Movistar Team) overtook Kopecky in the final 100 metres to win the stage. After the stage, Kopecky realised she had a slow puncture that had dampened her sprint. Kopecky retained the yellow jersey of the general classification (GC), with Yara Kastelijn (Fenix–Deceuninck) taking the lead of the QoM classification.[27]

Stage 3 to Montignac-Lascaux took the riders westwards over a flat course, with a bunch sprint expected.[23] Julie Van de Velde (Fenix–Deceuninck) escaped with around 60 km (37 mi) of the stage remaining. Taking QoM points over the final two climbs, she took the lead of the mountains classification while building up a lead of around a minute. In the final sprint, Van de Velde was caught by the peloton with 300 metres to go, with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) winning the bunch sprint for the stage.[28]

The fourth stage to Rodez was a hilly course, with five categorised climbs, another climb with bonus seconds at the top and a steep finish into Rodez.[23] It was also the longest stage of the race at 177.1 km (110.0 mi) in length.[23] A breakaway gained 10 minutes over the peloton, before Yara Kastelijn attacked from the break on the final climb. Behind her, GC rivals Demi Vollering (SD Worx) and Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar Team) attacked each other, overtaking remains of the breakaway approaching the finish. Kastelijn's solo attack won her the stage by 1' 11", her first major stage win in the UCI Women's World Tour. Behind Kastelijn, Vollering attacked in the steep final kilometre to take second place on GC, eight seconds ahead of her main rival Van Vleuten thanks to six bonus seconds at the finish line. Kopecky retained her yellow jersey of the GC, with Anouska Koster (Jumbo–Visma) talking the polka dot jersey of the QoM classification thanks to the points collected while in the breakaway.[29]

Stage 5 to Albi took the riders south over a flat course, heading towards the Pyrenees.[23] Prior to the start, stage 3 winner Wiebes withdrew due to illness.[26] Kastelijn took the QoM points over the first two climbs, taking the lead in the mountains classification. Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon–SRAM), an experienced time trialist, attacked from the peloton, eventually building up a lead of around 1' 30". The peloton gave chase, however the gap did not fall fast enough to catch her. In the closing kilometres, Lippert and Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) attempted to catch her. Bauernfeind was too strong, and crossed the finish line 22 seconds ahead of the pair.[30] During the stage, Vollering suffered a puncture, before drafting her team car to get back to the main bunch, drawing the ire of commissaires. She was subsequently penalised 20 seconds in the general classification, dropping her to seventh place in the GC, 12 seconds behind her rival Van Vleuten.[31] The following day, SD Worx directeur sportif Danny Stam was removed from the race due to "inappropriate comments" made to the commissaires, as well as his "dangerous overtaking ... of cars and riders" while Vollering was drafting his car.[32]

Emma Norsgaard (Movistar Team) at the finish of stage 6 into Blagnac

Stage 6 to Blagnac was the final chance for sprinters to win, given the parcours of the remaining stages. A breakaway including Emma Norsgaard (Movistar Team) was formed with around 70 km (43 mi) to go, establishing a two minute lead.[33][34] During the stage, GC contender Veronica Ewers (EF Education–Tibco–SVB) crashed heavily. She finished the stage, albeit in pain – it later transpired that Ewers had a broken collarbone and would not start stage 7.[35] In the closing kilometres of the stage, the gap to the breakaway steadily fell as the sprinters teams gave chase. In the final 2 km (1.2 mi), a tight chicane over the Toulouse tramway caused a small crash, distracting the peloton and delaying some riders as they gave chase.[33][34] With 600 metres to the finish, Norsgaard launched an attack, as the gap collapsed behind her. Norsgaard held on to win the stage by a second. Charlotte Kool (Team DSM–Firmenich) finished second, with third placed Kopecky in the yellow jersey visibly annoyed not to have caught Norsgaard before the finish line.[33][34] Riders subsequently criticised the chicane in the last kilometres, with Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance–Soudal–Quick-Step) calling it "super, super dangerous".[36]

Demi Vollering (SD Worx) on the ascent of the Col du Tourmalet on stage 7

The seventh stage of the race took the riders over two major climbs in the Pyrenees mountains, and was considered as the queen stage of the race. Starting with the first category Col d'Aspin (12 km with an average gradient of 6.5%), riders then ascended the hors catégorie Col du Tourmalet (17.1 km with an average gradient of 7.5%), finishing at the summit at an elevation of 2,115 m (6,939 ft).[37][38] The climbs were last tackled by the peloton at the 2007 Grande Boucle, with a summit finish last occurring in the 2000 edition of the race.[39][40]

Prior to the start of the stage, Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl–Trek) who was fourth on GC, withdrew from the race due to a skin infection.[41] After initial skirmishes, the peloton hit the Col d'Aspin with GC contenders immediately powering away from the rest of the field. Van Vleuten launched an attack 5 km (3.1 mi) from the top, followed by her rival Vollering as well as Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon–SRAM). Niewiadoma took the QoM at the top of the climb. On the descent, Niewiadoma was substantially faster than both Vollering and Van Vleuten. The two rivals did not wish to work together to chase her, deciding to wait for teammates behind. This allowed Niewiadoma's lead to balloon to nearly 45 seconds.[42][43]

On the ascent of the Col du Tourmalet, the yellow jersey group including Juliette Labous (DSM–Firmenich), Moolman Pasio, Reusser, Kopecky, Vollering and Van Vleuten worked to reduce the gap to Niewiadoma to just six seconds. But Niewiadoma kept working, eventually extending her lead to 30 seconds with 10 km (6.2 mi) to go. In thick fog, Vollering attacked with 5 km (3.1 mi) to the summit, with Van Vleuten unable to follow. Passing Niewiadoma a few kilometres later, Vollering soloed to the top of the climb, winning the stage by 1' 58" ahead of Niewiadoma. Van Vleuten finished the stage 2' 34" behind Vollering in third, with the yellow jersey of Kopecky finishing sixth on the stage, 3' 32" behind Vollering.[42][43]

Vollering therefore took the yellow jersey of the general classification, with a lead of 1' 50" ahead of Niewiadoma. Van Vleuten took third on GC, 2' 28" behind Vollering. Kopecky fell to fourth overall, just seven seconds behind Van Vleuten and four seconds ahead of Moolman Pasio in fifth place. Niewiadoma took the polka dot jersey of the mountains classification, with a four point lead over Kastelijn. Kopecky retained her green jersey of the points classification. Kerbaol retained the young rider classification, despite losing 44 seconds to her rival Ella Wyllie (Lifeplus–Wahoo).[44][43]

Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) riding the stage 8 time trial in Pau

The final stage of the race was an individual time trial over a twisting 22.6 km (14.0 mi) course in Pau. The course was similar to one previously used for a time trial at the 2019 Tour de France, as well as for the 2019 La Course by Le Tour de France stage race.[37][45] It was considered unlikely that Vollering would lose the yellow jersey on the stage, in light of her lead over Niewiadoma. However third placed Kopecky was just seven seconds behind Van Vleuten and four seconds ahead of Moolman-Pasio.[46]

The fastest time on the stage was set by Reusser, two time silver medalist at the time trial world championships and silver medalist in the time trial at Tokyo 2020.[46][47] Kopecky then set a fast time, 38 seconds slower than Reusser. Next on the stage was Van Vleuten, who finished 1' 41" slower than Reusser. Finishing fourteenth on the stage, she fell off the overall podium into fourth place. Niewiadoma had a 38" lead over Van Vleuten, and a 45" lead over Kopecky. Her time trial was 1' 23" slower than Reusser, finishing ninth on the stage. Kopecky therefore took second place overall by 21 hundredths of a second.[46][47] Niewiadoma was third overall.[48][49]

The last rider to start was Vollering, who finished second on the stage, 10" behind Reusser – sealing her victory in the Tour de France Femmes.[46][47]

Demi Vollering wearing the yellow jersey on stage 8

In the final general classification (GC), Demi Vollering (SD Worx) won the Tour de France Femmes with an advantage over her teammate Lotte Kopecky of over three minutes. Finishing in third place for the second year in a row was Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon–SRAM), who finished 21 hundredths of a second behind Kopecky.[48][50] Vollering retained her lead in the UCI Women's World Tour standings.

In the race's other classifications, Kopecky won the points classification. Apart from finishing third in the GC, Niewiadoma also took the polka-dot jersey as winner of the Queen of the Mountains (QoM) classification. Cédrine Kerbaol of Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling took the white jersey as the winner of the young riders classification, which was awarded to the best-placed GC rider under the age of 23. SD Worx won the team classification as the team with the lowest aggregate time among their three best-placed riders. Yara Kastelijn took the super-combativity award to add to her win on stage 4.[48][50] Out of 154 starters, 123 finished the event.[50]

Vollering expressed her delight following her victory, stating that she "still can't believe it".[46] She also expressed her hope that the Tour has "inspired many young girls and women".[51] Her rival Van Vleuten was disappointed with her performance, and praised Vollering for her victory.[52] She also explained that illness had dampened her performance in both the mountainous stage 7 and the final time trial.[52] Niewiadoma was pleased with her polka dot jersey, while expressing disappointment about losing second place overall.[53] Kopecky's strong performance was praised, with L'Équipe calling her "the Wout van Aert of women's cycling".[54] Overall, SD Worx dominated the event, with 1st and 2nd place in the overall classification, 1st in the points and team classifications, as well as 4 stage wins.[50]

Media coverage following the event praised the television viewership, large crowds and the course design (including mountain stages),[55][56][57][58] while others expressed concern regarding awareness of key contenders by the general public, and the disparity in prize money.[22][59] L'Équipe called the Tourmalet stage "a key moment in the evolution of women's cycling".[60] Cyclingnews.com noted that the French public made "no distinction ... between the men's and women's race", referring to both races as the Tour de France.[58] Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace stated that the race was "met with real popular success",[61] and race director Marion Rousse stated that the 2023 edition "was the year of confirmation: we had to prove that the first edition was not just curiosity".[62]

Cyclingnews.com noted that the "logical next step" for the race would be to visit the Alps, noting that the race organisers ASO seemed "keen to include at least one very famous climb" in each edition of the race following La Planche des Belles Filles in 2022 and the Col du Tourmalet in 2023.[58]