Kim Le Court of Mauritius claimed her second career Tour de France Femmes stage victory, outsprinting Cédrine Kerbaol and Puck Pieterse in Tournon-sur-Rhone, as Marlen Reusser retained the overall lead from Demi Vollering on another scorching day through central France.
Le Court's resilient sprint
Le Court recovered from a mechanical issue on the Col de Lalouvesc climb to join the breakaway and then produced a powerful sprint. "I was on the limit," she said. "I can't believe I still had the legs to sprint. It was really hard, this close, before I could give up. I will never give up after the big effort my team did."
Once considered a general classification contender, Le Court lost time in Tuesday's time trial but found redemption. "I've been really struggling since the time trial day but I think this really makes our Tour," she added. "We've still got ambitions for the general classification, but winning a stage in a Tour de France is very special. People don't really remember top 10 or top five riders in Tour, but they do remember stage winners."
Pieterse's record points haul
Pieterse, the Queen of the Mountains leader, extended her lead with 47 points, the highest total in Tour de France Femmes history. "I wanted to win the stage of course," Pieterse said, "but I think I did everything else today. I decided to gamble, but Kim was still the strongest in the sprint, so I don't think I can be too sad."
The stage featured six classified climbs in the Ardèche heat, with Friday's Mont Ventoux ascent looming. Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot showed improvement, finishing with the favorites after a difficult three days, but remains 15th overall, five minutes behind Reusser. She had earlier conceded "It's over," but her rivals noted her better form and Ventoux experience from 2021.
Ventoux's significance
"I think it's the most iconic climb in France," Ferrand-Prevot said. "Everyone knows about it, even if you're not a cyclist." The inclusion of Ventoux underscores the race's growth, as director Marion Rousse explained: "We try to align with the most mythical summits. They're part of the history of the Tour and the history of the sport."
Vollering and Niewiadoma have climbed Ventoux only from the easier north side, not the steeper southern ascent. The women's peloton's Ventoux debut marks a milestone, especially given past skepticism. Reusser, the race leader, dismissed critics: "It's proof that human beings aren't always such a smart species."
Cooke's legacy
Nicole Cooke's 2006 solo attack on Ventoux, securing overall victory in the Grande Boucle Feminine, remains a benchmark. "I don't suppose anybody wanted to chase me all the way up the Ventoux," Cooke recalled. "The heat was a big factor. People don't want to chase on a day when the heat is so debilitating."
Cooke won that stage by four minutes and the overall by six. "After the finish, we went to a cafe and had ice-creams," she said. "It was one of the special days." Her achievement was underappreciated due to media focus on doping in men's cycling, but the Tour de France Femmes revival has changed that. Friday's Ventoux stage, 20 years later, will test the peloton again, proving how far women's cycling has come.
