Pauline Ferrand-Prévot moved to the brink of a historic French triumph in the Tour de France Femmes after a spectacular solo victory on the summit finish of the Col de la Madeleine. The 33-year-old from Reims now leads the general classification by a commanding margin, with only one stage of the nine-day race remaining, and is on course to end a 40-year wait for a French winner of a Tour de France since Bernard Hinault's success in 1985.
“I’ve realised a little girl’s dream, it’s a perfect day,” Ferrand-Prévot said after pulling on the yellow jersey. “I have to thank the public and my family who were here at the roadside.” Her dazzling ride on the queen stage dashed the hopes of defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and 2023 winner Demi Vollering, both of whom were left behind on the long climb. She added: “It was a big effort for over an hour, hour and a half of climbing, and I had to manage it. But it’s really been a team effort all week.”
Ferrand-Prévot holds an advantage of more than two and a half minutes over Australian climber Sarah Gigante, with Vollering three minutes and 18 seconds adrift and Niewiadoma-Phinney a further half-minute back. The final stage, from Praz-sur-Arly to Châtel, remains, but the French rider said: “I’ve still got to finish the job, but one year after the Games in Paris, to win here, on this mythic climb, it’s incredible.”
The decisive move came 12km from the summit when Gigante accelerated clear of the other favourites, with Ferrand-Prévot quickly responding and the pair joining forces. Ferrand-Prévot was paced up the climb by teammate Marion Bunel, who had been in the early break, before dropping Niamh Fisher-Black five kilometres from the finish. Overnight leader Kim Le Court crashed on a tricky descent, somersaulting into a ditch, but was able to rejoin the group after the peloton slowed. Le Court had warned of Gigante’s climbing ability, saying “other teams don’t know what’s coming,” but Ferrand-Prévot proved too strong.
Race director Marion Rousse said she was overwhelmed by the occasion. “I really felt something big was happening. I had tears in my eyes. I was a little overwhelmed because women’s cycling has come so far,” she said. Christian Prudhomme, director of the men’s Tour, told Rousse: “I no longer see any difference between the two Tours de France.”
