Kim Le Court of Mauritius sprinted to victory on stage six of the Tour de France Femmes, outsprinting Cédrine Kerbaol and Puck Pieterse in Tournon-sur-Rhone. Marlen Reusser retained the overall lead ahead of rival Demi Vollering after another scorching day through central France.
Le Court's comeback
Le Court overcame a mechanical problem on the Col de Lalouvesc to join the breakaway and claim her second career Tour stage win. "I was on the limit," she said of the sprint. "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 contender for the overall title, Le Court lost ground after Tuesday's time trial. "I've been really struggling since the time trial day but I think this really makes our Tour," she said. "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
Pieterse, the Queen of the Mountains leader, extended her lead in the mountain classification to a record 47 points, the highest total in Tour de France Femmes history. "I wanted to win the stage of course," she 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 as the heatwave continued, with Friday's ascent of Mont Ventoux looming.
Ferrand-Prevot's form
Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot finished with the favourites alongside Reusser, Vollering, and Niewiadoma, showing signs of recovery after a difficult three days. She remains 15th overall, five minutes behind Reusser, having conceded earlier: "It's over."
Ferrand-Prevot, who first rode Ventoux in 2021, called it "the most iconic climb in France. Everyone knows about it, even if you're not a cyclist."
Growing stature
The inclusion of Ventoux underscores the race's growth. "We try to align with the most mythical summits," said race director Marion Rousse. "They're part of the history of the Tour and the history of the sport."
Vollering and Niewiadoma have climbed Ventoux only from the less demanding north side, not the steeper southern ascent. Reusser, who never doubted the women's peloton, said of past critics: "It's proof that human beings aren't always such a smart species."
Echoes of Cooke
Nicole Cooke's solo attack over Ventoux in the 2006 Grande Boucle Feminine remains a landmark. "I don't suppose anybody wanted to chase me all the way up the Ventoux," she 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."
Cooke's achievement received little recognition at the time due to media focus on doping in men's cycling, but the rebirth of the Tour de France Femmes has reversed that trend. Friday's stage to Ventoux, 20 years after Cooke's feat, will test the peloton in the heat, but the inclusion of the "killer mountain" is a vindication of the women's progress.
