Kerbaol solos to stage six win of Femmes
Published: 05:08 PM,Aug 16,2024 | EDITED : 09:08 PM,Aug 16,2024
French rider Cedrine Kerbaol celebrates her win on the podium
Morteau, France: Cedrine Kerbaol became the first-ever home stage winner of the Tour de France Femmes after a late attack on the hilly sixth stage from Remiremont to Mortgeau on Friday. Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT) broke clear on the descent of the day's final climb with 15 km to go, opening up a gap that proved decisive, winning by 21 seconds from the pursuing group. Her daring ride lifted her to second in the general classification, 16 seconds behind yellow jersey wearer Katarzyna Niewiadoma who took the lead on the previous stage following a crash involving then leader Demi Vollering.
Dutch great Marianne Vos sprinted to second on the stage to take over the green jersey. Saturday's 164-km stage features five categorised climbs. On Thursday, Blanka Vas sprinted to win stage five but her SD Worx-Protime team-mate and defending champion Demi Vollering surrendered the overall lead after losing time in a crash as Katarzyna Niewiadoma took advantage.
Vollering was one of several riders involved in a crash six kilometres from the finish and the Dutchwoman looked in pain as she battled to the line to limit the damage done in the general classification. The peloton was chasing down a group of three riders when the incident happened on a sharp bend and Poland's Niewiadoma, who began the day third overall and 34 seconds off Vollering, made the most of the crash to take the yellow jersey.
In the end it came down to a battle between Vas and Niewiadoma for the stage win and it was the Hungarian who claimed a narrow victory, with Germany's Liane Lippert coming in third. 'It's crazy, I still can't believe it. I don't know what to say; I did not expect this today because I felt so bad during the race,' Vas said.
'My radio was not working so I did not know what happened at the back but Demi crashed so I think we lost the yellow so it's a shame and now I have mixed feelings.' Niewiadoma, of Canyon-SRAM Racing, had lost out on stage four in a sprint finish, coming in third behind the Dutch duo of Puck Pieterse and Vollering, but she now has the consolation of the overall lead, having finished third the previous two years.
'It feels very special for sure, I just learned about getting the yellow jersey a couple of minutes ago so I feel like it still didn't really reach me, but super happy,' Niewiadoma said.
'Today's stage was very chaotic in general, I feel like all the stages so far were very hectic and dangerous, so we knew that we just had to stay in the front.'
Dutch great Marianne Vos sprinted to second on the stage to take over the green jersey. Saturday's 164-km stage features five categorised climbs. On Thursday, Blanka Vas sprinted to win stage five but her SD Worx-Protime team-mate and defending champion Demi Vollering surrendered the overall lead after losing time in a crash as Katarzyna Niewiadoma took advantage.
Vollering was one of several riders involved in a crash six kilometres from the finish and the Dutchwoman looked in pain as she battled to the line to limit the damage done in the general classification. The peloton was chasing down a group of three riders when the incident happened on a sharp bend and Poland's Niewiadoma, who began the day third overall and 34 seconds off Vollering, made the most of the crash to take the yellow jersey.
In the end it came down to a battle between Vas and Niewiadoma for the stage win and it was the Hungarian who claimed a narrow victory, with Germany's Liane Lippert coming in third. 'It's crazy, I still can't believe it. I don't know what to say; I did not expect this today because I felt so bad during the race,' Vas said.
'My radio was not working so I did not know what happened at the back but Demi crashed so I think we lost the yellow so it's a shame and now I have mixed feelings.' Niewiadoma, of Canyon-SRAM Racing, had lost out on stage four in a sprint finish, coming in third behind the Dutch duo of Puck Pieterse and Vollering, but she now has the consolation of the overall lead, having finished third the previous two years.
'It feels very special for sure, I just learned about getting the yellow jersey a couple of minutes ago so I feel like it still didn't really reach me, but super happy,' Niewiadoma said.
'Today's stage was very chaotic in general, I feel like all the stages so far were very hectic and dangerous, so we knew that we just had to stay in the front.'