Lorena Wiebes is widely known as the best sprinter in women’s cycling and the Dutch rider did not disappoint on stage three of the Tour de France Femmes, coming from deep to roar past her rivals and pip Marianne Vos at the finish line in Angers.
Wiebes’ victory capped a chaotic last few kilometres, with dozens of riders caught up in a heavy crash on a narrow bend. The 2023 Tour winner, Demi Vollering, seen as one of the favourites for general classification this year, went down hard and had to be helped back on her bike by her FDJ-Suez teammates, before gingerly rolling over the finish line to stay in the race. Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) was another who looked hurt, although none of the affected riders will lose time in the GC standings as the crash occurred less than five kilometres before the end of the stage.
Wiebes had been disappointed to miss out on a potential sprint victory on Sunday after Mavi García’s well-judged breakaway, but the European champion made no mistake on Monday as Wiebes bided her time before roaring past her rivals on the home straight, before finishing with too much pace for her trailing compatriot, Marianne Vos.
Vos had to settle for second place behind but reclaimed the yellow jersey after narrowly losing it to Kim Le Court after stage two. “It was very hectic, very fast,” Vos said of the finish. “Of course, everyone was fighting for position and I think when we went right on to the river there was a big crash behind me. I hope everyone is well.”
Vos, 38, is now six seconds ahead of Mauritius’ Le Court in the general classification after the flat 163.5km ride from La Gacilly to Angers. France’s Olympic cross-country champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, completed the top three, 12 seconds behind, with last year’s Tour winner, Katarzyna Niewiadoma, fourth. Vollering remains fifth in the GC standings but faces a short window of recovery after her crash before Tuesday’s fourth stage, another flat stage from Saumur to Poitiers.
