Story not done yet, says emotional Leah Williamson as England celebrate Euro win
The moment was not lost on Williamson as she held back tears among the revelry, less than 48 hours after the Lionesses retained their European Championship crown by beating Spain in the Basel final on penalties.
The England captain said: 'I'm holding back tears. I've been crying all the way down the Mall. This is unbelievable and it's one of the best things we've ever been a part of so thanks for coming out.
'Everything we do, we do it for us and our team but we do it for the country and young girls. This job never existed 30 or 40 years ago and we're making history every single step. Stay with us, this story is not done yet.'
England showed incredible defiance throughout the tournament, from bouncing back from their opening defeat to France and demonstrating their never-say-die attitude in the knockout stages.
They trailed 2-0 in the quarters to Sweden and 1-0 to Italy in the semis as well as going behind in the showpiece against Spain only to battle back to make sure they kept the trophy they won three years ago.
Williamson told the crowd: 'There's lots of ways to win a football match and we repeatedly did it the hard way.
England players gathered on the steps of the Victoria Memorial during their homecoming victory parade (Yui Mok/PA)
'But you can see how much we care about playing for England and how much we love it – 2022 was a fairy tale but this feels really hard-earned and we're very proud of ourselves so thank you and we hope you are, too.
'The first game maybe rocked us a little bit but I just think we're special people and we love each other, we've got each others' back on and off the pitch. We had tough moments, nasty things to deal with and still we rise.'
It was a third consecutive European Championship crown for England head coach Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to glory in 2017.
She said: 'It was chaos. I hoped a little less chaos but they didn't keep their promise to finish things quicker! We just kept having hope and belief and they just showed up when it was really necessary and urgent.
'There is a huge talent pool in this team. In 2022 we had great bonding but I think that made the absolute difference now: everyone was ready to step up and support each other. It was amazing to be a part of.'
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was so instrumental in keeping Spain at bay in a 1-1 draw as well as the 3-1 final shootout success.
Asked what she was thinking ahead of penalties, she replied: 'Just do whatever I can for the team – they ran around for 120 minutes and I've got it easy just standing still in my own 18-yard box.'
She added: 'Don't let people tell you what you can and can't do. If you've got a dream and you really believe it, go out and do it. I did it.
'I got told many times that I'm not good enough and I shouldn't be playing football from the start. Keep doing it and if it makes you happy, go follow that smile.'
Teenager Michelle Agyemang was named best young player of the tournament after scoring late levellers in England's quarter-final against Sweden and then Italy in the semis.
The 19-year-old said: 'I don't know what to say. It's surreal, it doesn't seem real seeing people down there. It's crazy to see what we've done and be here today.'
The talismanic Lucy Bronze added: 'This moment is unbelievable. We did it three years ago but to do it again and to come back to this is just incredible.'
Asked how this party compared to three years ago, Bronze replied: 'I don't remember.'
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Tour de France Femmes 2025: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot wins final stage and yellow jersey– live
Update: Date: 2025-08-03T17:57:06.000Z Title: What a finish! Content: Latest updates as the battle for the yellow jersey concludes Stage eight: race report from Jeremy Whittle | Mail Amy Amy Sedghi Sun 3 Aug 2025 19.57 CEST First published on Sun 3 Aug 2025 14.37 CEST 7.57pm CEST 19:57 That was a great ending to the final stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2025 and the race. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot showed her strength, skill and cool to win the maillot jaune. Ferrand-Prévot is the first French winner of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, 36 years after her compatriot Jeannie Longo's last victory in the former race, the Tour de France Féminin. But let's not forget the heroics of other riders during this Tour too, including Mauritian rider Kim Le Court Pienaar, French rider Maëva Squiban and Dutch rider Marianne Vos. And of course, all the jersey winners: Yellow jersey: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, 29hrs 54mins 24secs Green jersey: Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), 230pts Polka dot jersey: Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez), 44pts White jersey: Nienke Vinke (Picnic-PostNL), 30hrs 31mins 41secs There's been some great moments from the past nine days. Thank you for following our live coverage and for all your messages and photos. It's been fun covering another Tour de France Femmes and I'm grateful for all the support. A race report will be shared here soon. Thank you and goodbye! 7.38pm CEST 19:38 An exhausted but delighted Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) has spoken to reporters after winning the final stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2025. She described being 'so, so happy' with the day's result. She added: [Today] I was a bit scared with the pressure of this jersey … I had to stick to the front and just stay there. [This morning] I said to the DS [directeur sportif] I would like to win in yellow, so I'm so, so happy. Iris Slappendel spoke to second placed on the GC, Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), who said: I came for some stage wins and for the yellow jersey and I didn't get any of them, but then after stage three I wasn't sure about anything. A clearly dissapointed Vollering said that after crashing hard on the run in to the stage three finish, she accepted that to be on the podium was a positive. She said of her efforts on the way to today's final kilometres: Today I wanted to try everything I could. Maybe it wasn't a good time to attack, but that's cycling … Pauline [Ferrand-Prévot] was flying yesterday and she was strong as well today. Updated at 7.40pm CEST 7.30pm CEST 19:30 Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez), 44pts Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), 36pts Maëva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ), 36pts Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike), 33pts Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), 29pts 7.26pm CEST 19:26 Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), 230pts Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), 178pts Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), 147pts Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), 133pts Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), 118pts 7.22pm CEST 19:22 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike), 29hrs 54mins 24secs Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), +3mins 42secs Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon/SRAM), +4mins 9secs Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ), +5mins 45secs Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), +6mins 25secs Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), +6mins 40secs Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez), +9mins 13secs Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly), +13mins 43secs Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck), +13mins 59secs Évita Muzic (FDJ-Suez), +15mins 50secs 7.12pm CEST 19:12 1. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) 2. Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), +20secs 3. Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto), +23secs 4. Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), +23secs 5. YDominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ), +33secs 7.06pm CEST 19:06 Ferrand-Prévot crosses the line and then drops to the floor in tears. What a result for the talented rider! Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney cross the finish line in second and third place respectively. Updated at 7.22pm CEST 7.04pm CEST 19:04 1km to go: Ferrand-Prévot rides under the flamme rouge and 29secs so do Vollering, Fisher-Black and Niewiadoma-Phinney. It's going to be another victory for Ferrand-Prévot! She soaks up the cheers and crosses the line with a massive grin. Updated at 7.05pm CEST 7.01pm CEST 19:01 2km to go: This could be Ferrand-Prévot's pain face but to me it looks as if she's smiling slightly. She's just storming away! What a great move from the French rider. 6.59pm CEST 18:59 3km to go: Ferrand-Prévot has taken off and it looks as if the stage win as well as the yellow jersey is all hers. Vollering, Niewiadoma-Phinney and Fisher-Black are together but 17secs back. Vollering attacks again. Updated at 7.04pm CEST 6.57pm CEST 18:57 Michael has got in touch from Poland about Gigante. He says: It's heartbreaking to see Gigante lose out on a podium place in this way, especially after her superhuman efforts yesterday. She doesn't deserve all the hate that people have been spewing online about her descending skills, especially as she's still faster downhill than anyone leaving such comments online. Thanks for the live blog, and keep up the good work! Agreed. It's a shame to hear about all the online abuse. The commentators on TNT Sports also mentioned this earlier. I think Gigante can be very proud of her Tour efforts. 6.56pm CEST 18:56 6km to go: Fisher-Black tries to get on to Ferrand-Prévot's wheel but the French rider's attack was just too powerful. She's created an 11sec gap in a flash! Behind Vollering tries to flick Fisher-Black through and she finally obliges. 6.54pm CEST 18:54 7km to go: Vollering attacks! Everyone in the yellow jersey except her teammate Labous stay with her. Now Ferrand-Prévot launches! The crowds have gone wild. Updated at 6.54pm CEST 6.47pm CEST 18:47 10km to go: Everything is as was. The six in the yellow jersey group, which is leading, continue to ride together. Labous is still on the front. In other news, Van der Breggen has been awarded the day's most combative rider. 6.39pm CEST 18:39 15km to go: Fisher-Black raises her arm for a gel and the six continue as they were. Labous is driving the yellow jersey group at the moment. Col du Corbier QOM climb result: 1. Vollering, 10pts 2. Ferrand-Prévot, 8pts 3. Niewiadoma-Phinney, 6pts 4. Włodarczyk, 4pts 5. Labous, 2pts 6. Fisher-Black, 1pt Updated at 6.44pm CEST 6.36pm CEST 18:36 17km to go: The six in the yellow jersey group are together and just taking turns. It's a gradual uphill now until a small bump shortly before the road rises again to the finish in Châtel. Gigante is now 3mins behind. Ferrand-Prévot looks pretty relaxed. 6.26pm CEST 18:26 23km to go: Labous and Włodarczyk are distanced slightly but manage to get back to the yellow jersey group. Gigante is 2mins 23secs behind. According to the Tour race centre Élise Chabbey is 'now mathematically assured of winning the mountains classification, being the first Swiss rider to achieve it'. She just has to finish the stage. 6.22pm CEST 18:22 28km to go: The yellow jersey group have reached the summit of the Col du Corbier and are now on the descent. Vollering leads them out but then Niewiadoma-Phinney takes a turn on the front and pushes the pace. Ferrand-Prévot is in third position. Gigante has just reached the summit more than 2mins behind. Updated at 6.23pm CEST 6.13pm CEST 18:13 30km to go: The yellow jersey group are 1.4km from the summit of Col du Corbier. Gigante catches up with Van der Breggen and then passes her. 6.08pm CEST 18:08 I mentioned earlier how vast the crowds are today on this mountain stage. You can see the number of spectators out in force here: 6.03pm CEST 18:03 33km to go: And Van der Breggen is caught. The yellow jersey group continue and go past the SD Worx-Protime rider. Gigante is 2mins 4secs behind the lead group now. Updated at 6.29pm CEST 6.00pm CEST 18:00 34km to go: Van der Breggen's lead is down to 15secs and the yellow jersey group are now visible over her shoulder. Result of the Col de Joux Plane QOM climb: 1. Van der Breggen, 15pts 2. Vollering, 12pts 3. Niewiadoma-Phinney, 10pts 4. Fisher-Black, 8pts 5. Ferrand-Prévot, 6pts 6. Gigante, 4pts 7. Włodarczyk, 2pts 8. Labous, 1pt 5.58pm CEST 17:58 Alistair has emailed in from Lyon about Squiban and says: Squiban's best chance for Queen of the Mountain is to descend like hell from Joux-Plane which she knows how to do, and nick it at the Col du Corbier. What a great race! 5.52pm CEST 17:52 41km to go: Gigante has lost significant time on this descent. She's now 1min 37secs behind the yellow jersey group, which includes Ferrand-Prévot, Vollering, Niewiadoma-Phinney, Labous, Włodarczyk and Fisher-Black. Van der Breggen only has a 30sec lead now. Surely, she's going to be caught soon. Updated at 5.52pm CEST 5.42pm CEST 17:42 49km to go: This sweeping Alpine descent is beautiful. Watching some of the riders descending is also a pleasure, although it does make me tense a bit. It looks fun but there's so much at stake for these riders. The crowds in Morzine are out in force. Van der Breggen is focused and keeps pedalling alone. The yellow jersey group are 40secs behind her. 5.35pm CEST 17:35 Jess has messaged in to say 'bonjour' from Megève where she watched the riders come through today. She shares that she got a beep from both the Movistar and UAE Team ADQ team cars, but sadly not from Visma-Lease a Bike. She said it was 'exciting to see the caravan and everyone whiz past!' and has kindly shared the below photograph. Thanks Jess! Enjoy. 5.33pm CEST 17:33 56km to go: Vollering attacked but couldn't get away. Labous was dropped but has caught back on and gone straight past the yellow jersey group. She's flying down the descent! Niewiadoma-Phinney responds and Gigante is distanced (she's often considered a more tentative descender). Van der Breggen's lead is being eroded. Updated at 5.55pm CEST 5.26pm CEST 17:26 58km to go: The yellow jersey group are riding tightly together and ready to respond to any moves. Niewiadoma-Phinney has a cut on her leg from when she came down at the start of the Col de Joux-Plane. Van der Breggen's lead has been trimmed down to 1min. 5.18pm CEST 17:18 60km to go: Van der Breggen is just over 3km away from the summit of this brutal climb. Her lead is dropping slightly and is down to 1min 23secs. The yellow jersey group now consists of seven riders: Ferrand-Prévot, Gigante, Vollering, Niewiadoma-Phinney, Fisher-Black, Labous and Włodarczyk. 5.13pm CEST 17:13 On the topic of Squiban and the polka dot jersey, Beau emails in to say: Squiban needs to make a big charge here to pick up any more points. She's less than a minute back of the yellow jersey group, but she has to pass a lot of riders. Good point. Also, the yellow jersey group aren't going to knock off the pace, especially as Gigante keeps attacking. 5.11pm CEST 17:11 62km to go: At the front, Van der Breggen rides her tempo – she has 1min 50secs on the yellow jersey group. But then, Gigante attacks again and quickly reduces that gap to 1min 33secs. 5.06pm CEST 17:06 According to the Tour race centre, Alba Teruel Ribes (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) has just left the Tour route and withdrawn from the race. 5.04pm CEST 17:04 64km to go: Gigante attacks. Ferrand-Prévot is firmly on her wheel. Niewiadoma-Phinney, Vollering, Fisher-Black, Labous, and Wlodarczyk are also there. This reduces the group to just seven, with the yellow jersey group now 1min 15secs behind Van der Breggen. Updated at 6.18pm CEST 5.01pm CEST 17:01 Marc has been in touch from Mauritius where he has been following Kim Le Court Pienaar's exploits in the Tour de France Femmes. He says: Almost 10,000 kms away from Mauritius, we followed Kim Lecourt and the Tour with your help. She is now a star here and she made a statement that we could also compete with the best of the big countries on their terrain. 4.56pm CEST 16:56 67km to go: Niewiadoma-Phinney is paced back to the yellow jersey group by her teammate Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto). Kerbaol and Vallieres are still trying to get back. On TNT Sports, former professional cyclist Audrey Cordon-Ragot says she remembers this climb, the Hors catégorie Col de Joux-Plane, being one of the worst she's ever done. Updated at 4.57pm CEST 4.50pm CEST 16:50 67km to go: Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) slides out on a corner, along with her teammate Magdeleine Vallieres. Niewiadoma-Phinney comes down too. But they're quickly up and trying to get back to the peloton. 4.47pm CEST 16:47 68km to go: Van der Breggen has started the tough Col de Joux-Plane climb (HC, 11.6km at 8.5%) and is being cheered by the huge crowds lining the road. The peloton follow 1min 43secs behind. 4.41pm CEST 16:41 73km to go: Wiebes and Chabbey are back with the yellow jersey group. And just in time, as the intermediate sprint is up. Wiebes sweeps forwards and gets 20pts to add to her green jersey lead. 4.34pm CEST 16:34 79km to go: Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto) gets down on to the drops and tries to acclerate away from the yellow jersey group but is swiftly brought back. Van der Breggen's lead remains steady at about 1min 30secs. Côte d'Arâches-la-Frasse QOM climb result: 1. Van der Breggen, 10pts 2. Squiban, 8pts 3. Vollering, 6pts 4. Ferrand-Prévot, 4pts 5. Brand, 2pts Squiban now has 36pts and is edging closer to Chabbey's 44pts for the polka dot jersey. Updated at 6.18pm CEST 4.27pm CEST 16:27 85km to go: The top 10 GC riders are all present in the yellow jersey group. When Squiban accelerated to get the QOM points, Chabbey's teammate Demi Vollering also upped the pace to try to take points away from the French rider and defend her teammate's polka dot jersey. Van der Breggen has extended her lead to 1min 34secs. Updated at 4.45pm CEST 4.20pm CEST 16:20 90km to go: Not far to go until the summit of the Côte d'Arâches-la-Frasse and van der Breggen has almost a minute on the peloton. It's a brave move from van der Breggen if she's eyeing up the stage win. There's a long way to go. At the front of the peloton, Squiban pushes to get some QOM points. Updated at 4.22pm CEST 4.12pm CEST 16:12 92km to go: Van der Breggen is determined. She keeps plugging away and creates an 20sec gap. Wiebes and Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez) have dropped back. Ferrand-Prévot is safely tucked in to the front of the peloton. Updated at 6.01pm CEST 4.07pm CEST 16:07 94km to go: Van der Breggen tries a number of small attacks as the riders head towards the sweeping alpine climb. So far, she hasn't managed to get away. 3.59pm CEST 15:59 98km to go: Ferrand-Prévot and Gigante have made it back, plus the breakaway have been caught. So, the riders are all back together as they head towards the category one Côte d'Arâches-la-Frasse (6.2km at 7.1%). 3.52pm CEST 15:52 102km to go: Ferrand-Prévot has been distanced! She's in a group that's 40secs behind the peloton. The breakaway are only 19secs ahead. 3.51pm CEST 15:51 105km to go: Kopecky and Brand have made it across, so, along with Gerritse and van der Breggen, there are now three SD Worx-Protime riders in the breakaway. Van der Breggen is 12th placed on GC and is 9mins 25secs behind Ferrand-Prévot, so perhaps she's hoping for a stage win as that's too much time to make up for the yellow jersey. 3.46pm CEST 15:46 111km to go: Gerritse and van der Breggen have been working together in the break and have managed a slim 23sec gap from the peloton. Brand (Lidl-Trek) and Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) are coming up the road to join them. 3.41pm CEST 15:41 Chloé Dygert (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto) and Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) did not start stage nine so are withdrawn from the race. I haven't seen a reason given yet but will update when I hear more. 3.36pm CEST 15:36 120km to go: Wiebes' group have been caught by the peloton. The riders are birefly back together before Femke Gerritse and Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) attack! 3.32pm CEST 15:32 122km to go: Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) surges forward but her move is followed by the peloton. Wiebes is 20secs ahead and Julie Bego (Cofidis), Sarah Van Dam (Ceratizit Pro Cycling) and Marie Le Net (FDJ-Suez) bridge across to join her. 3.28pm CEST 15:28 124km to go: Marion Rousse has waved the flag and racing is officially under way! Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) is straight off. Updated at 3.28pm CEST 3.20pm CEST 15:20 Stage nine of the Tour de France Femmes 2025 is under way. The peloton have rolled out from Praz-sur-Arly. There's a short 2 km neutralised section before the racing begins. 3.10pm CEST 15:10 Here is another description of today's stage, this time via the Tour race centre: The ninth and final stage begins with a long descent, promising sparks from the first kilometres. Three major climbs will then provide further fireworks on this 124.1km Haute-Savoie course: the Côte d'Arâches-la-Frasse (category one, 6.2km at 7.1%), the Col de Joux Plane (Hors Categorie, 11.6km at 8.5%), and the Col du Corbier (category one, 5.9km at 8.5%). Of course, Joux Plane is the biggest challenge with its gradient that sometimes reaches 11%. At the summit, there are still 58km and the Corbier to cover, the summit of which will still be quite a long way from the finish (29km). The finale takes the form of an interminable uphill false flat littered with delicious changes in slope. The slightest failure will be dearly paid for. The important role of teammates promises to be crucial. The game of pawns placed in the breakaway could be decisive as the finish approaches. So many scenarios could play out. The race is still far from over. Updated at 3.11pm CEST 3.04pm CEST 15:04 And who's wearing which jersey: Yellow jersey: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike), 26hrs 16mins 11secs Green jersey: Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), 210pts Polka dot jersey: Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez), 44pts White jersey: Nienke Vinke (Picnic-PostNL), 26hrs 39mins 50secs 2.56pm CEST 14:56 Here's a reminder of the top ten on GC after stage eight: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike), 26hrs 16mins 11secs Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), +2mins 37secs Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), +3mins 18secs Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon/SRAM), +3mins 40secs Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly), +4mins 11secs Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck), +4mins 26secs Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ), +5mins 2secs Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), +5mins 52secs Évita Muzic (FDJ-Suez), +5mins 58secs Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez), +7mins 14secs 2.49pm CEST 14:49 Here is the route profile of stage nine of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: 2.43pm CEST 14:43 Here's a look at today's stage, Sunday 3 August: Praz-sur-Arly to Châtel, 124.1km, with the race director of the Tour de France Femmes, Marion Rousse: This '100% Haute-Savoie' finale offers a good opportunity for those riders who are behind in the standings to try to turn things around. The action will begin on the Côte Arâches-la-Frasse (6.2km at 7.1%) and continue, of course, on the Joux Plane (11.6km at 8.5%) and then on the Col du Corbier (5.9km at 8.5%). The climb towards the finish, at Pré la Joux, is steep as it passes through Châtel on the leg-breaking Route de la Bechigne. 2.37pm CEST 14:37 It's the final day of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2025! Today, the riders will face a 124.1km mountain stage with 2,820m of elevation gain. It's a relentless parcours with two category one climbs and a Hors catégorie climb – the most difficult type of climb in a race. With the background of the Haute-Savoie region, we can look forward to an action-packed day for the peloton with beautiful alpine landscapes. After Pauline Ferrand-Prévot shook up the GC rankings yesterday, it will be interesting to see if the French rider can hang on to the yellow jersey or if the next closely ranked in the classification, Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) or Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon/SRAM) pull of a big move. Second placed Gigante is 2mins 37secs behind, so she'd have to crack Ferrand-Prévot. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, pedictions and questions for this stage. You can email me via the link at the top of the page. Today's action will kick off at 3.20pm CET/2.20pm BST. Here is Jeremy Whittle's stage eight race report from Saint-François Longchamp: Updated at 2.53pm CEST
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Ferrand-Prevot becomes first French rider to clinch Tour de France Femmes title
CHATEL, France, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Olympic champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot became the first Frenchwoman to win the Tour de France Femmes on Sunday, pushing through three punishing climbs to win the final stage ahead of 2023 champion Demi Vollering, who finished second overall. The 33-year-old of team Visma–Lease a Bike held steady through the 124.1km ride from Praz-sur-Arly to Chatel, before launching a decisive attack in the last seven kilometres. Vollering (FDJ–Suez) stayed in a group with Ferrand-Prevot for the majority of the ninth stage, but could not break away to make up her deficit of more than three minutes coming into the last day. Ferrand-Prevot, who won gold in women's cross-country mountain biking at last year's Paris Games, had taken the yellow jersey from Kimberley Le Court on Saturday. Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx–Protime), who has led the points classification since stage three, did not chase the leading group and was on track to win the green jersey to deny Dutch compatriot Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) a third Tour title in the category.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
US women set world record in relay at swim worlds, while Summer McIntosh wins fourth gold
Summer McIntosh capped a brilliant world championships with the 400 meters individual medley (IM) title and a fourth individual gold medal, while the United States set a world record in the women's 4x100 medley relay to win the final title in Singapore on Sunday. France's Leon Marchand roared to victory in the men's 400 meters IM, while the United States topped the medals table with nine golds, one more than Australia. France finished third with Canada fourth, all four of their golds won by 18-year-old McIntosh, who missed out on becoming only the third swimmer to win five individual medals at a world championships, joining Michael Phelps (2007) and Sarah Sjostrom (2019). McIntosh blitzed the field in the 400 IM with a time of 4:25.78, the world record-holder coming home more than seven seconds ahead of joint silver medallists Jenna Forrester of Australia and Japan's Mio Narita. China's 12-year-old prodigy Yu Zidi finished just off the podium again having also come fourth in the 200 IM and 200 butterfly. Olympic champion McIntosh's third 400 IM world title added to her 200 IM, 200 butterfly and 400 freestyle golds at the World Aquatics Championships Arena in Singapore, with only the 800 freestyle won by the great Katie Ledecky eluding her. The United States' frustrating championships ended on a high note with a record in the women's 4x100 medley relay in the last event of the eight-day championships. The Americans swam a time of 3 minutes, 49.34 seconds, breaking their own old record mark of 3:49.63. The Americans battled a case of 'acute gastroenteritis' picked up at a training camp in Thailand. The malady clearly affected the team's up-and-down performances in the eight days in Singapore. The Americans had only five gold medals through six days, but won four in the last two as team health seemed to improve. 'This is the best way to end the meet,' Gretchen Walsh said. 'And I feel like we have such a good opportunity when you have this stacked group of women closing it out on a relay like this. 'We're going to put it all in the pool and we're going to leave Singapore with a smile on our faces,' she added. Regan Smith, Kate Douglass and Walsh swam the first three legs with Torri Huske taking the anchor. Marchand, dubbed the 'French Phelps', nearly missed the 400 IM final after a slow heat in the morning but was back to his best in the evening, clocking 4:04.73 to finish well clear of Japan's Tomoyuki Matsushita, the Paris Olympics runner-up behind Marchand. It was a stripped-back program from Paris where Marchand won four individual titles but he made it count with the 200 IM world record on the way to the title earlier in the week. Two years after Tunisia's Ahmed Hafnaoui won the 800 and 1,500 freestyle at the Fukuoka championships, compatriot Ahmed Jaouadi completed the double by winning the 1,500 in 14:34.41 ahead of German Sven Schwarz and American Olympic champion Bobby Finke. Jaouadi shaved nearly nine seconds off his personal best and said it was a struggle. 'I wasn't the only one. My body was in a lot of pain,' he added. 'But through my mind is that I want this medal and I want to win it.' The big names may dominate the headlines but Australian relay stalwart Meg Harris grabbed the spotlight for herself as she won 50 freestyle gold in 24.02 ahead of Chinese duo Wu Qingfeng (24.26) and Cheng Yujie (24.28). The 23-year-old Harris clinched her first individual title on the global stage after sharing two Olympic and five world relay golds in the last four years. No Russian athletes competed at last year's world championships in Doha but the nation's swimmers have racked up medals in Singapore under a neutral flag. Russians were allowed to compete on condition they have not publicly supported the invasion of Ukraine and have no affiliation to the Russian military. Russian Kliment Kolesnikov stormed to the men's 50 backstroke title in 23.68, just 0.13 off his world record, while compatriot Pavel Samusenko took a silver along with South African Pieter Coetze, each finishing in 24.17. Russian swimmers then combined to win a shock gold in the men's 4x100 medley, giving the world record (3:26.78) a huge shake with a time of 3:26.93, a second clear of France.
