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2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
France's Ferrand-Prévot wins 2025 women's Tour de France
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot from France was crowned champion of the 2025 women's Tour de France on Sunday after her second consecutive stage win propelled her to one of the most prestigious titles on the circuit. Just over a year after she won gold for her country at the Paris Olympics in the mountain biking, the 33-year-old, who was competing in the race for the first time, became the first Frenchwoman to win the Tour de France since its inception in 2022. After blitzing the field to take the penultimate stage and the yellow jersey of the overall race leader on Saturday, the Team Visma-Lease A Bike cyclist dazzled anew over the 124.1km of Sunday's final stage between Praz-sur-Arly and Châtel in south-eastern France. She finished the course in three hours, 38 minutes and 23 seconds. The 2023 race winner Demi Vollering was 20 seconds behind. The defending champion Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney was third. It was the same order after nine days of racing. Ferrand-Prévot completed the 1168.6km in 29 hours, 54 minutes and 24 seconds. Vollering, from the FDJ-Suez team was three minutes and 42 seconds behind. Niewiadoma-Phinney, who pipped Vollering to the title by four seconds last year, was four minutes and nine seconds off the pacesetter. 'So happy' "I was a bit scared of having the pressure of wearing the yellow jersey," Ferrand-Prévot told reporters. "I had to stick to the front and just stay there. "I said to the team's sporting director this morning, I would like to win in yellow, so I'm so, so happy." Ferrand-Prévot seized control of the race on Saturday after a sensational scorch through the mountains between Chambéry Saint-François Longchamp and Col de Madeleine in south-eastern France. And on Sunday, Ferrand-Prévot negotiated the array of pitfalls before making her move in the last seven kilometres. She responded to Vollering's attack and, to the delight of the partisans, surged away. She crossed the finishing line unchallenged. Among the other race honours, Lorena Wiebes, of SD Worx-Protime, ended as the cyclist with the most points and Elise Chabbey, who rides for the FDJ-Suez team, claimed the polka dot jersey of the "queen of the mountains". Nienke Vinke, of the Picnic-Post NL team, won the white jersey as best young rider in the 2025 race.
The Independent
04-08-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot has made history for France – and shown the way forward for women's cycling
Forty long years have passed since a French rider won the Tour de France. Forty years of hand-wringing in L'Equipe and feverish tension every July. The great Bernard Hinault has endured a long wait for a successor. As Pauline Ferrand-Prevot crossed the line in Chatel, soaking in the adulation of the crowd, forty years of hurt came to an end. She held out her arms, slipped off her bike and lay flat on her back in the finish area, the weight of her achievement sinking in. The 33-year-old's palmares is among the most impressive in history, spanning nearly every discipline: a win on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix earlier this year, 12 world titles, Olympic mountain bike gold, to name just a few standouts. But there was a sense that this one meant more than any other victory. What seemed like a very bold statement at the time of her comeback to road racing after seven years away, that she wanted to win the Tour de France, now seems simply prophetic, a sign of the steely-eyed determination that delivered her to the title in her first season back. 'I've realised a little girl's dream, it's a perfect day,' Ferrand-Prévot said after taking yellow on stage eight. 'I have to thank the public and my family who were here at the roadside.' Her historic individual triumph has the potential to be much more than purely another glorious win for one of cycling's serial winners. It could also change the course of women's cycling. A women's version of the Tour de France has been run intermittently since 1955; a race known as the Tour de France Féminin was won three times by French great Jeannie Longo in the 1980s, while compatriot Catherine Marsal won its successor, the Tour de la C.E.E. Féminin, in 1990. But a lack of stable, committed sponsorship and funding, indifferent media coverage, and either ambivalence or outright opposition from the Tour organisers meant the women's Tour was always teetering on the verge of collapse. Operating in such an atmosphere, it's hardly surprising that the women's Tour became a stunted, half-hearted thing in the 2000s. Britain's Emma Pooley joked that the crisis-hit 2009 Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale, which she won, was more of a 'Petite Boucle'. It shuttered that year. Then came progress in the form of ASO finally agreeing to helm a women's version. La Course, a one-, sometimes two-day race, was formed under pressure from a group of female campaigners, including Pooley and Marianne Vos. The race took place at the same time as the men's and was entirely overshadowed by it. Fast-forward only four years from the inception of the Tour de France Femmes – finally, a real, fully-fledged counterpart to les hommes – and the days of the petite Boucle and La Course feel very far away. This is the final year that the women's edition will directly follow, or clash with, the men's race, taking an entirely separate slot in the calendar from 2026. 'Our Tour is getting too big to be run at the same time as the men's race,' race director Marion Rousse said. 'We need to change the model and create our own timescale.' Far from the patronising course design of previous incarnations of the Tour, which riders complained did not challenge them enough, the trend in recent years has been to make the race more difficult. In 2023 Demi Vollering wrote herself into the history books as a winner on the mist-shrouded slopes of the Col du Tourmalet; last year's route finished on possibly the Tour's most legendary climb, Alpe d'Huez. This year the race again reached a climax in the Alps, with Ferrand-Prevot winning on the Col de la Madeleine. Those proved the standout moments of each Tour; we can only hope next year's route is even bigger and bolder. The race had been talked up as the blockbuster rematch between last year's champion Kasia Niewiadoma and 2023 winner Demi Vollering. While those two were deservedly on the podium at the end of the race – both for the fourth year in a row – this year's edition was also notable for the breakthrough of several other challengers, as the women's peloton continues to go from strength to strength. Kim Le Court made history for Mauritius, becoming the first African rider to win a stage of the race and to wear yellow, while Australian Sarah Gigante proved herself a force to be reckoned with on the toughest climbs, and a potential GC contender if she can overcome her descending woes. None of Lotte Kopecky, Marlen Reusser or Elisa Longo Borghini were at full strength for this race, with the latter two abandoning. If they had been fit we could have seen similar drama to last year's race, when an unprecedented four-second gap separated yellow from second place. The margins for success in such a talented peloton are finer than ever. For the home nation in particular, this is a moment to celebrate. French riders have won nearly half the stages in this race, the brilliant youngster Maeva Squiban and veteran Ferrand-Prevot taking two apiece. Alongside the pair, the nation has a host of present and future stars in Cedrine Kerboal – winner of stage six last year, the first-ever French winner of a stage – Marion Bunel, Juliette Labous, and Evita Muzic. While France's male cyclists struggle under the weight of history and the overbearing expectations of the public, its women have more than risen to the task. Even a frustrated Vollering, second on the final stage and second overall to add to her heartbreaking second on the podium last year, could see the bigger picture. 'Cycling is in a great place now, new riders coming up and coming back. It's an exciting time,' she said. Jeannie Longo, watching from the roadside in Chatel, must have agreed. What next for women's cycling, and its biggest race? Perhaps to look forward, we have to look back: to Longo, Marsal, and the early blueprint for the Tour de France Femmes. The first Tour de France Féminin, won by American Marianne Martin, was 18 stages long; Longo's triumphs were over 15, 12, and 11 stages, each with an additional prologue. With the ever-increasing professionalisation of the women's peloton, and its huge strength in depth, there is no reason why the Tour de France Femmes cannot reach the length of its 1980s counterpart. Could a race of true parity, a 21-stage race traversing every kind of terrain, with equal billing to the hommes, be on the cards? Ferrand-Prevot's victory is the perfect launchpad: for a new wave of enthusiasm in France for women's cycling, and for taking this race to new heights. As Ferrand-Prevot rode herself into yellow and sealed the race's queen stage atop the infamous Col de la Madeleine, Rousse embraced her compatriot at the roadside. She later said, '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.' This race has proven just how much further it can go.
The Guardian
04-08-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘A super hard day': Heartbreak for Sarah Gigante as Tour de France Femmes challenge fades
Australia's Sarah Gigante was forced to settle for sixth place in the women's Tour de France as Pauline Ferrand-Prevot claimed victory for the hosts. Starting the day second in the GC, Gigante (AG Insurance - Soudal Team) lost ground on the Joux-Plane descent and finally finished the stage seventh. 'It was two hours of pain, heartbreak and hope all in one,' she said at the finish. Ferrand-Prevot's victory was never in doubt and she launched an attack to clinch the final stage and increase her overnight lead. The 33-year-old had put herself largely in control by winning Saturday's eighth and penultimate stage with an audacious solo breakaway on the last climb. That gave her an overnight lead of 2:37 seconds over Gigante and 3:18 over Demi Vollering. Sunday's ninth stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Chatel was a 124km trek featuring three big mountain climbs. But Ferrand-Prevot did not face any big attacks and instead launched one of her own with 6km left. The crowds cheered her all the way to the finish line and, moments later, the tears flowed as she lay on her back, exhausted but elated. Vollering was 20 seconds behind in second place and Kasia Niewiadoma followed in third place as they sprinted to the line. Earlier, Ferrand-Prevot was with Gigante, 24, and a few others when they tackled the mammoth climb up Col de Joux Plane – an 11.6km grind with a gradient of 8.5%. Gigante is known to have trouble descending at speed and was dropped on the long downhill. She could not make up the time, especially with no teammates to help her, and lost her podium spot, finishing sixth overall, six minutes and 40 seconds behind the winner. 'It was a super hard day, I was already feeling not so strong physically going up the Joux Plane,' she said at the finish. 'I was hoping to get away and have a head start before the downhill, but I was pretty much getting dropped by the top. And then of course the descent was just so hard. It was a long day out.' Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion The other Australians to complete the Tour de France Femmes were Neve Bradbury (71st), Lauretta Hanson (75th), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (78th) and Emily Watts (114th). Having won Olympic gold in mountain biking and conquered the cobblestones of the Paris-Roubaix classic, Ferrand-Prevot added another line to her glittering CV with a Tour victory.
ABC News
03-08-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Australia's Sarah Gigante finishes sixth in Tour de France Femmes
Australia's Sarah Gigante has settled for sixth place in the Tour de France Femmes, with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot claiming victory for the French. Starting the day second in the general classification, Gigante lost ground on the Joux-Plane descent and finally finished the stage seventh. "It was two hours of pain, heartbreak and hope all in one," she said at the finish. Ferrand-Prévot's victory was never in doubt and she launched an attack to clinch the final stage and increase her overnight lead. The 33-year-old had put herself largely in control by winning Saturday's eighth and penultimate stage with an audacious solo breakaway on the last climb. That gave her an overnight lead of 2:37 seconds over Gigante, and 3:18 over Demi Vollering. The ninth stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Chatel was a 124-kilometre trek featuring three big mountain climbs. But Ferrand-Prévot did not face any big attacks and instead launched one of her own with 6km left. The crowds cheered her all the way to the finish line and, moments later, the tears flowed as she lay on her back, exhausted but elated. Vollering was 20 seconds behind in second place and Kasia Niewiadoma followed in third place as they sprinted to the line. Earlier, Ferrand-Prévot was with a group including Gigante when they tackled the mammoth climb up Col de Joux Plane — an 11.6km grind with a gradient of 8.5 per cent. Gigante is known to have trouble descending at speed and was dropped on the long downhill. She could not make up the time, especially with no teammates to help her, and lost her podium spot, finishing sixth overall, 6 minutes and 40 seconds behind the winner. "It was a super hard day, I was already feeling not so strong physically going up the Joux-Plane," Gigante said at the finish. "I was hoping to get away and have a head start before the downhill, but I was pretty much getting dropped by the top. "And then of course the descent was just so hard. It was a long day out." The other Australians to complete the Tour de France Femmes were Neve Bradbury (71st), Lauretta Hanson (75th), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (78th) and Emily Watts (114th). Having won Olympic gold in mountain biking and conquered the cobblestones of the Paris-Roubaix classic, Ferrand-Prévot added another line to her glittering CV with a Tour victory. AAP
SBS Australia
03-08-2025
- Sport
- SBS Australia
Tour de France Femmes: Gigante's heartbreak as Ferrand-Prevot seals historic victory
Australia's Sarah Gigante was forced to settle for sixth place in the women's Tour de France as Pauline Ferrand-Prevot claimed victory for the hosts. Starting the day second in the GC, Gigante (AG Insurance - Soudal Team) lost ground on the Joux-Plane descent and finally finished the stage seventh. "It was two hours of pain, heartbreak and hope all in one," she said at the finish. Ferrand-Prevot's victory was never in doubt and she launched an attack to clinch the final stage and increase her overnight lead. The 33-year-old had put herself largely in control by winning Saturday's eighth and penultimate stage with an audacious solo breakaway on the last climb. That gave her an overnight lead of 2:37 seconds over Gigante and 3:18 over Demi Vollering. Sunday's ninth stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Chatel was a 124km trek featuring three big mountain climbs. But Ferrand-Prevot did not face any big attacks and instead launched one of her own with 6km left. The crowds cheered her all the way to the finish line and, moments later, the tears flowed as she lay on her back, exhausted but elated. Vollering was 20 seconds behind in second place and Kasia Niewiadoma followed in third place as they sprinted to the line. Earlier, Ferrand-Prevot was with Gigante, 24, and a few others when they tackled the mammoth climb up Col de Joux Plane — an 11.6km grind with a gradient of 8.5 per cent. Gigante is known to have trouble descending at speed and was dropped on the long downhill. She could not make up the time, especially with no teammates to help her, and lost her podium spot, finishing sixth overall, 6 minutes and 40 seconds behind the winner. "It was a super hard day, I was already feeling not so strong physically going up the Joux Plane," she said at the finish. "I was hoping to get away and have a head start before the downhill, but I was pretty much getting dropped by the top. "And then of course the descent was just so hard. It was a long day out." The other Australians to complete the Tour de France Femmes were Neve Bradbury (71st), Lauretta Hanson (75th), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (78th) and Emily Watts (114th). Having won Olympic gold in mountain biking and conquered the cobblestones of the Paris-Roubaix classic, Ferrand-Prevot added another line to her glittering CV with a Tour victory. The place to watch the 2025 Tour de France — live, free and exclusive — plus the fourth edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is right here on the SBS On Demand Hub .
