As you method the ultimate bend of the long-lasting Alpe d’Huez, a south-facing plateau greets guests with a ski elevate embossed with the phrases “une montagne d’émotions” (a mountain of feelings) — an apt identify for the occasions that unfolded on the ultimate stage of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
In an absolute nail-biter of a showdown, Dutchwoman Demi Vollering (SD-Worx-Protime) received the stage, however Polish rider Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) went dwelling within the yellow jersey, having received the Tour with a traditionally slender margin of 4 seconds.
Because the riders collapsed to the bottom after reaching the mountain summit, the feelings ran freely, with tears of utter devastation for Vollering. The defending champion had misplaced the race lead after a crash in stage 5 and had come into the ultimate stage trailing Niewiadoma by 1:15. Regardless of her efforts to recoup the final time with an amazing trip up the Col du Glandon and the legendary Alpe d’Huez, she fell simply quick.
Unable to match Vollering’s tempo, she watched as her rival, accompanied by Pauliena Rooijakker (Fenix-Deceuninck), rode into the digital race lead. However Niewiadoma refused to surrender. By means of the valley and to the bottom of Alpe d’Huez, her energy regularly returned. Gritting her tooth, the 29-year-old clawed her approach up the climb, decided to attenuate the harm inflicted by the Dutch duo.
As Vollering crossed the end line in first place, gobbling up the ten bonus seconds within the course of, the clock began ticking. Rooijakker adopted carefully, after which Évita Muzik (FDJ-Suez) was third throughout the road. Lastly, Niewiadoma, utilizing each ounce of power left, stopped the clock at 1:01. She had executed it—the yellow jersey was hers.
“4 seconds appear magical now,” Niewiadoma mirrored within the post-race press convention. “However all through the stage, I went by means of a rollercoaster of feelings.”
Niewiadoma had anticipated Vollering’s assault however felt her energy waning on the essential second.
“It was horrible as a result of the climb was very laborious and I may really feel that I’m shedding my legs, after which she attacked and so it wasn’t ultimate,” she recounted. “I simply knew that I needed to keep affected person and preserve my tempo.”
Niewiadoma is not any stranger to the rostrum, however the prime step had eluded her for years. After her final Common Classification win on the Girls’s Tour of Britain in 2019, it had taken 5 lengthy years earlier than she tasted victory once more at La Flèche Wallonne this previous April. She credit final fall’s UCI World Gravel Championships with breaking her streak of near-misses, reminding her what profitable looks like and reigniting her confidence. After ending third twice on the Tour de France Femmes, she got here to the 2024 race decided to win. However doubt crept in with Vollering up the highway and the metres working out.
“To be sincere, as soon as once more, I misplaced the religion that I may nonetheless do it,” she admitted. “I’ve gone by means of such a horrible time on this climb. I hated all the pieces. To have the ability to pull it off on the end line with simply a few seconds is a dream come true. It should take a while to let all the pieces sink in.”
