2023-07-29 21:57:23
The Dutch Demi Vollering won on Saturday July 29 at the top of the Col du Tourmalet. She takes the yellow jersey after this unforgettable day for the women’s peloton. He still has a time trial in the streets of Pau this Sunday to afford the Grail.
Published on: 07/29/2023 – 21:57Modified on: 07/29/2023 – 21:58
3 mn
From our special correspondent at Tourmalet,
« It was amazing to see all these people on the side of the road. I also saw my family and friends. It was very emotional for me. I tried to smile at them and it gave me joy “, confides in a broad smile Demi Vollering, despite the fatigue and the cold of this end of the day.
The Dutchwoman opted for the final victory in the Women’s Tour de France by winning alone at the top of the pass. She attacked about five kilometers from the finish and took the yellow jersey at the expense of her Belgian teammate Lotte Kopecky and above all distanced her main competitors in the general classification. Demi Vollering was nearly two minutes ahead of Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma.
Annemiek van Vleuten, outgoing winner of the Grande Boucle, collapsed in the last hectometres to fail in 3rd position. ” I’m disappointed, I expected a better day. I felt good in the Col d’Aspin, and I attacked to harden the race “Explains Annemiek van Vleuten who says he paid the price for his efforts in the final.
« I’m at the end of my life »
Because it took a lot of courage for this Dantesque day. ” I’m happy with my daysays the Frenchwoman Juliette Labous, her face marked by the effort. The Tourmalet is legendary and there were so many spectators. At times, I had shivers. It was impressive, it was awesome “. She finished in fifth place in the stage, 2’46” behind Vollering.
Her compatriot and teammate, Léa Curinier, gasped: “ I am at the end of my life. I’ve never struggled so much on the bike, and I’m happy to be finished. We controlled the race for Juliette (Labous) and after that it was safe who can. Chaining Col d’Aspin and Tourmalet was really tough. We can be proud of us, we were treated to a finish at the top of a legendary pass. In the last kilometer it was fire, we could only push hard on the pedals ».
« Three kilometers from the finish, there was this crowd that you can see in the boys. People running around, dressing up, it almost made me laugh, it made my heart feel better “, says the tricolor Cédrine Kerbaol, best young person of this edition.
Overall, Vollering, second in the Tour last year, has an advantage of one minute and 50 seconds over Niewiadoma, a comfortable mattress before the 8th and final stage, a 22 kilometer time trial on a flat route in the streets of Pau. Annemiek van Vleuten is relegated to almost two and a half minutes.
In this thick fog of the Tourmalet, the roof of the Tour this year (2110 m), the South African Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio took fourth place in the stage. Transcended by her yellow jersey, Lotte Kopecky ranked sixth. Under a fine rain, a huge crowd was there to honor this female peloton.
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