In a dramatic finale, Demi Vollering launched a savage acceleration to break the resolve of yellow jersey Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney to seize the race lead on the penultimate day of the race.
The FDJ United-SUEZ rider attacked with 6km to go on an uncategorised ascent, breaking Canyon-SRAM‘s leader and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team l’Imad) in the final few metres. She extended her lead as the road swivelled and swirled into Nice to move into the race lead by eight seconds.
Longo Borghini out-sprinted Niewiadoma-Phinney to take second place on the stage, with a chase group led home by Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) 38 seconds down.
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Vollering was in second place on the overall classification coming into the stage, 15 seconds down on Niewiadoma-Phinney, having been put to the sword by the Pole on the mythical climb to Mont Ventoux on Friday.
The race for the yellow jersey at the 2026 Tour de France Femmes will come down to a final stage around Nice with four ascents of the challenging Col d’Eze climb to be negotiated.
More to come…
