Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) lost a valuable eight seconds in what she described as 'the first test' against Demi Vollering (SD Worx) on the hilly stage 4 into Rodez at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
The defending champion explained that she surged too soon on the 13% slopes of the 600-metre climb to the finish and then faded as Vollering pulled away with a small gap to take second place behind solo winner Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck).
"Let's test each other a little bit, eh? Today was the day to test each other because, for the next two days, we can't test each others' levels," Van Vleuten said.
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"Demi and I had each other on the limit. In the final, at the finish, she took some time on me. I started a little bit too early. I thought it was a little bit shorter. I'm not so satisfied that I lost some seconds on the finish, but not too much."
The longest stage of the Tour de France Femmes at 177.1km from Cahors to Rodez, was always going to be the first test for the general classification riders with five categorized ascents beginning with Col de Crayssac, and the Côte de Falgeyras.
A breakaway of 14 riders emerged early in the race and gained more than 10 minutes at one point, putting Frenchwoman Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Human Powered Health), who started the day 2:21 behind yellow jersey Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx), in the virtual lead.
The more critical ascents came later in the race; Côte de Colombies and Côte de Moyrazes, and the Côte de Lavernhe that twisted through narrow roads under a thick tree canopy and into the final 10km before the descent that launched the riders into the climb in Rodez.
The race for the general classification heated up behind the large breakaway as SD Worx cut the gap to the break in half, but the attacking started over the final two ascents that saw a select group emerge, including Vollering and Van Vleuten.
As the group fell apart, Kopecky attacked alone to save her race lead from stage eventual winner Kastelijn and to be well-positioned off the front over the top to be then able to help Vollering in the final.
Van Vleuten made her first big attack over the Côte de Lavernhe and caught and passed Kopecky but then struggled to hold Vollering's wheel on the final ascent toward Rodez. On the final ascent, both riders sprinted up the steep incline toward the finish, but Van Vleuten again could not hold Vollering's wheel.
Vollering opened a small but telling gap, passing all but one of the original breakaway riders to take second, while Van Vleuten finished two seconds back in fourth.
"The goal was to stay safe, all the team and everyone was in there, and we had Sheyla Gutierrez out front, so the team spirit was good today," Van Vleuten said.
"I knew it was a beautiful final. I did recon it. The climbs were not super steep, only the last one; that was where we could make a difference. It was a hard final, and we did a super good setup and had a good plan with the team. I'm proud."
Van Vleuten and Vollering have been positioned against one another as the two overwhelming favourites at this year's Tour de France Femmes, with the most decisive stage yet to come on stage 7 that will crest Col d'Aspin and finish at the summit of the Col du Tourmalet.
Asked how she felt after the first test against Vollering and ahead of the more significant climbs to come, Van Vleuten said. "We tested the legs; we were happy that the team plan worked out. Also, to stay safe because it was quite a tricky downhill, so that was why we were a bit on the attack. It's better to attack yourself than to be surprised by others, and it also gives a good feeling."
Van Vleuten acknowledged the other riders who are in contention for the overall classification, with Kopecky currently leading the race ahead of Vollering, while she, along with Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek), Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep) are all at 51 seconds down.
"There is a really good level," said Van Vleuten, who also praised SD Worx for their success in the opening stages of the Tour de France Femmes but said she hoped to see more teams active and reacting to the dominant Dutch team during the eight-day race.
"It's good because we are more people battling, and in the end, it always surprises me that still there are some teams are going to help SD Worx for the victory, so that is something during the race that makes you think, 'play the game, also play the poker.'
"They are good in poker, and I have to shout out to SD Worx because they are good at the poker game. Maybe it's time to play than only look at them. It would be more smart."
