Tour de France Femmes stage 7 LIVE: Mont Ventoux finish to inspire Reusser-Vollering-Niewiadoma GC battle

This is what the riders face today.

Cruelly, the rider face an extra 11.4km in the saddle from the assembly point to the KM0 official start of the stage.

This is the stage map.

The countdown is done and the speaker shouts out again "C'est Parti!"

All the Tour riders and teams are studying the weather and especially the wind for today's stage.

The hot summer Mistral wind is a blowing from the north, north-west.

That means there will be a tailwind for much of the stage as the riders race south, and so a fast race to go on the attack.

However everything will change for the climb of mont Ventoux.

The riders will be protected in the trees on the lower-slopes but they will race into the headwind on the exposed, rocky high-slopes of Ventoux.

The road switches across the white, barren slopes of Ventoux and so the wind will be a cross wind at points. However the wind could slow the riders and attacks, as riders fear suffering alone in the wind.

It could help Marlen Reusser ride defensively but if Vollering any on else get a gap, they may never been caught again.

The climb to the Mont Ventoux summit finish is going to be very, very special.

Allez les Femmes!

SD Worx sign on and Anna van der Breggen is not on stage, confirming she will not start.

SD Worx are down to six riders.

Who will triumph on Mont Ventoux?

Take part in our daily poll at the top of our live coverage and cast your vote.

I voted for 'It will be Demi Vollering's day!'

I think that she can attack into the expected headwind on the top of Ventoux and open a decisive gap on Marlen Reusser.

We can see that race leader Marlen Reusser (Movistar) is again wearing an ice-vest to try to stay cool.

We're 20 minutes from the roll out of the stage and team continue to sign under a hot sun.

It is currently 32c, with a high of 35C expected later this afternoon.

We have some breaking news.

Anna van der Breggen will not take the start of Stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes after struggling throughout the Tour.

Anna van der Breggen abandons the Tour de France Femmes

This is full stage 7 preview.

The legendary "Giant of the Provence”, the Mont Ventoux, crowns stage 7, with a summit finish after 146.8km and 3,500 metres of climbing. The Queen stage of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes will deliver GC fireworks.

Tour de France Femmes 2026 stage 7 preview – Queen stage set to deliver GC fireworks on Mont Ventoux

As the Cyclingnews blimp takes height, we can see the riders signing on in La Voulte-sur-Rhône.

The finish is 146.8km south oat the very summit of Mont Ventoux.

As always, Cyclingnews will have the best, most detailed updates on all the action.

We start our live coverage an hour before the stage start and include rider reaction, photos, results and analysis after the finish.

Today is the day, the big day, possibly the biggest day of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, as the rider finish atop Mont Ventoux in the heart of Provence.

Bonjour and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes.