As it happened: Mont Ventoux inspires a historic solo win and shakes-up the 2026 Tour de France Femmes GC battle

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

This is what the riders face today.

The racing is about to start.

Get ready to rumble.

Demi Vollering seems ready to race.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is no longer in the GC battle but that could make her dangerous in the fight for the stage win.

OFFICIAL START

Anna Van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) is confirmed as a DNS.

Uno-X Mobility’s Katrine Aalerud and Kiara Lylyk of Mayenne-Monbana-My Pie also did not start the stage.

There are 128 riders in the 2026 Tour de France Femmes.

The stage officially started at 1:12CET.

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This years TDFF is a battle between Marlen Reusser and Demi Vollering but nobody shjould forget about Kasia Niewiadoma.

She won the Tour in 2024, is third overall at 1:17 and entering her preferred terrain: the mountains.

Today’s stage includes an elevation gain of 3,500 metres.

The stage has a hockey-stick profile with theVentoux at the end but there are other climbs during the stage, that will surely hurt and reduce the peloton and leave some team leaders isolated.

The Col de la Grande Limite (Cat 2, km 13.6) will surely insprie the aearly attacka. It is 6.6km long at an average of 5%.

The Col du Colombier comes after 41km and then the Col de Suzette comes after 105.3).

There are also many other unclassified climbs on the tough roads of Provence, incliuding from Bédoin, just 20 kilometres from the finish. The 4.8 km at 4.3% road climbs between Bédoin and Saint-Estève to reach the foot of the Mont Ventoux.

No attacks so far as the peloton waits for the early Col de la Grande Limite to start.

Let's hear what race leader Marlen Reusser had to say about today. You can understand cycling French right? It's easy.

We always listen carefully to what Lidl-Trek DS Ina-Yoko Teutenberg says about stages because she knows what she is talking about.

It's ominously quiet in the peloton as the riders wait for the first attacks.

Matlida Price and Dani Ostanek are in France for Cyclingnews and currently heading to the Mont Ventoux summit finish.

They have written some special stories in the countdown to today's stage, including this one on rider's experiences on Ventoux.

We love that Justine Ghekiere proposing to her girlfriend at the top of the climb a few weeks ago.

A proposal, a baptism of fire and an MTB ride at 10 years old – Everyone at the Tour de France Femmes has a Mont Ventoux story

Dani spoke several other riders who have raced up Ventoux in the past.

'It's just a mind trip' – Riders from the Tour de France Femmes peloton recount their racing experiences of Mont Ventoux

What is so special about Mont Ventoux?

This feature by Pete Trifunovic reveals the statistics and stories behind the mythical mountain in Provence.

What is Mont Ventoux? All you need to know about the 'bald mountain' that is part of the Tour de France

Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) was the first to the top of the Col de la Grande Limite to take 5 more QOM points.

Polka-dot Puck now has 52 points and is the first rider in history of the TDFF to surpass the 50-point mark in the mountains classification.

And the attacks begin over the top of the climb.

Jeanne Korevaar (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) surged from the peloton after 22.5km and now other riders are joining her.

There is an 8-rider chase group, with the peloton at 20 seconds.

Race on!

Jeanne Korevaar ( Liv-AlUla-Jayco), Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech), Lily Williams (Human Powered Health), Silke Smulders (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), Gaia Masetti (Picnic-PostNL), Ema Comte (Cofidis), Sophie Von Berswordt (Volkerwessels), Romina Hinojosa (Lotto Intermarché Ladies) and Noémie Abgrall (Ma Petite Entreprise) went on the attack.

But Lorena Wiebes tried to jump across, as she chase green jersey points, but that inspired a chase.

Gruppo compatto, at least for now.

110km to go

It's time for the 3.2km long, 6.4% gradient Col du Colombier climb, after a fast 40km of racing.

Matilda Price has asked all the right questions about team leadership at UAE and wrote this special feature.

Riders have hit back at media speculation as they want to let the road speak, and so far that means three UAE riders in the top 10, but how will they approach Ventoux?

We will soon see how Elisa Longo Borghini (fourth on GC), Dominika Włodarczyk (sixth) and Paula Blasi (10th) perform and who will emerge as team leader.

Despite 'all the noise', UAE Team L'IMAD's multi-leader approach working but Mont Ventoux could change everything at the Tour de France Femmes

The pace has been high at points but tactical in others so far. But it is hurting riders and Cofidis’ Nikola Nosková and Picnic-PostNL’s Mia Griffin have been dropped.

Alison Jackson (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93) and Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) are also struggling. Lets hope they can form a gruppetto and finish inside the time limit.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot dominated the Tour in 2025 but she revealed she hit a personal best power output on stage 5, just as she was being dropped.

That's how much the racing has changed this year.

'So many riders now are able to ride at a high level, it's crazy' – Pauline Ferrand-Prévot reveals she hit a power PB as she was being put to the sword at Tour de France Femmes

More QOM points for Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech).

She has been first at the top of 13 of the 29 categorised climbs in this Tour de France Femmes.

She has 55 points after being first to the top of the Col du Colombier and so has a 34-point lead on her nearest rival in the QOM competition, with a maximum of 53 left to score.

By the ned of today's stage, Puck Pieterse could be close to sealing ivctory in the QOM competition.

1. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech), 55
2. Nikola Nosková (Cofidis), 21
3. Sara Casasola (Fenix-Premier Tech), 12

85km to go

Our photographers are out along the road. Capturing the quiet before the storm of today's stage.

This shot captures the tension in the race.

75km to go

Here we go!

We have a new attack by seven riders.

There are some strong riders in the attack, including Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco).

The long and winding road to Mont Ventoux.

There are 10 riders on the attack, with other chasing them. But the peloton is not letting them go for now.

Attackers: Marit Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), Mia Griffin (Picnic-PostNL), Amelie Dideriksen (Cofidis), Idoia Eraso, Paula Patiño (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi), Marte Berg Edseth (Uno-X Mobility), Sandrine Tas, Romina Hinojosa (Lotto Intermarché Ladies) and Clémence Latimier (Ma Petite Entreprise).

Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) is trying to join the breakaway with Sophie Von Berswordt (Volkerwessels) and Fiona Magnan (Mayenne Monbana My Pie).

They need to get across quickly because the gap is going up. It's now or never.

The racing has been steady but fast, with an average speed for the second hour of 40.2 km/h.

The Mistral tailwind is pushing the riders along and so making it difficult for attacks to get away.

The peloton appears to be easing ands is 1:00 down on the attacks. This could be the late-early break of the day.

Vos is struggling to get across and is at 45 seconds with Sophie von Berswordt (VolkerWessels).

60km to go

Riders are dropping back to their team cars to load up on drinks and ice.

it is currently 34c out on the road.

The peloton has eased to feed, with the gap to the attackers up to 2:10.

The peloton is slowly letting the attack go away.

It will be fascinating to see if any team decides to chase and limit the gap, so that the GC riders can also fight for the stage victory.

Perhaps FDJ could do that but may prefer to focus on protecting Vollering to the foot of Ventoux.

The attackers: Marit Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), Mia Griffin (Picnic-PostNL), Amelie Dideriksen (Cofidis), Idoia Eraso, Paula Patiño (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi), Marte Berg Edseth (Uno-X Mobility), Sandrine Tas, Romina Hinojosa (Lotto Intermarché Ladies) and Clémence Latimier (Ma Petite Entreprise), Fiona Magnan (Mayenne Monbana My Pie).

45km to go

The riders have to face several big speed bumps as they race at speed.

The crowds along the road are huge today, which is great to see.

The race reaches the intermediate sprint. The break takes most points but Lorena Wiebes naturally kicks to take the final few points available.

This is the break. They are working hard to extend their lead. Allez!

43km to go

After the fast and flat road, the riders start the Col de Suzette. It is 3.9km long at 6.4% so will impact the race.

We will see how strong the break really is and how much the peloton will chase.

The gap is now 2:15 as Marianne Vos and Sophie Von Berswordt (Volkerwessels) are caught by the pack.

It's great to see Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) in the attack.

Marie Le Net of FDJ is leading the peloton, to keep the break in check.

The gap is only 1:35.

40km to go

9 riders are left in the attack as the Col de Suzette hurts.

The views across the hills are spectacular but Mont Ventoux is looming.

Romina Hinojosa (Lotto Intermarché Ladies) and Mia Griffin (Picnic-PostNL) are the riders dropped from the attack, leaving 9 riders up front.

Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) was the first atop the Col de Suzette and she scored 5 points.

However the peloton is chasing them and is only 1:00 behind.

The reduced gap means the team cars have been pulled out and so riders have to taken bisons from the refreshment motorbike.

The likes of EF and UAE are now riding on the front. They can sense a chance to form a new attack before the Ventoux starts.

25km to go

As the start of the Ventoux nears, the peloton is just 25 seconds begins the attack.

They will soon descend to Bedoin and so the Ventoux will tower over their left shoulder.

It is almost scary to see from so low down.

The riders have to climb 1500 m of altitude in 16km!

25km to go

The peloton is coming.

The break is close to being swept up.

This is the steep profile of the Ventoux climb.

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We can see that Movistar is also riding on the front to protect Marlen Reusser and keep her up front.

The peloton is about to catch the break.

Only Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) is left out front. She bravely refuses to give up.

The Mont Ventoux climb has not yet started but riders are being dropped or have done their job.

There are only 40 riders in the peloton, as Movistar continue to set a fast pace to deter attacks and changes in pace.

And here comes FDJ to set-up Vollering.

Here we go!

The 15.7km Mont Ventoux climb starts now.

Nooo!

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is suffering.

World champion Magdeleine Vallieres tried to go clear but was soon caught and spat out of the back.

Femke de Vries of Visma is also dropped as a very select group of GC riders and few teammates emerges.

There are just 13 riders in the GC group.

FDJ's Juliette Labous is setting the pace for Vollering.

Noemi Rüegg sets the pace for her EF teammate Cedrine Kerbaol.

The riders are still in the trees, suffering on the 10% gradient, with no wind to cool them.

Riders grab bidons from team staff along the road.

They need cold water to try to lower their body temperature.

This is a natural selection as Noemi Rüegg gives her all on the front.

Tese are the riders left up front.

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez), Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team), Cédrine Kerbaol, Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly), Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney, Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM), Isabella Holmgren, Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Elisa Longo Borghini, Dominika Wlodarczyk, Paula Blasi (UAE Team L’Imad).

11km to go

Vollering ups the pace. It's her first attack and splits the GC group.

Vollering's pace sparks a natural selection and leaves our big three up front together.

It's Reusser-Vollering-Niewiadoma GC showdown, all the way to the Mont Ventoux summit and finish.

Behind the chasers are trying to unite and work together but they are already 30 seconds behind.

Dani Ostanek and Matilda Price are at the finish line at the summit of Mont Ventoux and have confirmed that the Mistral wind is blowing quite strongly.

This is the view back down the climb.

9km to go

Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) attacks and Vollering and Reusser let her go in a game of GC tactics and a stand-off.

There's a mind-game underway and then Vollering eventually ups the pace to try to close the gap to Niewiadoma-Phinney.

Reusser does a turn, then asks Vollering for a turn.

In reply, Vollering makes a short attack but Reusser responds. At least this time.

Niewiadoma-Phinney pushes on, using a real climber's low-gear cadence.

She leads by 15 seconds and is hungry to win the stage after so many disappointments during her career.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is making a big and very brave move here.

The chasers are 1:00 behind, with Longo Borghini, Blasi, Niedermaier and Kerbaol together.

The top ten on GC is also being shaken-up today on the slopes of Mont Ventoux.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is going away from Reusser and Vollering.

Her gap is up to 45 seconds!

Reusser and Vollering seem unable to go any faster and so reduce the gap to Niewiadoma-Phinney.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is taking a risk and could blow-up on the climb, especially in the exposed had and cross winds but fortune favours the brave.

Allez Niewiadoma-Phinney!

The Blasi group is at 1:15 and so Reusser and Vollering seem to be slowing, or unable to go any faster.

5km to go

Niewiadoma-Phinney sweeps around the big curve to start the exposed final sector of mont Ventoux.

Reusser and Vollering are at 1:00 and the gap is going up! She is almost the virtual race leader.

She started the stage 1:17 down on Reusser.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is going very, very deep here.

She is already 1500m and only has 400m to climb in the next 4.5km.

Reusser and Vollering seem unable to respond.

They look but seem scared to go deep and attack each other in case the other responds and drops them.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is giving her all but she is control of effort.

She leads by 1:20 now and so is the virtual race leader.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is able to get out of the saddle and dance on the pedals.

If the Blasi group catches Reusser and Vollering then that could slow them even more.

Surely Reusser and Vollering have been odl of the tine gap but can't or won't respond.

Reusser and Vollering keep asking each other to do turns and that only slows the pace.

This could be a historic moment in the history of the Tour de France Femmes and women's racing.

For now, the wind is not a factor but the roads will become more exposed very soon.

3km to go

Niewiadoma-Phinney leads by 1:40!

Now Niewiadoma-Phinney is fighting the wind.

It changes direction as the road follows the side of the mountain.

Now it's a head wind but it is also a head wind for Reusser and Vollering!

2km to go

The gradient is at 10% but Niewiadoma-Phinney is still able to dance on the pedals.

She is rightly awarded the combatif prize for her attack.

Of course, she wants the stage win and the yellow jersey is also there to take.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is on a solo mission to Tour glory.

Her lead is at 1:40 now, perhaps as Reusser tries one last effort to chase Niewiadoma-Phinney.

LAST KILOMETRE

Niewiadoma-Phinney is still looking strong as she passes under the red kite.

Just 1KM to go for Niewiadoma-Phinney! Allez!

Niewiadoma-Phinney won the 2024 Tour but this is a huge, huge ride too.

Vollering is clearly suffering and cant' do long turns but Reusser is hurting too.

Niewiadoma-Phinney could lead the Tour by 30 seconds after the stage.

Niewiadoma-Phinney is in pain but she can see the final corner.

Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) wins on Mont Ventoux!

Vollering accelerates and drops Reusser.

She could take second on GC.

Why didn't she do this earlier?

Wait, Vollering could take yellow!

She finished 1:16 down on Niewiadoma-Phinney.

It's time to do the maths and include the time bonuses.

This is the top 5 of the stage:

1. Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM)
2. Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) +1:16
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L’Imad) +1:42
4. Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) +1:46
5. Paula Blasi (UAE Team L’Imad) s.t.

Official timing indicate that Niewiadoma-Phinney leads Vollering by just 15 seconds.

And there are still two stages to race.

This is the first shot as Niewiadoma-Phinney wins on Monte Ventoux.

This a close-up of Niewiadoma-Phinney.

Sadly Pauline Ferrand-Prévot finishes ten minutes behind.

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What a day of racing? What a day for Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM)!

These were the times for the climb of Mont Ventoux.

Niewiadoma-Phinney pulls on the leaders yellow jersey, climbs on to the podium and can't stop the tears.

We're loving these finish line videos.

Kasia' smile is stronger than any pain.

Victory on Ventoux!

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney was emotional beyond the finish but did not seem to have gone too deep. She was able to savour every moment of her victory.

“I’m still speechless, but I just feel so much gratitude," she said, always so generous.

"This victory goes to so many people that were with me along this very long road without proper big wins. I'm just so tired and so blown away with what just happened.

"As we started to climb the Mont Ventoux, I looked right and I saw my parents. They made a surprise visit, I could see my dad crying, and I was like, ‘I just need to make them proud.'

"So this victory goes to my family, my friends, my team, my husband Taylor [Phinney], to my coach Louis [Delahaije], and my team boss Ronny [Lauke]. They know how much effort I put into this victory and were always by my side, listening to my complaints.

"It's a long speech right now, but yeah, I’m just blown away."

She also explained the tacrics behind her early attack, with 10km of Mont Ventoux to go. It was a lever move that needed guts and strength to pull off.

“My idea was that I needed to make it to Chalet [Reynard] on my own," she said,

"I knew that with the wind we had today, if somebody is chasing behind, then they will try to stay on the wheel as much as possible."

That's exactly what happened, with Vollering and Reusser watching each other and perhaps suffering more in the wind.

This is the new top 5 on GC.

Niewiadoma-Phinney lead Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) by 15 seconds, with Marlen Reusser (Movistar) third at 39 seconds.

Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'IMAD) is a more distant 4th at 2:59.

Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM) is still fifth at 3:21 and kept the best young rider white jersey on a great day for Canyon-Sram). She is 1:11 ahead of Paula Blasi.

To understand everything that happened on the stage, read our full race report. It has more great race photos and results.

Tour de France Femmes: Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney launches vicious long-range solo attack to claim stage and yellow jersey atop Mont Ventoux

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes has changed dramatically today but it is far from over.

Two stages remain, with an early climb on stage 8 on Saturday and then a hilly circyuit aronud Nice on Sunday.

Stage 8 is the longest stage at 171.9km. It heads south towards Nice via a gradual climb. It ends with a short steep wall in the city centre, with ramps up to 13.6%, 6km from the finish may well prevent a final sprint. That could be a test for Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney

Stage 9 is short at 99.2km and includes four loops and four ascents of the Col d’Èze.

This is our preview for Saturday's stage 8 from Sisteron to Nice.

Tour de France Femmes 2026 stage 8 preview

These are the new GC standings after the stage.

The GC standings at the Tour de France Femmes 2026 – Yellow jersey changes hands on dramatic Mont Ventoux stage, setting up spectacular final weekend

There will be a lot of discussion about what Reusser and Vollering did wrong but both seemed to admit making mistakes in not working better together to chase Niewiadoma-Phinney.

'Really stupid from both of us' – Marlen Reusser regrets mark-out tactics with Demi Vollering as yellow jersey sails away at Tour de France Femmes

Matilda Price ands Dani Ostanek are currently descending from the Mont Ventoux summit and will soon have special news, interviews and eyewitness analysis of today's stage.

We'll be back on Saturday and Sunday for full live coverage of stage 8 and 9.

There's a real sense that this year's TDFF is far from over.