Strong teamwork followed by a late charge for the line by Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'IMAD) on the Mont Ventoux enabled the Italian National Champion to claim third on the stage after she outpowered flagging race leader Marlen Reusser (Movistar) close to the summit.
Longo Borghini was part of a four-rider group for much of the climb, which also included teammate Paula Blasi, BYR leader Antonia Niedermayer (Canyon-SRAM) and Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly). The group came within ten seconds of Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) and Reusser on the upper slopes of the Ventoux as two of the top GC favourites attempted to chase down a third, lone winner and new leader Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM).
That was as good as it got, though, as Vollering delivered her own blistering late attack to try and close in on Niewiadoma. But Longo Borghini's own move did carry her past Reusser for a notable top-three finish on the Ventoux. At the same time, Blasi claimed a well-deserved fifth, two seconds behind Reusser.
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At 1:42 down on Niewiadoma herself, Longo Borghini has consolidated her fourth place overall with two stages remaining. Reusser is 2:20 ahead on GC and possibly out of reach, and Longo Borghini said immediately afterwards she wasn't thinking about what might be feasible between the Ventoux and Nice. But she was both at pains post-stage both to congratulate Niewiadoma for her success, and to underline how well she and Blasi had worked together in the chasing group.
"The pace was very high from the beginning and 'Chapeau' to Kasia," I think she did an amazing climb," Longo Borghini told Eurosport.
"Personally, I had my own pacing, I wasn't paying attention too much to the others. I worked very well with Paula, we rotated, and then we could reel Marlen [Reusser] back."
"I did a decent race, I can't complain, and again we showed we are a team."
Asked if the ascent to third on one of France's toughest climbs represented one of the finest moments of her already very distinguished career, Longo Borghini answered, "Yes, definitely, I enjoyed this climb though it's really 'Ventoux'. But as I said, I rotated with Paula and gave my absolute best."
"It's a climb that requires a lot of patience and a lot of mind, you have to have brain and legs."
Once Niewiadoma, Vollering and Reusser had gone up the road, Longo Borghini said, the idea was simply to lay down a solid line of climbing collaboration with Blasi and see where it took them. She also emphasised that rather than react too impulsively as she has done sometimes in the past, she had tried a calmer approach and it had worked out well.
"From then on we only focussed on climbing well, climbing together and sharing the work," she told media at the summit.
"Sometimes I have too much [of a warm head and I spend too much energy, but today I raced very well."
Up to now, the Tour de France has never been a straightforward event for Longo Borghini, but the Ventoux is the latest confirmation she is putting her past difficulties behind her. Illness wrecked her race last year, then in 2024 she could not take part because of a training accident, and in 2023 a leg injury also forced her to abandon. That means her best performance to date has been sixth overall in the opening Tour de France Femmes edition back in 2022.
This time round, it looks like a top five at least is possible, and now she already has a memorable and successful ride on the Ventoux as well, too. Plus, in the last two days, there is no telling what can happen and if she might try to get in the action once again.
"I'm really looking forward to Nice, I hope to get to Nice first of all, as I always said," Longo Borghini said. "But I'm looking forward to racing there, too."
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