Demi Vollering wins La Course by le Tour de France
Uttrup Ludwig comes second while Vos takes third
Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) has won La Course by Le Tour de France, held on the morning of stage 1 of the men's Tour de France. After an aggressive race, the 24-year-old Dutchwoman was the fastest in a sprint of a group of eight, passing Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) on the last metres to take the victory. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) also squeezed by Vos to finish second, with Vos in third place.
A strong breakaway of twelve riders was caught with only five kilometres to go, and the race came down to the final ascent of the Côte de la Fosse aux Loups. After several attacks, a group of eight came onto the finishing straight together, and world champion Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx) opened up the sprint early.
“It almost went wrong because Vos was going all the way to the right and I was boxed in a bit. Anna made the speed and forced Marianne to go already. Then I could go in Marianne’s slipstream and come over her,” Vollering said of the finish.
“I was really looking forward to the race this morning, but I was not expecting to win. It was an awesome race and gives me a lot of confidence. And now that I won La Course, I am looking forward to the women’s Tour de France next year,” she added.
How it unfolded
After an aggressive start with many attacks, local riders Cédrine Kerbaol (Team Arkéa) and Noémie Abgrall (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime) got away separately, but Abgrall never made it to Kerbaol. Elena Pirrone (Valcar-Travel & Service) had more luck, bridging to the front with 60 km to go.
The first time up the Fosse aux Loups, an attack by Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) led to a group of eleven catching Pirrone, who had dropped Abgrall on the climb. They stayed about half a minute ahead of the peloton on the 14-kilometre lap, and Van der Breggen accelerated on the second ascent of the Fosse aux Loups, eventually catching the front group.
With two laps and 28 km to go, there were about 30 riders in the first group, and Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo) immediately launched an attack that brought about a group of ten riders, also including Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx), Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Juliette Labous (Team DSM), Mikayla Harvey (Canyon-SRAM), Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange), Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), Sofia Bertizzolo (Liv Racing), Leah Thomas (Movistar Team), and Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service).
Kristen Faulkner (TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) and Tatiana Guderzo (Alé BTC Ljubljana) bridged to this group while the peloton slowed down as nobody would take responsibility for the chase. With 19 km left to race, the front group was a minute ahead, with Marta Lach (Ceratizit-WNT) in between in a doomed solo chase. When Chapman lost contact on the penultimate time up the Fosse aux Loups, this inspired an attack by Uttrup Ludwig who was followed by Van der Breggen, Vos, Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), Liane Lippert (Team DSM), and Soraya Paladin (Liv Racing). After reeling in Lach, this move fell apart again, and Évita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) countered, staying ahead of the peloton for a while.
These moves had reduced the gap to 40 seconds at the start of the final lap, and eventually Jumbo-Visma took charge of the chase, with Canyon-SRAM also helping out. The gap shrank quickly to only 14 seconds at the 5-kilometre mark, and an attack by Brand meant that the front group was reeled in.
The final climb of the Côte de Fosse aux Loups saw a move by Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), preparing the following attack by Niewiadoma who took Brown, Uttrup Ludwig, and Van der Breggen with her. Paladin, Vos, Vollering, and Lippert got back on as the climb flattened out two kilometres from the finish, and shortly afterwards Uttrup Ludwig put in an attack. Van der Breggen chased her down with Brown in her wheel, but after the catch none of the three would drive the move.
Because of that, all eight were together again coming into the final kilometre, and after a short jump by Lippert that was neutralised by Vos, Van der Breggen started the sprint early, allowing Vollering and Uttrup Ludwig to come from behind and beat Vos to the line.
Pos. | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx | 2:50:29 |
2 | Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
3 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team | |
4 | Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Team SD Worx | |
5 | Grace Brown (Aus) Team BikeExchange | |
6 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
7 | Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing | |
8 | Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM | |
9 | Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:04 |
10 | Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing | |
11 | Leah Thomas (USA) Movistar Team Women | |
12 | Coryn Rivera (USA) Team DSM | 0:00:08 |
13 | Marta Cavalli (Ita) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
14 | Niamh Fisher-Black (NZl) Team SD Worx | |
15 | Mikayla Harvey (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
16 | Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana | |
17 | Anna Henderson (GBr) Jumbo-Visma Women Team | |
18 | Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM | |
19 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Liv Racing | |
20 | Amanda Spratt (Aus) Team BikeExchange | |
21 | Kristen Faulkner (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | 0:00:21 |
22 | Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Movistar Team Women | |
23 | Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur | |
24 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Liv Racing | |
25 | Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Rally Cycling | |
26 | Barbara Malcotti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service | 0:00:38 |
27 | Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
28 | Lucinda Brand (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:40 |
29 | Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing | 0:00:50 |
30 | Federica Piergiovanni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service | |
31 | Eider Merino Cortazar (Spa) A.R. Monex Women's Pro Cycling Team | |
32 | Ariadna Gutierrez Arzaluz (Mex) A.R. Monex Women's Pro Cycling Team | |
33 | Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM Racing | 0:01:05 |
34 | Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | 0:01:22 |
35 | Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
36 | Riejanne Markus (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team | |
37 | Anouska Koster (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team | |
38 | Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service | |
39 | Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange | |
40 | Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange | 0:01:37 |
41 | Ruth Winder (USA) Trek-Segafredo | 0:02:06 |
42 | Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service | 0:03:02 |
43 | Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' BTC Ljubljana | |
44 | Lucie Jounier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team | |
45 | Marta Lach (Pol) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team | |
46 | Katia Ragusa (Ita) A.R. Monex Women's Pro Cycling Team | |
47 | Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
48 | Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing | |
49 | Esmée Peperkamp (Ned) Team DSM | |
50 | Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing | |
51 | Kathrin Hammes (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team | |
52 | Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service | |
53 | Amandine Fouquenet (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team | |
54 | Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | |
55 | Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Rally Cycling | |
56 | Maaike Coljé (Ned) Massi Tactic Women Team | |
57 | Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur | |
58 | Debora Silvestri (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo | |
59 | Andrea Ramírez Fregoso (Mex) A.R. Monex Women's Pro Cycling Team | |
60 | Spela Kern (Slo) Massi Tactic Women Team | |
61 | Amber Kraak (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team | |
62 | Omer Shapira (Isr) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
63 | Clara Honsinger (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
64 | Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service | 0:03:11 |
65 | Marit Raaijmakers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | |
66 | Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana | |
67 | Elizabeth Holden (GBr) Bizkaia-Durango | |
68 | Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | |
69 | Georgia Williams (NZl) Team BikeExchange | |
70 | Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team DSM | |
71 | Emilia Fahlin (Swe) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
72 | Sara Poidevin (Can) Rally Cycling | |
73 | Emilie Fortin (Can) Bizkaia-Durango | 0:03:30 |
74 | Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur | 0:03:33 |
75 | Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM | |
76 | Pauline Allin (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team | 0:03:49 |
77 | Olivia Baril (Can) Massi Tactic Women Team | 0:03:58 |
78 | Heidi Franz (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:04:07 |
79 | Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx | 0:04:45 |
80 | Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
81 | Laura Tomasi (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana | |
82 | Tayler Wiles (USA) Trek-Segafredo | 0:05:20 |
83 | Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women | 0:05:41 |
84 | Roxane Fournier (Fra) Team SD Worx | |
85 | Cedrine Kerbaol (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team | 0:06:17 |
86 | Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | 0:07:12 |
87 | Julia van Bokhoven (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | 0:08:49 |
88 | Maeva Squiban (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling | 0:10:38 |
89 | Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | 0:11:11 |
90 | Noemie Abgrall (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling | 0:12:16 |
91 | Mireia Benito Pellicer (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team | 0:12:44 |
92 | Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women | |
93 | Nikola Noskova (Cze) Team SD Worx | |
94 | Greta Marturano (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo | |
95 | Greta Richioud (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team | |
96 | Giorgia Vettorello (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo | |
97 | Noemi Rüegg (Swi) Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling | |
98 | Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur | |
99 | Laura Asencio (Fra) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team | |
100 | Maria Vittoria Sperotto (Ita) A.R. Monex Women's Pro Cycling Team | |
101 | Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale' BTC Ljubljana | |
102 | Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team | |
DNF | Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana | |
DNF | Paula Patiño Bedoya (Col) Movistar Team Women | |
OTL | Leah Dixon (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
OTL | Tanja Erath (Ger) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
DNF | Jade Teolis (Fra) A.R. Monex Women's Pro Cycling Team | |
OTL | Sandra Alonso Dominguez (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango | |
DNF | Iurani Blanco Calbet (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango | |
DNF | Daniela Campos (Por) Bizkaia-Durango | |
DNF | Ariana Gilabert Vilaplana (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango | |
DNF | Typhaine Laurance (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Holly Breck (USA) Rally Cycling | |
DNF | Katie Clouse (USA) Rally Cycling | |
DNF | Sara Penton (Swe) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur | |
DNF | Finja Smekal (Ger) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur | |
OTL | Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team | |
OTL | Lara Vieceli (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team | |
OTL | Belle de Gast (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | |
DNF | Agua Marina Espinola Salinas (Par) Massi Tactic Women Team | |
DNF | Marta Sanchez Hernandez (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team | |
DNF | Elodie Le Bail (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling | |
DNF | Manon Souyris (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling | |
DNF | Michela Balducci (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo | |
DNF | Elisa Dalla Valle (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo | |
DNF | Iris Monticolo (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo |
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