Bonjour and welcome to our live updates of the eighth stage of the Tour de France Femmes 2025.
Here's a look at the profile for today's stage, taking the riders from the yesterday's finishing town of Chambéry to the top of the Col de la Madeleine (18.6km at 8.1%), where the race will reach 2000m above sea level.
The riders will be climbing right from the start, with the Col de Plainpalais (13.2km at 6.3%) coming in the first few kilometres of the stage, whilst the only other categorised climb comes in the form of the Côte de Saint-Georges-d’Hurtières (4.8km at 5.9%) with around 43km to go.
They will also have to contend with the uncategorised Col du Frêne, which comes just before the intermediate sprint in Châteauneuf at the midpoint of the stage.
Stage 8 marks the queen stage of this year's Tour de France Femmes, as it is the only mountaintop finish of the race. Who will emerge victorious on the Col de Madeleine?
Before launching into the stage today, lets take a look back at the action yesterday with our stage 7 analysis...
And onto today's stage, the big mountain stage of this race with the summit finish on the Col de la Madeleine. Here is our stage 8 preview...
The weather is a cooler 23°c in Chambéry today with a touch of rain in the air. A stark contrast to the high 20s into 30s seen yesterday.
Just over 15 minutes until the neutral start in Chambéry.
Nienke Vinke (Picnic-PostNL) has her first day in the white best young riders jersey today after taking it from rival Julie Bego (Cofidis) and she took back the 22" deficit and put 21" into the French rider.
Today has all the potential to be a hattrick of wins for French star Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ). The rider from the region of Brittany has burst into the limelight with two stage wins back-to-back. Can she do it again today?
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) attracts huge crowds wherever she goes at the Tour de France Femmes.
All eyes on her 👀Tous les yeux rivés sur elle 🇫🇷#TDFF2025 l #WatchTheFemmes l @FERRANDPREVOT pic.twitter.com/f6aPxspWmdAugust 2, 2025
The riders are about to start the neutralised zone.
Neutral start
It's time for the queen stage of the #TDFF2025, on the way to the terrible COL DE LA MADELEINE 🏔️C'est parti pour l'étape reine du #TDFF2025, en route vers le terrible COL DE LA MADELEINE 😈#WatchTheFemmes l @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/MudBi6cUdPAugust 2, 2025
The riders have a neutral zone of 4.8km as the rain falls in Chambéry.
The temperature is 23°c in the start town but on the top of the Col de la Madeleine it is just 7°c. However, it is currently dry up at the top.
Just over 10 minutes until the official start is scheduled to be given.
There are lots of challenges for pro cyclists and, arguably, pros on the women's side of the sport face more than the men with issues around race weight and their menstrual cycle...
Just 2km to the official start.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) leads the peloton but quickly there are moves from Winspace-Orange-Seal. Nothing going just yet.
They have already started the Col de Plainpalais. 13.2km of climbing with an average gradient of 6.3%.
There are 129 riders at the start after one Ceratizit rider didn't start today.
Multiple attacks going off the front of the peloton as several are also being dropped.
Morgane Coston (Roland-Le Devoluy) leads the peloton as she tries to force a break. Polka dot, white and yellow jerseys all up towards the front of the peloton.
The weather is clearing after the rain at the start. Multiple groups of riders are losing touch with the peloton including the first AG Insurance-Soudal rider, Gladys Verhulst-Wild.
The rider in 17th overall, Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels) loses touch with the peloton in a large group of riders.
Ilse Pluimers (AG Insurance-Soudal) has also lost touch and is one less rider for Le Court.
The counter move has caught the leaders with just Malcotti chasing in front of the peloton.
Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) has been dropped by the peloton with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) able to follow the moves as Malcotti is dragged back by the peloton led by Julie van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal).
Squiban has already come across the 25" gap in no time at all. She is so so strong in the mountains.
If Squiban takes the 10 points in the QoM she will be just 2 points off the lead of Chabbey.
However, Chabbey is in the break as well so she won't close 10 points. It is likely that Squiban and Chabbey will go all out in the QoM sprint on the Col de Plainpalais.
Cedrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) is said to be over a minute down on the peloton as she has a terrible start to the day after jumping up to 7th in GC yesterday.
With 1km to the top of the climb, the breakaway have just 20" gap on the breakaway.
Lorena Wiebes is still in the peloton. What an exceptional ride by the green jersey who has a big opportunity to take big points in the classification at the intermediate sprint should she stay in the group over the top of the Plainpalais.
Wiebes and Kopecky go to the front of the peloton over the top of the climb for the descent.
Kerbaol is 27" off the back of the peloton. She will likely close the gap on the descent.
The break has 30" on the peloton.
Sarah Gigante (AG Insuranc-Soudal) losing touch with the peloton thanks to the pace being set by Wiebes and Kopecky.
Ludwig has been caught by the peloton led by EF Education-Oatly with Henrietta Christie leading Cedrine Kerbaol who have caught up with the peloton again and gone straight to the front.
Kerbaol is now putting the peloton under a lot of pressure and going to the absolute limit of her bike's ability.
A fair amount of change in the QoM standings as Chabbey extended her lead in polka dots with Squiban also getting good points.
⚪️🔴 Classement provisoire ⚪️🔴après le col de Plainpalais ⛰🥇 🇨🇭 Élise Chabbey, 39 pts🥈 🇫🇷 Maëva Squiban, 25 pts🥉 🇳🇱 Silke Smulders, 17 pts⚪️🔴 @e_chabbey creuse l'écart en tête du classement. #TDFF2025 #WatchTheFemmes@GoZwift https://t.co/NjFBsKiLJ6August 2, 2025
30km to the intermediate sprint in Châteauneuf. They are currently on a 5km uncategorised climb with 40" between the break and the peloton led by Wiebes.
The breakaway have extended their gap to 1'22" as the peloton has completely dropped off the pace.
Back of the race, Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Mobility) is over 12 minutes behind the leaders.
News comes through to say that Kerbaol was not dropped. She had a bike change in the neutral and her transponder was on the bike that has gone onto the team car.
Le Court has just been back at the team car to talk tactics with DS Jolien D'Hoore.
Le Mouel and Coston are 1'55" behind the break with the peloton at 2'32". The mountains loom ahead. One is already done with the big one of the Col de la Madeleine still to come.
The best placed in the GC is Evita Muzic in the break, she has a gap of 1'35" and is comfortably the virtual race leader.
The peloton are now over 3'00" behind the peloton. The average speed in the first hour was 29.8kph, a slow one with the start being over the 13.2km long Col de Plainpalais.
The break are 2'01" ahead of Le Mouel and Coston then the peloton are at 3'42" with 73km to go and 18km to the intermediate sprint.
Canyon-SRAM-ZondaCrypto come to the front of the peloton with AG Insurance-Soudal and St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93.
Vos returns to the peloton and Visma-Lease a Bike immediately go to the front of the peloton with the former world champion leading the way.
Claes has been dropped by Squiban and Koch at the front of the race.
Chabbey is upping the pace in the chasing group to try and rejoin Squiban and Koch.
Only Fisher-Black, Bunel, Vallieres and Muzic could follow that move by Chabbey to rejoin Squiban and Koch with more riders rejoining.
Squiban is looking like the next big superstar of cycling after her two stage wins in a row at this Tour. She is in the break again today...
Split in the peloton as various riders are distanced with Kopecky, Marie Le Net (FDJ-Suez), Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) all dropped.
Kim Le Court herself comes to the front of the peloton working for Sarah Gigante.
Crash!
Yellow Jersey, 🇲🇺 @KimLeCourt, crashes on the descent by locking up into the hairpin. However she is back on the bike and under a minute behind the group she was in. Maillot Jaune, 🇲🇺 @KimLeCourt, chute dans la descente en bloquant dans le virage en épingle. Elle remonte sur… pic.twitter.com/SQ3EdlKnBsAugust 2, 2025
Le Court had just started riding for Gigante to keep her right near the front of the peloton but she overcooked the corner and went into the dirt and rocks on the side of the road.
Wiebes is pushing very hard in the peloton to try and distance Gigante on the descent as she only has Van de Velde with her in the bunch.
Le Court appears to have lost all confidence on the descent as she is going way too deep into multiple corners since the crash.
Le Court has made it to the group that includes Kopecky and Le Net but is still about 50" from the main peloton.
The peloton is now splitting into various very little groups with Gigante likely out of the back. The day is going very badly for AG Insurance-Soudal but can be recovered.
1km to the intermediate sprint for the break with the main GC group at 3'12" and the yellow jersey group at 4'08".
FDJ-Suez and Visma-Lease a Bike are working flat out in the GC group as they look to end the race for Gigante and Le Court.
The break now have 2'50" gap on the GC group with 3'52" on the yellpw jersey group.
Gigante makes it back into the GC group after Wiebes and co failed to distance her after the she lost touch in the descent.
The yellow jersey is back into the peloton after her crash despite the best efforts of SD Worx-Protime, Visma-Lease a Bike and FDJ-Suez all riding flat out to distance her and Gigante.
AG Insurance-Soudal come to the front of the peloton with Le Court and Van de Velde pacing for Gigante.
The breakaway have a gap of 3'38" on the peloton as they near the second climb of the day, the category 2 Côte de Saint-Georges-d'Hurtières.
Chabbey tries to ghost off the front but Markus and Edwards were alive to the danger and she is quickly closed down.
It was a very stressful descent for Le Court who has made it back in and still looks focused, but how much has that crash taken out of the yellow jersey?
Yesterday was a very tough day for the yellow jersey and she is having another one today...
The breakaway have a gap of 4'00" over the peloton. Muzic is becoming a major danger in the GC now. Fisher-Black is also moving into virtual 2nd in GC.
The riders are now on the 4.9km long Côte de Saint-Georges-d'Hurtières which has an average gradient of 5.9% with 5, 3, 2 and 1 point(s) available.
Bizarrely, FDJ-Suez have come to the front in the peloton as well as the break. It would make sense for them to sit up and let Muzic get as large a gap as possible be the Madeleine.
Cofidis and Human Powered Health make a rare appearance on the front of the peloton.
40km to go
The peloton have allowed the gap to the break go out to 4'11" with Markus and Chabbey leading the way at the moment. Just 2km to the top of the Côte de Saint-Georges-d'Hurtières climb.
AG Insurance-Soudal come back to the front of the peloton yet again with Van de Velde, Gigante and Le Court. Shari Bossuyt is also trying to get to the front again as well.
Liane Lippert has been dropped by the peloton with two of her Movistar teammates but wave and smile to the camera and seem in good spirits.
Fenix-Deceuninck come to the front of the peloton to up the pace but SD Worx-Protime and Canyon-SRAM-ZondaCrypto are also trying to lead over the top.
The pace is upped in the peloton on the descent yet again. SD Worx-Protime and other teams are taking every opportunity to test Sarah Gigante.
Big GC names caught in the split in the peloton with Le Court, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike), Gigante, Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), Nienke Vinke (Picnic-PostNL) and many others have been caught out. Just about 15" gap to the lead GC group.
Le Court, Ferrand-Prevot, Gigante and Pieterse are back into the leading GC group again.
Chabbey is now looking very comfortable in the polka dots now.
⚪️🔴 Provisional standings after the Saint-Georges-d’Hurtières climb ⛰🥇 🇨🇭 Élise Chabbey, 44 pts🥈 🇫🇷 Maëva Squiban, 28 pts🥉 🇳🇱 Silke Smulders, 17 pts🇨🇭 Élise Chabbey will keep the polka dot jersey if she finishes the stage safely.#TDFF2025 | #WatchTheFemmes | @gozwift https://t.co/SeF8XW1dqsAugust 2, 2025
Julie Bego (Cofidis) is losing touch with the peloton as Vinke is trying to get back in. The battle for white is very intense.
Vinke is just off the back of the group including Kopecky, Wiebes, Millie Couzens (Fenix-Deceuninck) who have been dropped by the peloton. Bego is just ahead of them and is riding flat out to stay away.
Picnic-PostNL are using the team car the get Vinke back to the peloton again with her following the car's slipstream. They are going passed various group on the road. This probably doesn't bode well for the team DS as a big fine may be given.
AG Insurance-Soudal came into today with a lot of confidence around Sarah Gigante who is just 1'14" down on the race leader and teammate, Le Court.
Claes is dropped from the break with several riders are dropped by the peloton led by Dygert and Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck).
Chabbey has been dropped by the break. She has a comfortable lead in the QoM standings and has a bigger job to do in the peloton for her FDJ-Suez leader, Demi Vollering.
The peloton are now 2'00" from the breakaway with the pace dropping a bit in the peloton.
Squiban has been dropped by the break. She is empty. The last two days have really taken their toll on the French rider.
🇫🇷 Maëva Squiban is dropped from the leading group. 🇫🇷 Maëva Squiban est distancée du groupe de tête.#TDFF2025 | #WatchTheFemmes | @gozwift pic.twitter.com/RudbBYlLb5August 2, 2025
Le Court, Schweinberger and Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon-SRAM-ZondaCrypto lead the peloton at the moment. Amber Kraak (FDJ-Suez) has just been dropped.
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) is struggling to hold on to the GC group as Le Court is upping the pace for Gigante.
Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM-ZondaCrypto) has lost touch with the peloton alongside Pieterse.
Markus is working hard in the break for her leader, Fisher-Black. They have 1'56" gap on the peloton that is shrinking all the time.
15km to go for the break and Ghekiere just loses touch with the break. Meanwhile, Uttrup Ludwig loses touch with the GC group that are 1'42" behind the break.
🏁 15KM From 13 to 8. There are now only 8 riders left in the breakaway with the favourites group pushing hard to catch them. De 13 à 8. Il ne reste plus que 8 coureuses dans l'échappée, tandis que le groupe des favorites pousse fort pour les rattraper.#TDFF2025 |… pic.twitter.com/vRDivHrildAugust 2, 2025
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) has been dropped by the GC group along with Barbara Malcotti (Human Powered Health thanks to the pace of Chabbey at the front of the group.
Anna van der Breggen is dropped from the group of favourites with more than 14km to go 🇳🇱Anna van der Breggen est distancée du groupe des favorites à plus de 14km du sommet 🥵#TDFF2025 l #WatchTheFemmes l @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/53b7rB7Iq9August 2, 2025
Markus, Bunel and Meijering have been dropped from the break with Muzic, Vallieres, Kastelijn and Fisher-Black leading.
A fantastic ride by Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) and Femke De Vries (Visma-Lease a Bike) who are still in the GC group led by Chabbey.
Ferrand-Prévot admitted that she has spent some of her training camps visiting the Col de Madeleine, which will mark the centrepiece of this year's Tour de France.
Chabbey has now gone backwards and Le Court returns to the front of the group again. Squiban has been caught.
The yellow jersey of Kim Le Court is done and dropped.
Gigante is followed by Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck).
Vollering is leading a group of four with Kerbaol, Squiban and Włodarczyk.
Ghekiere is now with Gigante as Rooijakkers is struggling to follow the AG Insurance-Soudal duo. Ferrand-Prevot, however, is able to follow after bridging across the gap.
Niewiadoma-Phinney is deperately trying to get across the gap to Ghekiere, Gigante, Ferrand-Prevot and Meijering and Rooijakkers is dropped.
Ghekiere can do no more. It is up to Gigante with Ferrand-Prevot locked onto her wheel.
Vallieres is caught by the Bunel, Ferrand-Prevot, Gigante group.
Ferrand-Prevot is riding away with the race lead as it stands as the rider who started the day in 2nd place is absolutely flying.
Fisher-Black and Kastelijn are on 12% gradients and has 49" on the Ferrand-Prevot, Gigante and Bunel group then 1'31" to the Niewiadoma-Phinney and Rooijakkers group then 1'44" to the Vollering, Kerbaol and Włodarczyk group.
Muzic has been caught by the Bunel, Ferrand-Prévot and Gigante group and immediately dropped.
Bunel swings off as Ferrand-Prévot ups the pace and is dropping Gigante! The Frenchwoman is riding away with the race and up to the leaders of Fisher-Black and Kastelijn.
Ferrand-Prévot makes it across to the leaders with 7km to go with 38 seconds to Gigante, 1:32 to Niewiadoma-Phinney and 1:46 to Vollering.
Ferrand-Prévot still has Fisher-Black on her wheel with 5km to go. 45" back to Gigante, 1'53" to Niewiadoma-Phinney and 2'04" to Vollering.
5km to go
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has dropped Niamh Fisher-Black! It is going to be an amazing stage win and the yellow jersey for the French woman as well as a third French stage win in a row!
Ferrand-Prévot has put almost a minute into Gigante and two minutes into Niewiadoma-Phinney, Rooijakkers and the Vollering group.
Muzic is back with Vollering and is working hard with Kerbaol and Wlodarczyk to rejoin Niewiadoma-Phinney and Rooijakkers.
Vollering attacks the chase group but everyone can follow. They are 2'13" behind Ferrand-Prévot who has 4km to go.
Just 3km to go for Ferrand-Prévot and the gap to Gigante has gone out to 1'10" with a gap is 2'24" to the group of Vollering, Niewiadoma-Phinney, Kerbaol, Wlodarczyk and Rooijakkers.
Fisher-Black are about to be caught by Gigante as they go under the 3km to go marker. Ferrand-Prévot is 500 metres ahead of them.
Gigante has caught Fisher-Black. They are 1'17" back on Ferrand-Prévot.
Vollering, Niewiadoma-Phinney and the rest are 2'44" down on Ferrand-Prévot and the yellow jersey is now 6'27" down.
Ferrand-Prévot has just over a kilometre to go with 1'24" over Gigante. After her it is Fisher-Black who is at 1'40" then Niewiadoma-Phinney, Vollering, Rooijakkers, Wlodarczyk and Kerbaol.
Flamm Rouge!
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is riding to the stage and the jersey today. What an amazing ride by her as she puts three minutes into the Vollering group!
500 metres to go for Ferrand-Prévot.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot of Visma-Lease a Bike wins stage 8 of the Tour de France Femmes 2025 on the 'Queen Stage' summit finish of the Col de la Madeleine.
Sarah Gigante of AG Insurance-Soudal finishes in 2nd 1'46" behind Ferrand-Prévot. Fisher-Black takes third on the day with Vollering going clear of the the other GC riders behind.
Vollering pips Kastelijn to third on the day with Kerbaol in 5th, Wlodarczyk in 5th and Niewiadoma-Phinney in 6th.
Stage 8 top 10
1. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA) Visma-Lease a Bike
2. Sarah Gigante (AUS) AG Insurance-Soudal +1'46"
3. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZL) Lidl-Trek +2'15"
4. Demi Vollering (NED) FDJ-Suez +3'03"
5. Yara Kastelijn (NED) Fenix-Deceuninck S.T.
6. Cedrine Kerbaol (FRA) EF Education-Oatly +3'18"
7. Dominika Wlodarczyk (POL) UAE Team ADQ +3'22"
8. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (POL) Canyon-SRAM-ZondaCrypto +3'26"
9. Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) Fenix-Deceuninck +3'38"
10. Marion Bunel (FRA) Visma-Lease a Bike +4'31"
GC after stage 8
1. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA) Visma-Lease a Bike 26:26'11"
2. Sarah Gigante (AUS) AG Insurance-Soudal +2'37"
3. Demi Vollering (NED) FDJ-Suez +3'18"
4. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (POL) Canyon-SRAM-ZondaCrypto +3'40"
5. Cedrine Kerbaol (FRA) EF Education-Oatly +4'11"
6. Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) Fenix-Deceuninck +4'26"
7. Dominika Wlodarczyk (POL) UAE Team ADQ +5'02"
8. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZL) Lidl-Trek +5'52"
9. Evita Muzic (FRA) FDJ-Suez +5'58"
10. Juliette Labous (FRA) FDJ-Suez +7'14"
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot said that she could not enjoy her winning efforts on the on the Col de la Madeleine and she thanked her teammates for their hard work this week:
"It was so painful, the last kilometre, also because I wanted to have a gap as big as possible for tomorrow. I also tried to enjoy it, but until the finish line is crossed, it's not over yet. I just wanted to go as fast as possible to the finish line and I'm so happy we made it as a team. I want to thank my teammates because they have been amazing and I hope that we can finish off the work tomorrow."
Although Sarah Gigante and Demi Vollering have moved up to second place and third place, respectively on the podium, this stage will be a major blow to their general classification hopes at this Tour de France, both having come into this race aiming to win the overall title.
Ferrand-Prévot has now has 2:37 on Gigante and 3:18 on Vollering, who won the overall title in 2023.
Vollering, of course, had suffered from injuries in a crash earlier in this race on stage 3 into Angers, wiht neck pain, and we don't know if that would have affected her on the subsequent stages leading into the high mountains.
Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney also lost time today and dropped to fourth place in the overall classification, all but ending her hopes of winning the overall title for a second year in a row.
Here is Gigante crossing the finish line today, and it was obviously a very painful effort on the Col de la Madeleine for the Australian.
Vollering finished fourth on the stage, behind third-placed Niamh Fisher-Black. Here is a photo of her crossing the finish line at the top of the Col de la Madeleine.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot stands on the podium wearing the yellow jersey as the new leader of the Tour de France Femmes.
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