The Danes continue to party in the Tour de France. In the 3rd stage of the women’s edition, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig trumped Marianne Vos on a slightly sloping finish. The Dutch will keep her yellow leader’s jersey. Annemiek van Vleuten had to let go for a while, but was able to rejoin in the final.
3rd stage of the Tour de France Femmes in a nutshell:
Winner of the day: Yesterday FDJ had a lot of bad luck due to the crash of leader Marta Cavalli. The Italian eventually had to give up. Today the team can be satisfied with a victory of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig. The Danish was clearly the strongest in an uphill sprint.
Loser of the Day: Annemiek van Vleuten is seen as the top favorite for the overall victory of the Tour de France Femmes, but today she had to acknowledge her superiority several times in her competitors. The Dutch had to release on the Côte de Mutigny. She is 1’14” from leader Vos in the standings.
Morning: The riders will complete a hilly ride of 126.8 kilometers between Troyes and Bar-Sur-Aube. In addition, there are also a few gravel lanes waiting.
After 2 flat stages, the sprinters disappeared into the background today in this first hilly stage of the Tour de France Femmes. It was up to the classification riders to be careful.
The match had a chaotic opening phase with several attack attempts by Ellen van Dijk and leader Marianne Vos, among others. The peloton did not let the yellow jersey pull away.
Femke Gerritse and Elise Chabbey always battled for the mountain points on the cols. In the end, the Dutch van Parkhotel Valkenburg secured the polka dot jersey. The favorites looked at it from a distance on the first 3 climbs.
Yellow jersey from Vos in danger
The race broke out on the dreaded Côte de Mutigny. The pace shot up at the foot.
Annemiek van Vleuten had something to rectify yesterday and tried to do the same on the Côte de Mutigny. The other favorites were able to join in. Ashleigh Moolman took over a few yards from the top and accelerated. That endangered Marianne Vos’ yellow jersey. The Dutchman was put behind by the acceleration of the SD Worx rider.
The alarm bells went off at Vos, because she didn’t want to lose her yellow jersey after day 1. In the descent she made the connection with the leading group again.
Van Vleuten gives up in first hilly ride
On the last climb, Mont Bernon, Van Vleuten’s barrel was completely empty. Moolman’s acceleration was the death knell for the Dutch. Longo Borghini came up first and took the bonus seconds.
The favorites looked at each other so that Van Vleuten was able to return in the last kilometer. But the ascending finish was not in favor of the Movistar rider. She had to let go again.
In front of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig was a gift for the ascending finish. She was head and shoulders above the rest and beat Vos and Moolman in the sprint uphill. The yellow jersey remains in the possession of Vos. Van Vleuten came in 20 seconds after the Danish champion.
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4 p.m. 33. WATCH! Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig reigns supreme on the final slope and wins the 3rd stage in the Tour de Femmes.
LOOK AT! Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig reigns on the final slope and wins the 3rd stage in the Tour de Femmes
16 hours 32. Uttrup Ludwig is 2 seconds faster than the 2nd, Marianne Vos. .
Uttrup Ludwig is 2 seconds faster than the 2nd, Marianne Vos.
4 pm 31. Van Vleuten loses some time in Epernay! Annemiek van Vleuten is not well today. .
Van Vleuten loses some time in Epernay! Annemiek van Vleuten is not well today.
4:30 pm Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig wins stage 3! Yesterday FDJ had a lot of bad luck, but today they can celebrate. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig wins stage 3 in Épernay. She wins by a bike length lead. .
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig won the 3rd race!
Yesterday FDJ had a lot of bad luck, but today they can celebrate. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig wins stage 3 in Épernay. She wins by a bike length lead.
4 pm 28. Just like yesterday, Kasia Niewiadoma starts first and makes a long sprint. .
Just like yesterday, Kasia Niewiadoma is the first to start and makes a long sprint.
4 pm 27. Demi Vollering sets the pace in the last meters. .
Demi Vollering sets the pace in the last meters.
4 pm 27. Van Vleuten makes the connection. The pace goes out in the leading group. Van Vleuten can take advantage and will rejoin in no time. Vollering & co miss the opportunity to put the top favorite behind in the standings. .
Van Vleuten makes the connection
The pace goes out in the leading group. Van Vleuten can take advantage and will rejoin in no time. Vollering & co miss the opportunity to put the top favorite behind in the standings.
Last km. There’s the rag! A difficult ascending finish awaits them. Who will be celebrating in Epernay? . 16 hours 26.
Last km.
There’s the rag! A difficult ascending finish awaits them. Who will be celebrating in Epernay?
16 hours 26. Demi Vollering continues in the leading group, so she wants to take time on Annemiek van Vleuten who still has to chase. .
Demi Vollering continues in the leading group, so she wants to take time on Annemiek van Vleuten who still has to chase.
16 hours 25. Marianne Vos closes the gap with the 3 leaders. Annemiek van Vleuten is dependent on chasing and is alone in the pursuit. .
Marianne Vos closes the gap with the 3 leaders. Annemiek van Vleuten is dependent on chasing and is alone in the pursuit.
4 pm 24. Elisa Longo Borghini, Kasia Niewiadoma and Ashleigh Moolman speed up the descent of Mont Bernon. .
Elisa Longo Borghini, Kasia Niewiadoma and Ashleigh Moolman speed up the descent of Mont Bernon.
4 pm 23. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) comes up first and takes the bonus seconds. .
Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) comes up first and takes the bonus seconds.
16h 22. Van Vleuten in trouble! Van Vleuten cannot follow! She can’t keep up the pace! .
Van Vleuten in trouble!
Van Vleuten cannot follow! She can’t keep up the pace!
4 pm 22. Kristen Faulkner makes her attack on Mont Bernon, but Moolman immediately takes over. Van Vleuten dangles at the back of the group. .
Kristen Faulkner places her attack on Mont Bernon, but Moolman immediately takes over. Van Vleuten dangles at the back of the group.
Mont Bernon. There is the last climb of the day. The Mont Bernon is 1 kilometer long with an average gradient of 4.6%. . 16 h 20.
Mount Bernon
There is the last climb of the day. The Mont Bernon is 1 kilometer long with an average gradient of 4.6%.
4 pm 19. Kristen Faulkner pushes for the foot of Mont Bernon, but Vos closes the gap. .
Kristen Faulkner pushes for the foot of Mont Bernon, but Vos closes the gap.
4 pm 19. The pace is going a bit off now in the leading group. They look at each other and wait for Mont Bernon. .
The pace is slowing down a bit in the leading group. They look at each other and wait for Mont Bernon.
4 pm 18. Liane Lippert and Elise Chabbey are chasing at 58 seconds. They will no longer reach the leading group. .
Liane Lippert and Elise Chabbey are chasing at 58 seconds. They will no longer reach the leading group.
4 pm 16. Kasia Niewiadoma closes the gap with the leading group. They’re back together! Will someone try it on Mont Bernon later? .
Kasia Niewiadoma closes the gap with the leading group. They’re back together! Will someone try it on Mont Bernon later?
4 pm 15. Ashleigh Moolman no longer participates in the leading group. This way, leader Demi Vollering can come back more easily. She is in the chasing group with Vos. .
Ashleigh Moolman no longer participates in the leading group. This way, leader Demi Vollering can come back more easily. She is in the chasing group with Vos.
