From our special correspondent on the Tour de France – Liane Lippert won the second stage of the Tour de France Women 2023 on Monday in Mauriac, sprinting the group of favorites who survived this long day of the uneven course.
Published on: 07/24/2023 – 17:44
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Germany at the party. Its national champion Liane Lippert won the second stage of the Tour de France Women 2023 on Monday July 24 in Mauriac.
She was ahead of the yellow jersey, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and Silvia Persico (UAE) at the finish line.
A rich menu
On the menu for the second stage, the organizers had organized a real construction site between Clermont-Ferrand and Mauriac: 151.7 km between Puy-de-Dôme and Cantal without a hectometre of flat. A test for the nerves consisting of six listed climbs, even more unlisted ones as well as winding descents.
Right out of Clermont-Ferrand, a group of two breakaways managed to distance themselves from the peloton: Georgia Williams (EF Education) and Hannah Ludwig (Uno X) spent a long time alone in the lead with a lead that went up to two minutes. But the peloton and the favorites ended up accelerating 55 kilometers from the goal.
At this time, the paradoxical Côte des Plaines is performing a first selection in the peloton. Annemiek van Vleuten is even caught in a fall with her teammate, the German champion Diane Lippert, and her competitor Elisa Longo Borghini. Luckily without consequences.
At the first crossing of the line, a trio of Dutch women again tried to take to their heels: Yara Kasteljin (Fenix Deceuninck), Anouska Koster (Uno-X) and Eva Van Agt (Jumbo-Visma) managed to increase their lead to one minute while the peloton struggled to organize the chase. Enough to allow Yara Kasteljin to secure the best climber polka dot jersey.
The three fugitives foresee victory, especially when the rain begins to hinder the pursuit. But slips from Yara Kasteljin and Eva Van Agt aborted all chances for the breakaway.
But as expected, the favorites had ticked the stage. In the difficult coast of Trébiac the attacks follow one another, including those of the French Evita Muzic and Juliette Labous. But it’s finally in the sprint in the streets of Mauriac that the stage will be decided.
