The Tour de France Femmes is heading toward another dramatic finish as Demi Vollering seized the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage, setting up an eight-second showdown against Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma ahead of the race’s conclusion in Nice.
Vollering secured her grip on the general classification during the punishing 171.9-kilometer eighth stage from Sisteron to Nice. The Dutch favorite launched a sharp, decisive attack on the final climb, crossing the finish line with a 17-second gap over Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma. That decisive move stripped Niewiadoma of the yellow jersey she had claimed just a day prior following her victory on Mont Ventoux.
The razor-thin margin mirrors the thrilling conclusion of the 2024 race, where Niewiadoma edged Vollering for the overall title by a mere four seconds atop Alpe d’Huez. As the peloton prepares for the final stage on Sunday with start and finish coordinates in Nice, the women’s tour is once again delivering a fierce tactical battle down to the final seconds—a high-stakes contest that contrasts sharply with the recent men’s editions dominated by Slovenian world champion Tadej Pogacar.
Inside the Stage 8 Decisive Climb
The route from Sisteron to Nice forced the contenders into an immediate test of endurance and tactical positioning. Vollering’s acceleration on the day’s final ascent caught her rivals off guard, splitting the group of GC contenders and allowing her to claw back time. Longo Borghini chased hard to secure second place on the stage, while Niewiadoma fought to limit her losses, ultimately yielding the race lead by a margin of just eight seconds.
Further down the standings, young German rider Antonia Niedermaier put in a stellar performance. Hailing from Rosenheim, Niedermaier crossed the finish line in 11th place, 38 seconds behind the stage winner. Her tenacity successfully preserved her hold on the white jersey as the race’s best young rider while solidifying an impressive fifth place overall.
Title Defense Ends Early for Ferrand-Prévot
While the battle at the front intensifies, the race lost a major name before the stage even commenced. Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot withdrew prior to the start of the eighth stage. The French rider, who captured mountain bike gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, had struggled to find her footing in the general classification and dropped nearly 15 minutes off the pace before stepping away due to ongoing malaise.
The Stakes on the Final Stage
With only eight seconds separating Vollering and Niewiadoma, Sunday’s finale in Nice leaves no room for tactical hesitation.
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