Kasia Niewiadoma securely clinches a breathtaking four-second victory in the Tour de France Femmes
Unknown commenced the day wearing the yellow jersey, boasting a 1:13 advantage over Pauliena Rooijakkers, a well-known climber yet less tested in general classification races, and a 1:15 edge over Vollering, a rider who's been dominating the scene lately.
Vollering launched an attack over 40 kilometers (approximately 24.9 miles) from the finish line on the steepest slopes of the Col du Glandon. At one point, she managed to create a gap of 1:27 between herself and Unknown, leading the virtual race. Vollering celebrated with a stage win, earning a 10-second time bonus, but Unknown pushed hard on the climb's upper slopes, managing to cross the line with a mere 4-second lead.
Once the gravity of her accomplishment sank in, Unknown broke down, tears streaming down her face. She regained her composure just enough to lift her bike above her head in celebration. A few meters away, Vollering also succumbed to exhaustion, her own tears a stark contrast to Unknown's joy.
“It’s truly insane,” Unknown confessed to Eurosport later. “The entire stage was like a rollercoaster, I had a terrible moment on Glandon. Then on the descent, I managed to pull myself back together.
“On Alpe d’Huez, I had to pace myself, give my all in the last 5 kilometers. For a moment, I thought I wouldn’t make it. They were screaming so much over the radio in the last 2 kilometers.”
Tour de France Femmes Femmes' Tour de France Femmes became the most significant win of Unknown's career, her first major stage race victory in seven years. She first secured the yellow jersey on stage 5, when previous race leader Vollering crashed six kilometers from the finish line.
An exhilarating finish
Rooijakkers was the only one able to keep up with Vollering's initial surge on Sunday, sticking to her wheel except for a brief moment on the descent, which gave Vollering the virtual race lead.
The race was incredibly close between the three riders, resulting in an exciting chase as Unknown pursued Vollering and Rooijakkers up the mountain. The lead changed hands as the seconds ticked away, the title slipping through one rider's grasp only to be snatched by the other.
Unknown's group made progress on the flat stretch between the two mountain passes, narrowing the gap to around 40 seconds as the leading group began its ascent of the famous slopes of Alpe d’Huez.
However, Vollering and the leading duo displayed their strength on the climb, increasing the gap to over a minute. It seemed clear that one of them would take the yellow jersey. But as the kilometers ticked by and the riders grew more and more tired, Unknown found an extra burst of energy and began closing the gap.
Vollering sprinted for the line, dropping Rooijakkers and securing the stage victory, but missed out on retaining her overall title. She finished second in the general classification, while Rooijakkers claimed third place on the podium.
Unknown's victorious finish in the Tour de France Femmes marked her return to form in major sporting events, showcasing her resilience and determination. Despite Vollering's impressive performance and leading the virtual race at one point, the excitement of the sport kept Unknown pushing until she clinched the victory.
