tour de france stages on zwift

Virtual L'Étape du Tour [2024]

Every year, L’Étape du Tour de France hosts the biggest amateur gran fondo in the world on one stage of the Tour de France—always including some of the hardest, most mythical climbs from the Tour. We want to bring all the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement of the world’s hardest amateur race to Zwift with the Virtual L’Étape du Tour de France!

There will be no registration or tracking for the Virtual L’Étape du Tour, just sign up for any of the group rides. During February, March, April, and July, we will have scheduled L’Étape Prologue Tuesdays through Thursdays and the gran fondo events that will challenge you Friday through Sunday, with events scheduled every other hour. Coffee Stop and late join will not be enabled for the prologue rides or the gran fondo events.

During the month of June, we will be featuring Col de la Couillole, the final climb of the IRL L’Étape du Tour de France, as the Climb of the Month! To learn more about the Climb Portal schedule, click here .

When you complete any of the weekend’s L’Étape du Tour de France gran fondo events, you will unlock the virtual Santini L’Étape du Tour de France official event kit! In addition to this amazing kit, complete one prologue ride and one gran fondo every month between February and April, and you will be entered for a chance to win a trip to participate in the L’Étape du Tour de France live. To learn more about the terms & conditions, click here .

Looking to learn more about the Virtual L’Étape du Tour, check out the event series page here or the FAQ here

Waiting for the Zwift Insider article to get a useful overview of the event series…

Took a few clicks, but there is a table with all the routes and distances in the FAQ: L’Etape du Tour de France FAQ (zwift.com)

Personally I was hoping for some of the longer stages to be mid-week (seems the prolog stages are pretty short), not just fri-sun, since I can’t ride on weekends (I’ve got the opposite schedule from most), but I’ll try to hit the Friday rides.

Thanks, after looking to the table;

Short rides are definitely short……

We go from the short 45min racing series to 20 minutes events….

Definitely surprised and a little disappointed that there’s not a whole lot of France in the L’Etape du Tour de France.

Yeah, for something that is tied to the “L’Etape Du Tour”, I’m surprised at how short everything is. The longest fondo ride is 70km… They had an opportunity to have this all lead up to a ride that was a challenge to work towards like L’Etap is, but the prologs are super short, and the Fondos are mid-distance, not really what most would consider a Fondo.

Also, when they have Col de la Couillole available in June it’s too bad they don’t have a stage that routes from France up that climb as part of one of the events - maybe call that the queen’s stage of this tour and make it a real Fondo length?

I don’t think I’ll do any of the short mid-week stages but will try to catch the fondo stages on Fridays where I can.

The rides are set up every 2 hours. Any chance they can be offset by an hour on alternate days? None of these rides are at a time I can do, and I’m sure I’m not the only one in this position.

Do I have to register somewhere else than just to these events and ride …sorry race them? And is those 4 times 2 races all or what is that GC, grand champion? I have ZwiftPower profile but do I have to something extra to fulfill eligibility for the grand price?

Virtual L’Etape du Tour de France Series Announced | Zwift Insider

Doesn’t appear you need to do anything more than Zwiftpower.

But grand prize is what, a jersey to unlock? But blah and all the routes I’ve done already. If it’s L’Etape Du Tour it should be much, much harder,

152km and 4100m+ elevation would be appropriate for this, because that is what was in real life.

The Gran Fondo at 62km is nothing, should be much much harder.

Only to watch? Not to ride it yourself?

And where at the site we can see General Classification?

It looks like the GC has not been created yet. When it exists, it should appear on the Leagues menu on zwiftpower.com

@Tom_Perttala Nope - the grand prize includes entry to the event! The at Home Cycling & Running Virtual Training App

Update on Zwift Riders from James on this. He was not asked to include the Prologue stages into the GC. He is now checking whether they should be included.

February and Overall GC now available under ZP Leagues.

Hi all, i just did the prologue of the L’Etape and im wondering if there is no category differences at all (it seems like). if so, what would be the best way to keep in the “right” group in order to dont burn out too quick. i started pushing with the first group to notice (quickly) that was way beyond my league, so i had to start for the upcoming peloton,… and the other one…hahah. till i mange to find a bunch of people to ride together. thanks for any insight!

Start out hardish for about a minute and then settle into what you hope is a maintainable pace. Your people will find you naturally. It’s like magic.

Zwift Climb Portal Gives Riders Virtual Access to Tour de France’s Most Famous Summits

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If you’ve ever wanted to suffer alongside your favorite Tour de France team — you finally have your chance. Zwift’s new Climb Portals will transport you to the magical world of virtual mountain passes and real-world suffering to reach the top. 

What is a Climb Portal? 

A new in-game feature for Zwift, Climb Portals are launching just as the world gets their Tour de France excitement revved to the max. The Climb Portals simulate eight of the Tour de Frances’s most significant and famous climbs — including the dreaded classic, Col du Tourmalet.

How do I Find a Climb Portal in Zwift? 

In July — when tour stoke is at its very highest, riders will see Climb Portal entrances on routes which will be branded with graphics for both races, Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes.

There are two ways to access Zwift Climb Portals.

One, ride your bike through it while riding in Zwift while in the “Just Ride” mode. The entrance should be very noticeable, like a dreamscape compared to the Zwift graphics.

Two , choose to ride the Climb Portal when on the home screen starting a Zwift session. Don’t worry — you won’t start directly on the climb, there will be a small warm-up window, and then you can start your ascent.  

After the climbing starts, the rider will see graphics (very tour-commentary-like) on their screen to keep them motivated and paced. Zwift states the climbs are very close to the real-world equivalent, matching the pitches near perfectly. 

The locations of the Climb Portals will be in two virtual worlds in Zwift; one in France (duh) and one near the outskirts of the Volcano in Watopia. Climb Portals will be available for accent starting June 30 and will change throughout July. There are eight different climbs and a new Climb Portal First Ascent Challenge.

How hard are the climbs?

Well — they are hard enough to be in the Tour de France, so we’re guessing pretty tough. However, riders at home and indoors have some distinct advantages, like a fan! But if you’re worried about how tough each climb will be, Zwift has a tight illustration of what to expect in spice level. The Cote de Terbiac is near the milder side of climbing (still 3.4 km at 5.8%), and the most spicey award goes to the classic HC category Col du Tourmalet.

Climb Portal — First Ascent Challenge

This new Zwift challenge requires riders to complete two on-demand stages, each with four different climbs. The first stage will include the Côte de Trébiac, Col des Aravis, Col d’Aspin, and Puy de Dôme. The second stage will include the Côte de Domancy, Côte de Pike, Col du Platzerwasel, and Col du Tourmalet.

Zwift Climb Portal Stage Schedule 

Below is the Zwift Climb Portals schedule and which Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes stages they will mimic. Ensure you have your favorite stages saved and timed properly on your viewing device so you can suffer and attack alongside the pros. 

Stage 1: June 30-July 30

Short: Cote de Trebiac—3.4 km at 5.8%

• Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Stage 2  on July 24, 2023

Short: Col des Aravis—4.4 km at 6%

• Tour de France Stage 15  on July 16, 2023

Long: Col d’Aspin—12 km at 6.5%

• Tour de France Stage 6  on July 6, 2023
• Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Stage 7 on July 29, 2023

Long: Puy de Dome—10.5 km at 8%

• Tour de France Stage 9  on July 9, 2023

Stage 2: June 30-July 30

Short: Cote de Domancy—2.6km at 8.6%

• Tour de France Stage 16  on July 18, 2023

Short: Cote de Pike—2 km at 10%

• Tour de France Stage 1  on June 30, 2023

Long: Col du Platzerwasel—7.1km at 8.4%

• Tour de France Stage 20  on July 22, 2023

Long: Col du Tourmalet—16.9 km at 7.4%

• Tour de France Stage 6  on July 6, 2023
• Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Stage 7  on July 29, 2023

For more information on the Zwift Climb Portals and Zwift Play , check out Zwift.com — Vive Le Tour! 

Jordan Villella is the Racing Tech Editor for BikeRumor.com, specializing in cross-country mountain, gravel, road, and cyclocross. He has written about bicycles and bike culture for over fifteen years with no signs of stopping.

Before BikeRumor, Jordan raced professionally and wrote for MTBR and the now-defunct Dirt Rag Magazine. He’s covered the World Championships, World Cups, and everything in between — where he loves to report what people are riding.

Based in Pittsburgh, PA,  Jordan coaches cyclists of all abilities with  Cycle-Smart ; you can find him racing bikes around North America and adventuring with his family.

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Virtual Tour de France on Zwift

Riding for solidarity.

In the context of a completely unprecedented health crisis in which most cycling events have been cancelled or postponed,  Zwift and Amaury Sport Organisation have decided to do something useful together and create the very first virtual Tour de France. It will be the starting point for a strong solidarity campaign around cycling.

During the first three weekends of July 2020, men’s and women’s professional races will be organised as part of virtual stages of the Tour de France. Continuing on from the major increase in cycling at home in recent months, cycling lovers from all over the world will also have a chance to ride the  Virtual l’Étape du Tour de France on the same weekends.

All events are organized in aid of five global charity partners .

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Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024: Everything you need to know

Everything you need to know about Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024. Taking place between 12 August and 18 August

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Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024: Key details

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024 is only the 3rd edition, but it's already one of the flagship stage races of the women’s WorldTour calendar. 

The eight-day event, organised by men’s Tour de France organisers ASO and overseen by race director Marion Rousse, will begin this year in the Netherlands; Rotterdam being the location of the Grand Départ. This is the first year the race is starting outside France. Moved to August 12-18 to prevent a clash with the 2024 Paris Olympics, this year the women's race will also be completely separate from the men's. 

Read more: The untold story of the Tour de France Femmes

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024: The route

This year's Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift features the first Grand Départ outside of France: in Rotterdam, and a change to an August date due to the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Starting with three stages over two days in the Netherlands means flat, open roads and a split-stage day, with a morning race and an afternoon individual time trial. It's been over 30 years since this has been seen in the Tour de France. 

Sprinters will favour the days in the Netherlands, before the route heads into Belgium for some Classics-style parcours and some familiar climbs. Next up is the Alps, with back-to-back mountain stages and a gruelling finish on Alpe d’Huez on the final day – also the queen stage for 2024. 

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024: Stage-by-stage

Tour de france femmes avec zwift 2024: the jerseys.

The jerseys of Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024 replicate those of the Tour de France and classifications are yellow for the overall leader, green for the leader in the points standings, polka-dot for the mountain classification, and white for the best young rider.

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Along with the jersey prizes, there is an award for the most combative rider of each stage, with the winner wearing a red number on the following day. This is awarded each day, with a 'Super Combativity' award decided by a jury at the end of the race for the most active rider throughout the entire event.

There is also a team classification where the time of the first three riders from each team is put together to create a single time. This is then done in a similar way as the individual general classification.

In addition, there are plenty of bonus seconds up for grabs at the race. There are ten, six and four bonus seconds available at the end of each stage for the first three riders, as well as bonus sprints that are dotted throughout the race on key climbs to try and make the racing more entertaining for spectators

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024: The teams

22 teams will take part in the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. These include the 15 women’s WorldTour teams, the two best-ranked Continental teams (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling and Lifeplus Wahoo), and five other Continental teams: AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step, Arkéa Pro Cycling, Cofidis, St Michel - Mavic - Auber93, Team Coop-Hitec Products. 

Women's WorldTour teams

AG Insurance-Soudal

Canyon-SRAM 

Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling 

Fenix-Deceuninck

Human Powered Health

Liv-AlUla-Jayco

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL

Team SD Worx

Team Visma-Lease A Bike

UAE Team ADQ

Uno-X Mobility

Continental teams

Demi Vollering takes the overall win at Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2023

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: Past winners

2023: Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx

2022: Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Movistar Team

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024: On TV

The race will be shown live in the UK and Europe on Eurosport and Discovery+. It is expected that viewers in the US will be able to tune in to the action on CNBC and Peacock Premium, like last year. 

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Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast , which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders. 

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. 

He's also fluent in French and Spanish and holds a master's degree in International Journalism. 

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VIRTUAL TOUR DE FRANCE ON ZWIFT: RIDING FOR SOLIDARITY

Men and women to compete over three weekends in july, plus three mass participation virtual l‘etape du tour de france events all in aid of five global charity partners..

In the context of a completely unprecedented health crisis in which most cycling events have been cancelled or postponed, Zwift and Amaury Sport Organisation have decided to do something useful together and create the very first virtual Tour de France. It will be the starting point for a strong solidarity campaign around cycling.

During the first three weekends of July 2020, men’s and women’s professional races will be organised as part of virtual stages of the Tour de France. Continuing on from the major increase in cycling at home in recent months, cycling lovers from all over the world will also have a chance to ride the Virtual l’Étape du Tour de France on the same weekends. All events are organized in aid of five global charity partners.

• First Virtual Tour de France for Men and Women.
• 23 Men’s Teams and 16 Women’s Professional Teams Confirmed. Confirmed names include Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal and Greg Van Avermaet for the men’s race. Marianne Vos, Chloé Dygert Owen, Kirsten Wild and Anna Van der Breggen are amongst the names confirmed for the women’s race.
• Racing to be broadcast to over 130 countries worldwide over the 3 weekends.
• Virtual l’Etape du Tour de France to offer mass participation opportunity for cyclists worldwide on the same roads as the professionals.
• The event sees two new maps added to Zwift: France and Paris.
• Tour de France United (#TDFunited) to raise funds for five charity partners: Emmaüs, Secours Populaire, Jeugdfonds Sport and Cultuur, BiJeWa and Qhubeka.

Racing is to return this July with the first Virtual Tour de France on the online training and racing platform, Zwift.  Starting on Saturday, July 4th, the Virtual Tour de France is to form a part of the Tour de France United, a charity initiative in celebration of the Tour de France that will run until the conclusion of the rescheduled Tour de France in August. 

Designed to deliver both the best virtual racing experience for both competitors and viewers, the Virtual Tour de France will be held over six stages, each around an hour in duration. Racing will commence on Saturday, July 4th with the first women’s stage, followed immediately by the men. Stages for both races are held on identical courses and over the same distance. Both events will receive equal broadcast coverage. 

The stages of the Virtual Tour de France will provide opportunities for all types of rider. Stages 1 and 2 will be held on Zwift’s biggest map, the fantasy volcanic island of Watopia. For the Tour de France, Watopia will receive several visual additions inspired by Nice, the planned host town for this year’s ‘Grand Départ’. Stages 3, 4 and 5 will be held on an entirely new French map designed specifically for the Virtual Tour de France. Stage 5 is marked as the Queen Stage, and one for the climbers, with a summit finish at Chalet Reynard on the formidable Mont Ventoux. Stage 6 will see the racers take to the iconic Champs-Élysées, finishing in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

"I cannot imagine the month of July without cycling,” Says Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France. “Thanks to the virtual Tour de France, which will be widely broadcast on TV, the champions and their fans will fill in the void left by the Tour de France, which will reunite with the public in Nice on 29 August. The Tour Virtuel puts technology to work for passion and the cause of cycling for everyone."

Yann Le Moenner, ASO General Manager adds, "Our joint project with cycling teams, Zwift, charities and broadcasters is all about leveraging the newest esport technologies to put the spotlight on the champions who were supposed to ride the Tour de France in July, as well as bringing bicycles to people who do not have any."

The Virtual Tour de France wouldn’t be the same without the famous Yellow, Green, Polka-dot and White jerseys held by the leaders of the race. Standings for all jerseys will be calculated using a points-based system. The best overall team will be calculated by combining the total points earned across all competitions. In addition, each stage will also see a rider awarded the Most Aggressive rider award, sponsored by Antargaz. 

“There’s nothing bigger than the Tour de France in cycling, so to say I’m excited would be an understatement”, says Eric Min, Zwift CEO and Co-Founder. “Since I was a boy, I would always be glued in front of the TV for three weeks in July, so I feel incredibly privileged for Zwift to be able to play host to the first virtual edition this year. Of course, we all very much look forward to the race returning this August, but the good news is there will still be racing in July. The Virtual Tour de France will be a celebration of the event featuring the stars of the men’s and women’s pro pelotons, all in aid of five great causes. Let’s also not forget, there is a great chance to take part through the Virtual l’Étape du Tour de France rides as well!”

Taking place on the same three weekends that will see the professional riders in action, will be the Virtual l’Étapedu Tour de France series. L’Étape du Tour de France provides cyclists with the opportunity to get a slice of the Tour de France experience through a mass participation cyclo-sportive held on one of the Tour de France mountain stages. The Virtual l’Étape du Tour de France will be no different, allowing participants to test themselves on the same roads as the professionals. There will be three different stages, held over each of the three weekends in July.

Both the France and Paris maps have been designed specifically for the Virtual Tour de France. The French map takes inspiration from the country and should evoke strong connections with the country as Zwifters pass through vineyards, over Roman aqueducts and through Sunflower fields. The new map also plays host to a virtual replica of Mont Ventoux. Zwift’s Mont Ven-Top, meaning snowy peak in gallic, is a punishing climb that is sure to test the legs of any rider.

The Paris map is a smaller world, taking in the finishing circuit we’ve all come to associate with the final stage of the Tour de France. Zwifters will be able to ride around the famed Arc de Triomphe, navigate around the Place de la Concorde and sprint down the cobbled Champs-Élysées just like the best sprinters of the Tour de France. Zwifters will be able to join events on the new maps during the Virtual Tour de France. 

The distinctive jerseys

Like the real-life Tour de France, the distinctive jerseys will be awarded to the leaders of the general classification (based on points rather than on time), best climber classification, best sprinter classification and best young rider classification (again, based on points rather than on time). Unique to the Virtual Tour de France, all classifications will be run as team-based classifications, therefore, allowing teams to rotate riders between stages. All riders in the race will be eligible to score points for their team in each of the respective categories. The teams leading the classifications will have the freedom to nominate one rider to wear the iconic jerseys for the following stage. 

The 6 stages of the Virtual Tour de France:

• Saturday 4th July, stage 1: Nice, 36.4 km (4 x 9.1 km, hilly stage)
• Sunday 5th July, stage 2: Nice, 29.5 km (682 m of ascent, mountain stage)
• Saturday 11th July, stage 3: North-East France, 48 km (flat stage)
• Sunday 12th July, stage 4: South-West France, 45.8 km (2 x 22.9 km laps, hilly stage)
• Saturday 18th July, stage 5: Mont Ventoux, 22.9 km (finish at Chalet-Reynard, mountain stage)
• Sunday 19th July, stage 6: Paris Champs-Elysées, 42.8 km (6 laps of the circuit)

The 3 stages of the Virtual l’Étape du Tour de France (16 sessions spread over each weekend):

• 4th and 5th July, Stage 1: Nice, 29.5 km (682 m of ascent, mountain stage)
• 11th and 12th July, Stage 2: South-West France, 45.8 km (2 x 22.9 km laps, hilly stage)
• 18th and 19th July, Stage 3: Mont Ventoux, (22.9 km, finishing at the observatory)

For more information on the Virtual Tour de France, visit www.zwift.com/virtual-tour-de-france

For further information, please contact:

Fabrice Tiano, +33 (0)6 33 86 28 64, [email protected]  

Chris Snook, +44 (0)7833 087 739, [email protected]  

About Amaury Sport Organisation

Amaury Sport Organisation is a company that owns, designs and organises top international sporting events. Specialised in the ‘non-stadia’ events, it has in-house knowledge of professions linked to organisation, media and sales of sports events.

A.S.O. organises 240 days of competition per year, with 90 events in 25 countries.

A.S.O. is involved in 5 major sports including cycling with Le Tour de France, motor sports with the Dakar, sailing with the Tour Voile, mass events with the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris and golf with the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.

Amaury Sport Organisation is a subsidiary of the Amaury Group, media and sport group that owns the newspaper L’Equipe.

About Zwift

Zwift is the fitness company born from gaming. We’re dedicated fitness enthusiasts that also happen to be experienced software and video game developers. Combining that passion and deep understanding of the fitness world, Zwift is the first company to use massive multiplayer gaming technology to bring the outdoor experience indoors. Athletes from around the globe can train and compete with each other in rich, 3D-generated worlds simply by connecting their existing devices & hardware (e.g. cycle trainers, power meters, treadmills, heart rate monitors, etc) wirelessly via open industry standard ANT+ and BLE. From friendly competition, to racing & structured training programs, Zwift is building a community of like-minded athletes united in the pursuit of a better social fitness experience.

Zwift is the fitness company born from gaming. We’re dedicated fitness enthusiasts, experienced video game developers, and disruptive thinkers. Play is in our DNA and we know fun fuels results.

Zwift utilizes massively multiplayer online gaming technology to create rich, 3D worlds ripe for exploration. Join thousands of cyclists and runners in immersive playgrounds like London, New York, and Paris as well as our very own Watopia.

Our app connects wirelessly to exercise equipment: bike trainers, treadmills, and more, so your real world effort powers your avatar in the game.

From friendly races to social rides and structured training programs, Zwift unites a diverse community in pursuit of a more fun, immersive and social fitness experience.

Contact details

• Chris Snook
• Director, PR
• [email protected]
• Abi Golding
• Sr. PR Manager Europe
• [email protected]
• InGoodTaste
• PR Agency, USA & Canada
• [email protected]

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Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift stage 3 Live: Uttrup Ludwig wins uphill finish in Epernay

Vos defends the yellow jersey illness slows Van Vleuten

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: the complete guide  

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift – Analysing the contenders  

How to watch the 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift – live TV and streaming

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift stage 2 Live: Reaction to a dramatic day

-  Marianne Vos wins stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes  

- Stage 3 is over 133.6km from Reims to Épernay

- Much of the stage and the final climbs are in the champagne vineyards

- Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ Futuroscope) won the uphill sprint in Épernay

- Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) kept the leader's yellow jersey

Bonjour and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 3 of the 2022 Tour de France Femmes.

As the Cyclingnews blip takes height, the riders have left the centre of Reims.

The flag will soon drop for the official stage start. 

💇‍♀️ Getting ready for stage 3️⃣! 💇‍♀️ Bientôt prêtes pour la 3️⃣ème étape !#TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/GlvVVYXePg July 26, 2022

There are still 2km until race director Marion Rousse drops the start flag.

Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) claimed victory on the second stage of the Tour de France Femmes, to become the new overall leader of the race and so pulled on the yellow jersey.

It had seemed written in the stars that the woman universally acknowledged as the greatest of all time would take the yellow jersey at some point, and she did on Monday, 24 hours after narrowly missing out to Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) in the sprint on the Champs-Élysées.

Vos defeated Silvia Persico (Valvar Travel Service) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), as part of a six-woman that went clear just after the immediate sprint, 20km from the finish, after an attack instigated by Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo), and also featured Balsamo’s teammate and GC leader Elisa Longo Borghini and best young rider Maike van der Duin (Le Col-Wahoo).

This group finished 29 seconds ahead of the chasing peloton that included Lorena Wiebes (DSM) in yellow as well as GC contenders Demi Vollering (SD Worx) and Mavi García (UAE Team ADQ), and 34 seconds ahead of another group featuring overall favourite Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar).

Click below to read our full stage report and to see the full results and photo gallery

Marianne Vos prevails in Provins on Tour de France Femmes stage 2

🚩 Stage 3 is underway! 🚩 C'est parti pour l'étape 3 ! 👋@VilledeReims 🔜 @villeepernay 🏁#TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/62sjPRw6qS July 26, 2022

Yesterday Silvia Persico (Valcar Travel & Service) celebrated her birthday in the Tour, today it's Emma Norsgaard's turn. The Movistar rider turns 23 today. Happy Birthday?

There are 136 riders still in the race after yesterday's crashes. 

Marta Cavalli was stopped by her team after being hit from behind. 

Today Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange-Jayco) and Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-NXTG) didn't start following their crashes on stage 2.

The peloton is all together in the opening kilometres as the early attacks fail to get away.

However the pace is high, with some riders already dropped. The pace is high. 

We're expecting the serious attacks to come on the Côte de Trépail climb after 20km.

This is the stage profile. 

A nine-rider attack was quickly caught, now Martina Alzini (Cofidis) and Thalita De Jong (Liv Racing Xstra) are out front but the peloton is chasing them.

After a fast 10km of racing the peloton is gruppo compatto, nobody can get away. 

New attack, including race leader Marianne Vos.  

Sometimes attack is the best form of defence!

🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️💨There are many attempts to break away, but the peloton is very fast and nobody manages to open up a real gap. Les tentatives d'échappée se multiplient mais le peloton roule très vite et personne ne parvient à creuser un véritable écart. #TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/NLd11r3fnN July 26, 2022

Vos cleverly went on the attack towards the first ascent of the day, the Côte de Trépail. The summit is at km 21.6.

Of course the Vos attack was chased but is not yet caught, with Ellen Van Dijk now doing a lot of the work up front for Trek-Segafredo.

The race came back together on the Côte de Trépail but we now have 4 new attackers. 

There is no respite in the attacks so far.

Just like yesterday, Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel Valkenburg) is the first to the top of the first climb of the day. 

She is the first to the top of the Côte de Trépail and collects 2 points and so is the  virtually in the lead of the mountains classification. 

Elise Chabbey (Canyon/SRAM) takes 1 point for her 2nd place.

This video shows the split in the fast-moving peloton.

#TDFF ##WatchTheFemmes After 20 km already split in peloton and even riders on 5 minutes already pic.twitter.com/0jmyrgPxn6 July 26, 2022

The 2nd climb of the day comes after 55 kilometres. Now the road rolls up and down through the vineyards until the foot of the Côte de Vertus.

Valentine Fortin of Cofidis made a solo attack but she too was chased down.

The riders have covered a fast 30km without letting a gap open beyond 20 seconds.  

We have more attacks.

Pauline Allin (Arkea) has been allowed to go clear and she inspiring other attacks. 

Femke Markus (Parkhotel Valkenburg) has also attacked.

Markus is now 15 seconds behind Allin. Thalita De Jong (Liv Racing Xstra) is chasing at 20 seconds and the bunch trail at 30 seconds.

Femke Markus (Parkhotel Valkenburg) has found the wheel of Pauline Allin (Arkéa) have a 20-second gap. 

But the peloton is chasing hard too. 

The rolling hills are perfect terrain for attacking racing.

Femke Markus (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Pauline Allin (Arkéa) lead by 25 seconds but the other riders can see them. 

Femke Markus (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Pauline Allin (Arkéa) are working together to try and stay away over the Côte de Vertus in 20km or so.  

🏁 85km2️⃣🚴🏻‍♂️ < 20'' < 🚴🏻‍♂️🚴🏻‍♂️🚴🏻‍♂️🚴🏻‍♂️🚗The leading duo still has a small lead.Le duo de tête a toujours une petite avance.🇫🇷@paulineallin17🇳🇱@MarkusFemke#TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/IDQ1DYREoT July 26, 2022

Gruppo compatto. 

SD Worx, DSM and now Jumbo-Visma closed down Femke Markus (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Pauline Allin (Arkéa) and lifted the speed. 

The roads are exposed here and the peloton is splitting behind.

Urska Zigart is fighting her way back into the peloton.

The road are exposed now and there is some wind, so FDJ and DSM move up to the front and try to force a split.

The race is on flat roads, across exposed fields, hence the fear of crosswinds and attacks.

The hills and the champagne vineyards will come very soon with the Côte de Vertus in 10km. 

Phew... After a fast 70km, the pace has finally eased as riders take a drink and eat some food. 

The stage to Épernay is one that many of the puncheurs have been looking forward to since the route of the  Tour de France Femmes  avec Zwift was announced last year, with climbs that are perfect to launch an attack from coming regularly through the day.

Riders who thrive on the short climbs will surely attack today, while sprinters like Lorena Wiebes are likely to be out the back. 

Don't rule out Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), a fierce competitor under any circumstances, but with the yellow jersey on her back the motivation to fight at the front and hold on through the climbs, no matter how fiercely they are raced, will be higher than ever.

Click here to read our full stage preview

Tour de France Femmes 2022 - Stage 3 preview

The Côte de Vertus is just 2km away and the race will soon be on the narrower wine roads. 

The pace remains steady but fast as teams try to move up as a unit. 

They know the climb is about to start.

Over the top and Gerritse kicks hard to take maximum points. 

Chabbey kept going over the top and Gerritse followed her move. 

Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek-Segafredo) jumps across and suddenly we have an attack. 

The attack is a threat and so Jumbo-Visma try to chase. 

Others riders are attacking too.

The wind is blowing from the riders' left. 

More attacks are coming from the peloton. 

🆙⛰ Côte de Vertus (Cat-4) - 55km to go👌 @AvVleuten perfectly placed; three of her team-mates few rows behind. All good!🇫🇷 #TDFF pic.twitter.com/zoW4yW4gny July 26, 2022

The riders are back into the vineyards and hills. 

The Côte du Mesnil-sur-Oger climb is coming in 5km.

BikeExchange, Jumbo and and UAE are on the front as the Côte du Mesnil-sur-Oger starts. 

It is 1.6km long at 6.7%.  

Riders are being spat out of the back and there is still 45km to race.

No attacks so far but the climbs through the vines do hurt.  

Canyon Sram lead the peloton and Elise Chabbey (Canyon//Sram) kicks for the KOM sprint. However Gerritse beat her to take the 2 points and keep the jersey.

Canyon SRAM continue the attacks over the top of the climb. 

Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) is among the riders off the back.

Race on!  

Alena Amialiusik (Canyon//Sram) pushes on alone on the gradual gradient.  

The peloton sees happy to let them go.  

Letizia Borghisi (EF Education-Tibco-SVB) is close to joining Alena Amialiusik (Canyon//Sram) with 38km to go. 

Other riders are trying to go across. The bunch is at 25 seconds, and a group with Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) is at 40 seconds

This attack is the early move, perhaps before the big GC-name attacks come. 

⚡️ @amialiusik went solo. 🇮🇹Letizia Borghesi is chasing behind her.⚡️ @amialiusik est sortie en solitaire. Derrière elle, 🇮🇹Letizia Borghesi sort en contre. #TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/tzSYGlcIjd July 26, 2022

There is hardly a flat section of road in the final 40km. 

The next category climb is up to the finish area in central Épernay, where many of the champagne brands are based.  

A tight corner slows the peloton. They're at 1:10 now.

This is an interesting attack by Alena Amialiusik (Canyon SRAM).

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) stopped for a natural break but that meant she had to chase to get back on.

Indeed van Vleuten is in a chase group, that Movistar drags them back to the peloton. 

However the attacks are coming up front. 

Movistar have wisely moved van Vleuten up to the front. 

She was lucky there. The race could have escaped Movistar's grasp.   

The intermediate sprint is just 5km away.

Alena Amialiusik (Canyon SRAM) climbs to the finish area and gets a taste of the steep climb.

This will split the peloton in 24km. 

Alena Amialiusik (Canyon SRAM) takes a drink and pushes on but her lead is down to 30 seconds.

Over the top and riders start to attack.

After this fast downhill, the key Côte de Mutigny climb comes with 15km to go.

It is steep, 900m at 12.2% 

Here Julian Alaphilippe attacked solo here to go on win the stage of the Tour alone in 2019.

Balsamo leads the peloton on the approach to the climb. 

Crash on a corner!

It's Rachel Neylan of Cofidis. 

There are more crashes on the fast corners as the Côte de Mutigny nears.

As the Côte de Mutigny begins Movistar close down the attack by Alena Amialiusik (Canyon SRAM)

Van Vleuten is on the front. 

Here we go! 

There is a selection of ten riders or so. 

AVV dances on the pedals but the others stay sat in the saddle to fight the gradient.

Moolman-Pasio ups the pace and Vos is slowly losing contact. 

Vos is dropped! 

Vollering lead over the top but crashes on a corner.

The riders up front, before the crash, were Van Vleuten, Moolman Pasio, Vollering, Lippert, Persico, Garcia, Longo Borghini.

vos is chasing and is 15 seconds behind. Her yellow jersey it at risk. 

The route twists and turns through the vineyards, making everyone suffer. 

The riders are back in the valley. 

With Vos distanced, Persico is the virtual race leader.

up front are Van Vleuten, Moolman Pasio, Persico, Garcia and Longo Borghini.

At 15 seconds are Vos, Vollering, Niewiadoma, Faulkner and others.

💛@marianne_vos can't follow the leading group in the côte de Mutigny, she crosses the line with a 10'' delay. 💛@marianne_vos ne peut pas suivre le groupe de tête dans la côte de Mutigny, elle bascule avec 10'' de retard. #TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/KXy4WrOAhY July 26, 2022

Vos is having to do extra long turns as she tries to catch the attackers.

She's closed the gap to 12 seconds but she's using a lot of energy that could cost here.  

Moolman-Pasio is sitting on in the attack to try to help Demi Vollering get back on. 

The gap between the two groups is just 8 seconds.

This finish is a thriller. 

The groups come together but Garcia launches the first attack. 

This is very tactical now as the riders near the late bonus climb and fight for the 3-2-1 bonus seconds. 

This Mont Bernon climb cuts through the vineyards. it is 1km long at 4.6%. 

The Lippert chase group is at 55 seconds.

Moolman-Pasio ups the pace.

Elise Longo Borghini is the first to top and takes 3 seconds.  

Incredibly Van Vleuten is off the back. Is it a bike problem? Or her legs? 

Vos join Niawiadoma on the descent. They now sweep onto the climb to the finish.

Van Vleuten is off the back as the best in the world prepare to fight for the win.

Van Vleuten is back on.

Vollering leads onto the climb.

Niewiadoma attacks first! 

Here comes Vos!

But.... Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig wins stage 3

Vos kicked first but the Dane had more speed and more power She opened a gap of several bike lengths at the finish and had time to celebrate her win.

It's a great win by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig after FDJ's loss of Cavalli yesterday. 

Uttrup Ludwig hugs her teammates and is still struggling to realise she just distanced Vos and won the stage.

Uttrup Ludwig came from behind and accelerated past her rivals and kept going.

It was perfect execution, Fleche Wallonne style.  

Van Vleuten lost 20 seconds. It seems she has some health issues. 

Here's the moment Uttrup Ludwig won. 

🏆 @CUttrupLudwig 🇩🇰 wins stage 3!@CUttrupLudwig remporte l’étape 3 !#TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/CHaDHMa7Jq July 26, 2022

Here's the first shot of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig winning stage 3.

A very emotional Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig talked about her win. 

"It feels like such a good comeback after I have to say a fucking shit day yesterday," she said. 

"Losing Marta [Cavalli] and crashing and have to come back. I just love how the team kept the fighting spirit. We knew that today was a super good day and if I had the legs I could try and go for the win. To actually do it and be a TDF stage winner in this jersey? Oh my God. It just doesn't get better.

She added: 

"I don't think I realize it yet. I actually didn't come into the last corner in the best position but I kept fighting. What a victory, man. This is for my team - they did such a good job yesterday and kept believing in me. I love you guys. 

"What a year for Denmark."

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig is on the podium and it's great to see her teammates below the podium celebrating with her. 

The Movistar team has confirmed that Van Vleuten is sick and struggled to eat yesterday and this morning.  

This is the final kilometre and all the attacks on the terrible step climb up above Épernay.

We have more photos from the finish. 

While Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig celebrated, her rivals suffered.

"I think Cecilie definitely had the best legs in the end, so I can't be disappointed but I just gave it all to be up there in the mix," Marianne Vos said, happy to keep the leader's yellow jersey. 

"I don't think I can be disappointed. We tried our best today. We knew it was going to be hard over the climbs. I really had to dig deep. The team put me in a perfect position going into the final but when it really opened on the steep climb I had to let a gap. 

"Of course there was some breakaway and then things turned around when there was a crash in front and we came back. Going into the final there were still chances but I gave all I had and this was it."

To  see out growing photo gallery, the full stage results and to read out full stage report, click below. 

Uttrup Ludwig wins in Épernay on Tour de France Femmes stage 3

To read about Van Vleuten's sickness problems that cost her time today, click below.

Van Vleuten loses time as sickness dents Tour de France Femmes hopes

Thanks for joining us for full live coverage of stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes.

We'll be back on Wednesday for full coverage of stage 4 Troyes to Bar-Sur-Aube for a 126.8km stage that includes four sectors of gravel. 

It should be another day of spectacular racing and lots of emotion.  

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All About Tour de Zwift: Ride 2023

First launched in 2017, Tour de Zwift is the biggest annual tour on the platform – a celebration of discovery across all Zwift worlds!

This year’s tour has just been announced. Beginning January 9, it consists of eight stages, each hosted in one of Zwift’s worlds. Each stage has three route options based on how far you want to ride.

So grab a friend and join the biggest party of the year! Here’s everything riders need to know about this year’s TdZ.

New This Year

Fresh route badges.

Recently-launched route badges will be available on certain stages (you can also earn these badges by free riding the routes anytime you’d like.):

• Stage 2 – Richmond UCI Reverse
• Stage 3 – La Reine
• Stage 5 – Gotham Grind
• Stage 6 – Watopia’s Waistband

TdZ will be the first chance anyone gets to unlock one particular route badge, though. On stage 8, we’ll be able to ride the “Rolling Highlands” route on Zwift’s new Scotland map !

Pacer Groups

This year, multiple Robopacers will be in each event, riding at different paces. Join the category riding the route you want, then find a RoboPacer to group with once the pack gets rolling, so you can ride at your pace with others!

Note: Robopacers will be at the starting line when you join an event and can be identified by the beacon next to their name on the leaderboard. Only one Robopacer per event will have a beacon atop their avatar and be visible on the minimap.

We all love Ride-Ons! During TdZ events, participants will be able to give new TdZ branded Ride-On bombs. 

Speaking of branding, Zwift is partnering with Pedal Mafia to bring the Tour de Zwift collection to life, including cycling kit, run shirt, towels, socks, and more. (Hot tip: an early bird sale will be happening Dec 20-Dec 31 where Zwifters can get 20% off the entire collection and an additional 5% off bundle purchases.)

Ride Categories

TdZ events are group rides, not official races*. The ride category you join determines which route you will ride:

• A: Long Ride
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Category groups will leave the pens two minutes apart, with A starting first. Late join will be enabled for TdZ events beginning January 25th.

*Some riders will race the stages, while others will treat them as social rides. Events do not count for ranking points on ZwiftPower , but everyone is free to go as easy or push as hard as they’d like. Just have fun!

Stage Schedule and Route Details

Stage 1 (jan 9-12): yorkshire.

• Long Ride: Royal Pump Room 8 , 1 lap
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Stage 8 (Feb 3-5): Scotland

This is your chance to experience the thrill of fast laps on a route designed to test the mettle of the athletes competing in the 2023 UCI Esports World Championship . Welcome to Zwift’s new Scotland map!

• Long Ride: Rolling Highlands, 3 laps
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Make-Up Week: Feb 6-12

If you missed any stages, they will all be available to ride during the make-up week.

Registration

Registration for TdZ is now open online and in game. Sign up at zwift.com/tour-de-zwift/ride .

Riders will unlock items progressively as they complete TdZ stages:

• Socks: 1 stage
• Backwards Cap: 5 stages
• Kit: 8 stages

There’s also an event badge to unlock! After completing the tour, Zwifters will earn this badge which will be displayed with other achievement badges. 

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Tour de France Femmes: Demi Vollering takes yellow jersey on Tourmalet – as it happened

Demi Vollering looks the favourite for overall glory after besting her rivals on the Tourmalet to win stage seven

• 29 Jul 2023 Tour de France Femmes: Demi Vollering climbs to stage win and yellow jersey
• 29 Jul 2023 The top 10 on General Classification
• 29 Jul 2023 Top five in stage seven
• 29 Jul 2023 Vollering wins stage seven!
• 29 Jul 2023 Vollering catches Niewiadoma
• 29 Jul 2023 Marianne Vos has abandoned on the Col d'Aspin
• 29 Jul 2023 Margot Pompanon takes 20pts in the intermediate sprint
• 29 Jul 2023 Elisa Longo Borghini and Elisa Balsamo are out of the Tour
• 29 Jul 2023 Liane Lippert has crashed
• 29 Jul 2023 Racing has begun on stage seven
• 29 Jul 2023 Stage seven is underway!
• 29 Jul 2023 Who’s in what jersey?
• 29 Jul 2023 Emma Norsgaard holds off pack to win stage six of Tour de France Femmes
• 29 Jul 2023 Stage seven: Lannemezan to Tourmalet Bagnères-de-Bigorre (89.8km)

Tour de France Femmes: Demi Vollering climbs to stage win and yellow jersey

Stage seven report: Demi Vollering took a spectacular and career-defining win at the summit of the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees, to take over the lead in the Tour de France Femmes , with only Sunday’s 22km time trial remaining.

Thanks for following what was a dramatic stage seven of the Tour de France Femmes . What a finish! The Col du Tourmalet did not disappoint. I’ll leave you with these words from Alan who emailed in: “Great finale!! Tomorrow should be a burner!!!”

The top 10 on General Classification

Demi Vollering (SD Worx) 24hr 48min 10sec

Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) +1min 50sec

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) +2min 28sec

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) +2min 35sec

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Soudal-Quickstep) +2min 39sec

Juliette Labous (DSM–Firmenich) +3min 41sec

Ane Santesteban González (Jayco-AlUla) +6min 23sec

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) +6min 42sec

Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon-SRAM) +7min 42sec

Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) +8min 18sec

Van Vleuten speaks … The Movistar rider says she’s disappointed and was hoping to have a better day. “I didn’t have my best day out there… but I had full confidence to go, that’s why I went on the Col d’Aspin. If I’d had a really good day, it was the best plan to make it hard from [there]. But yeah, I didn’t have a good day so I had to pay the price at the top.”

What did you say to Vollering on the descent and why didn’t you ride together? “She didn’t want to ride. So, I said if you don’t ride then I also don’t ride. But she also had a point, she had two teammates behind. For me, the goal to attack on Col d’Aspin was not to drop everyone there, it was more to do a first effort but maybe in the end, it was not so smart for the shape I was in today. But you never know that and I always like to race with my heart and you always have to focus on your strengths.” Asked about her time gap on the GC, van Vleuten says: “I’m here to win the Tour de France and not to come second, third or maybe fourth, to be honest … It’s obvious that Demi Vollering was another level today.”

Top five in stage seven

1. Demi Vollering (SD Worx) 2. Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) 3. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) 4. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Soudal-Quickstep) 5. Juliette Labous (DSM–Firmenich)

Niewiadoma speaks… she’s sat on the floor trying to catch her breath and says she’s so happy that all the work she did in her training camp has paid off. Vollering interrupts to shake her hand and call her “super strong”. Niewiadoma replies:“You too girl.”

“I saw how they [Vollering and van Vleuten] were competing with each other, so in Polish we have this saying that ‘if the two are fighting, the third one is winning’. So, I was hoping [for] them to get involved with themselves and to look for my own opportunity. The pity was the group behind got back … I just didn’t want to go back to the group, I knew that I preferred to keep my own pace and that I feel mentally stronger when I’m on my own.”

Vollering wins stage seven!

Vollering raises her arms as she crosses the line and takes the stage win. She’s not only truimphant on the iconic Tourmalet, but she’s also taken the maillot jaune from her teammate, Kopecky. Remember, she was also given a 20sec penalty earlier this week.

300m to go: Niewiadoma is 1min 20sec behind Vollering. The SD Worx rider gets out of the saddle for one final push towards the finish line.

1km to go: Vollering is either grimacing or smiling. The Tourmalet is tough but look at the support out there. It looks like a great atmosphere … from what you can see through the fog. She passes through the flamme rouge.

2km to go: There’s a clip of Vollering’s attack below, if you want to examine it in more detail/see it again.

🇳🇱 @demivollering attacks the @MaillotjauneLCL group! Attaque de 🇳🇱 @demivollering ! #TDFF2023 #WatchTheFemmes @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/dN3PrtFQh4 — Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 29, 2023

3km to go: Vollering has a 1min 40sec gap to the yellow jersey group. Niewiadoma is about 40sec behind Vollering and is grimacing as she pushes again and again. You can see the pain on van Vleuten’s face as the crowds cheer her on.

Vibes on the Tourmalet 🤌 pic.twitter.com/CH0FrPQYEr — Zwift (@GoZwift) July 29, 2023

Vollering catches Niewiadoma

4km to go: Well, it was Vollering who moved first…she’s attacked and caught Niewiadoma. The Polish rider can’t hang on and Vollering goes solo.

5km to go: Is van Vleuten going to attack? Vollering seems to be waiting for her to go, but what if she doesn’t? Can Niewiadoma hold on? These are the questions going through my mind. The visibility on the Tourmalet is quite bad, isn’t it?

6km to go: It’s a big effort by Niewiadoma but she’s still looking good as the gradient ramps up. Behind, Labous is getting impatient and trying to push the pace. I can see the mist that Lloyd and Stephens were talking about now as the riders ascend further up the mountain.

9km to go: Niewiadoma has pushed the gap and now has 32sec on the chasers. Come on Kasia. This is impressive … keep it going!

We’re into the mountains! Stage 7 of the Tour de France Femme avec Zwift could see major shakeups to the GC. Check out two of the epic mountain climbs the riders will be taking on today with these key Strava segments from the course: Col du Tourmalet: https://t.co/bsdDJs1LC7 pic.twitter.com/kdqlcefHAD — Strava (@Strava) July 29, 2023

10km to go: Manon Lloyd is reporting from the Tourmalet. She’s at 6km to the summit and says it’s very misty. Although it’s 17C where she is, Lloyd says it feels much colder. It was 24C at the bottom of the climb, she says. Stephens reports that the visibility on the line is 30 metres due to thick fog.

🏁 The Col Du Tourmalet is ready 🏁 Le Tourmalet est prêt #TDFF2023 #WatchTheFemmes @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/WHA0iQHx19 — Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 29, 2023

11km to go: Matt Stephens says there’s a tailwind on the Tourmalet today. Niewiadoma has a 9sec gap but van Vleuten and Vollering are joined by Reusser, Kopecky, Moolman Pasio, Labous, Uttrup Ludwig and Santesteban.

13km to go: Ooh, this is interesting…Eurosport have dug out an interview in which Niewiadoma spoke about using van Vleuten and Vollering’s focus on each other to make a move. Well, she did exactly that.

Marianne Vos has abandoned on the Col d'Aspin

14km to go: Jumbo-Visma have announced that Marianne Vos has abandoned the Tour on the Col d’Aspin. According to their statement, Vos isn’t feeling the best and wants to recover for the upcoming world championships.

🇫🇷 #TDFF2023 Marianne has left the race on Col d’Aspin. She’s not feeling one hundred percent fit. It’s now time to recover and focus on the upcoming WC. 🍀 pic.twitter.com/X6sODBRxzK — Team Jumbo-Visma Women (@JumboVismaWomen) July 29, 2023

15km to go: We’re getting to the business end of this stage. This is a pivotal moment for Niewiadoma. Here’s a look at what she’s got to tackle:

The King of the Pyrenees, judge, jury and executioner of this #TDFF2023 , and at its summit, a new queen! Le Roi des Pyrénées, juge de paix de ce #TDFF2023 , et à son sommet, une nouvelle reine! #TDFF2023 #WatchTheFemmes @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/oMt7uYjMBc — Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 29, 2023

16km to go: Niewiadoma is 45sec ahead of Vollering and van Vleuten. Reusser is setting the pace in the chase group but they are trailing by 1min 05sec. The Tourmalet is looming.

20km to go: Both Peters will be happy with this turn of events: Niewiadoma is now the virtual yellow jersey wearer. The commentary have just called van Vlueten and Vollering’s lack of a reaction to Niewiadoma’s move as “like a standoff in the street in a western.” That’s not a bad way of putting it …

22km to go: This could be dangerous for van Vleuten and Vollering. They’ve given Niewiadoma a bit too much room and the Canyon-SRAM rider has carved out a 26sec lead.

25km to go: Niewiadoma is shooting down the descent as Vollering and van Vleuten follow with a sizeable gap. John was watching the climb up the Col d’Aspin with interest. He writes in to ask if that was “van Vleuten’s best effort?” He has some more thoughts to share: “At the moment, Vollering in particular seems to be allowing van Vleuten to tire herself into the headwind. Of course, as I write that, Niewiadoma goes to the front - which seems a bit odd.”

29km to go: Niewiadoma is first to cross the summit and bags 10 QOM points. Van Vleuten and Vollering take 8pts and 6pts, respectively. The trio are going to start the descent now.

31km to go: Niewiadoma is taking turns with Van Vleuten but Vollering doesn’t fancy chipping in. Vollering is the only one with a teammate in the chasing group. Kopecky is also there with Moolman Pasio, Reusser, Marta Cavalli (FDJ-Suez), Ane Santesteban (Jayco-AlUla) and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez).

32km to go: The trio of van Vleuten, Vollering and Niewiadoma – all on the final podium in last year’s Tour – are stretching their gap. Labous is driving the chase, with Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance–Soudal–Quick-Step) and Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) on her wheel.

34km to go: Lippert has finished her turn and it’s over to van Vleuten who attacks. She’s got a small gap and has Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering (SD Worx) on her wheel.

35km to go: Lippert may have crashed earlier, but she’s up front on the climb now. There are about 25 riders in the leading group as we drop to under 6km of ascent left. The peloton has become really strung out and Kastelijn has been dropped.

36km to go: Another Peter has emailed in and also (like our earlier Peter) would like Niewiadoma to be victorious. He writes: “Would be good to see Niewiadoma win. I’m sure she’ll be up there but hard to see past AVV for the stage and the GC.”

38km to go: The bidons are off…the riders are climbing and will be for a little while. This is a long one and they want to carry as little weight as possible. Below, is a look at the climb profile. Just another 8.5km of climbing until the top of the Col d’Aspin…

⛰️The Col d'Aspin as the starter on today's menu ⛰️Le Col d'Aspin en guise d'entrée sur le menu du jour #TDFF2023 #WatchTheFemmes @GoZwiftTri pic.twitter.com/xlSqe0foUr — Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 29, 2023

41km to go: The breakaway has been caught as the riders begin the climb up the 12km Col d’Aspin. It has an average gradient of 6.5% and a summit at 1,490m.

...and the other official segment: Col d'Aspin (let's hope the pretty views distract a bit from the pain of the ascent)! https://t.co/Soaib9zBTN pic.twitter.com/dnsnMjSr54 — Strava (@Strava) July 29, 2023

Margot Pompanon takes 20pts in the intermediate sprint

46km to go: Pompanon is the first across the line and takes 20pts in the intermediate sprint. It was a nice try from Poidevin to get across to the leading duo but she’s been caught by the peloton. In other news, the youngest rider in the Tour, Babette van der Wolf (Lifeplus Wahoo) has abandoned.

49km to go: There’s an intermediate sprint coming up soon. Andersen and Pompanon have increased their gap on the peloton to around 50sec. Poidevin is still trying to get over to the pair and trails by 20sec.

51km to go: Juliette Labous (DSM–Firmenich) spoke to Eurosport ahead of today’s stage. She thinks the big climbs combined with potential thunderstorms will make it “very special”. It would definitely make for a dramatic stage, in many ways!

56km to go: Margot Pompanon (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93) and Susanne Andersen (Uno-X) have attacked and opened up a gap of 25sec. Sara Poidevin (EF Education-Tibco-SVB) is trying to bridge across and is about 5secs behind the leaders.

62km to go: Demay has been caught and it looks like the peloton are all back together … for now. Over on Eurosport, Iris Slappendel is concerned about the dark clouds forming. She thinks rain is on the way. Also, Peter has emailed in and is the first to share his prediction for today’s stage win. He writes: “I think I’ll be cheering on Kasia Niewiadoma for the stage win today. Whoever gets it, I’m sure it’ll be dramatic!” He asks who’s my favourite but I couldn’t possibly say…aka I haven’t decided yet.

65km to go: Lucinda Brand (Lidl Trek), Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step), Floortje Mackaij (Movistar), Sheyla Gutierrez (Movistar) and Julie De Wilde (Fenix-Deceuninck) are among the riders to join Ton. Demay is about to get caught…

68km to go: After attacking solo, Coralie Demay (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93) has managed to get a 37sec gap from the bunch. Quinty Ton (Liv Racing Teqfind) has decided to go try and get across, while a group of 14 riders are in hot pursuit.

Elisa Longo Borghini and Elisa Balsamo are out of the Tour

There were a number of non-starters this morning, including two of Lidl-Trek’s big names: Elisa Longo Borghini and Elisa Balsamo. Longo Borghini is out due to a skin infection that has required hospital treatment. Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ), Maria Confalonieri (Uno-X) and Ewers have also abandoned.

🚨 Unfortunately @ElisaLongoB has also had to withdraw from the @LeTourFemmes ahead of today’s Col du Tourmalet stage, one which she was looking forward to. The Italian champion has a skin infection at the top of the left thigh, which required hospital treatment after #TDFF2023 … pic.twitter.com/EpNXnimiZp — Lidl-Trek (@LidlTrek) July 29, 2023

74km to go: There’s been quite a few attacks already but none of them have managed to stick yet. Lizzie Deignan (Lidl Trek) looks keen to create a breakaway, as does Marta Lach (Ceratizit-WNT).

78km to go: Who will triumph today? Let me know your predictions. You can get in touch via email or by tweeting me.

Split predictions! 🔮 Whatever happens, we are in for an exciting day and probably a Dutch victory... but will it be @AvVleuten or @demivollering ? 🇳🇱🏔️💛 #TDFF2023 #TDFFdata pic.twitter.com/QMxhIwTSEE — letourdata (@letourdata) July 29, 2023

Liane Lippert has crashed

80km to go: Eight placed in the GC, Liane Lippert is down. She gets up gingerly, is checked over by her team and gets back on her bike. The TV coverage now shows her trying to get back to the bunch and being seen to by the doctor as she cycles along.

💥Early crash in the peloton, with 🇩🇪 @LianeLippert hitting the floor. Everyone is back up and riding. 💥 Chute dans le peloton, avec 🇩🇪 @LianeLippert au sol. Toutes les coureuses impliquées sont reparties. #TDFF2023 #WatchTheFemmes @Gozwift pic.twitter.com/Sga6CsEBtP — Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 29, 2023

81km to go: After suffering a nasty crash yesterday, Veronica Ewers (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) has not started today due to a broken collarbone. Amazingly, Ewers rode around 50km after the crash to finish stage six. Ouch…

86km to go: The riders have started off at a very fast pace. As soon as the flag dropped, Julie De Wilde (Fenix-Deceuninck) attacked and was followed by Alice Barnes (Human Powered Health) before being swiftly brought back by the bunch. Marta Lach (Ceratizit-WNT) has also had a go but no one is getting away at the moment.

Racing has begun on stage seven

89km to go: Both Kopecky and Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) had mechanicals during the neutralised start but were sorted out by their mechanics and got back in the bunch. The flag has dropped and the riders are off…

Stage seven is underway!

The riders are rolling out and will have a 5km neutralised start.

Marion Rousse on stage seven: “This is the queen stage of this second edition,” says the race director in a Tour video briefing. “We’ll start in Lannemezan and finish at the summit of the Col du Tourmalet. Before that, though, there’s the Col d’Aspin. It’s a really tough stage: very short, 90km, very intense. At the top of the Col du Tourmalet, we’ll pass through La Mongie … Obviously, this long 17km at an average gradient of 7.5% is going to do some damage. This will really be the decisive stage for the overall ranking, with all the big female climbers looking forward to battling it out on the slopes of the famous Col du Tourmalet.”

Who’s in what jersey?

Yellow: Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) 21hr 54min 30sec

Green: Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) 201pts

Polka-dot: Yara Kastelijn (Fenix–Deceuninck) 23pts

White: Cedrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT)

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) 21hr 54min 30sec

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Soudal-Quickstep) +53sec

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) +55sec

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) +55sec

Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) +55sec

Yara Kastelijn (Fenix–Deceuninck) +1min 04sec

Demi Vollering (SD Worx) +1min 07sec

Liane Lippert (Movistar) +1min 29sec

Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon-SRAM) +1min 42sec

Juliette Labous (DSM–Firmenich) +1min 52sec

Emma Norsgaard holds off pack to win stage six of Tour de France Femmes

Stage six report: Emma Norsgaard won stage six of the Tour de France Femmes after a three rider breakaway, also containing Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka and Sandra Alonso, held off the pursuing peloton in what was the final chance for the sprinters in this year’s race.

Stage seven: Lannemezan to Tourmalet Bagnères-de-Bigorre (89.8km)

As my friend put it this morning: happy Tourmalet day! Today is the big one, the climb we’ve all been waiting to see the riders tackle … it’s the savage Col du Tourmalet. A favourite since it was introduced in the Tour de France in 1910, today marks the first time it’s been included in the Tour de France Femmes (yes, I know it’s only the second edition but don’t spoil the fun). Saturday’s stage may only be 89.8km, but it’s set to split the peloton apart.

The penultimate stage will be a decisive day for the maillot jaune and a day for the climbers. SD Worx’s Lotte Kopecky has been in the yellow jersey every day since her stage one victory, but will today mark the end of that? Although stage seven will begin with a relatively gentle and rolling terrain, the riders will then face the Col d’Aspin before the 17km haul to the 2,110 metre summit of the legendary Tourmalet.

Speaking about the inclusion of the high mountains in this year’s Tour de France Femmes, race director, Marion Rousse, said that it was in a bid to make the event “a little bit more historical”. She added: “The Tourmalet is a mythical climb and all the champions want to write their names into the record books by winning there.” It’s going to be a big day, so settle in and join me as we follow the riders on stage seven in the Pyrenees.

Stage start time: 3.15pm UK time

🚲 Stage 7 / Étape 7 🚲⠀ 🚩 Lannemezan 🏁 @destinationtpm 📏 89,9 km ⏰ 16:25 CEST > 19:15 CEST ⛰ 1xHC, 1x1️⃣c 💚 km 41,7 💛 #TDFF2023 #WatchTheFemmes @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/SDT9W1nOyy — Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 29, 2023

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Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024 route revealed

Alpe d’Huez hosts showpiece finale in alpine double header after Rotterdam start and Liège stage

Matilda Price

Racing news editor.

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The 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift route map

The route for the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift has been revealed, with a challenging parcours culminating on Alpe d’Huez for what is set to be the biggest edition of the race yet next August.

Building on the first two editions, which saw climactic stages on the Planche des Belles Filles and Col du Tourmalet - won by overall winners Annemiek van Vleuten ( Movistar ) and Demi Vollering ( SD Worx ) respectively - the 2024 route is ramping it up again, with the famous Alpe d’Huez hosting what will be a decisive stage 8.

The Alpe forms part of a double-header of alpine stages on the final weekend, a far throw away from the race’s start, which will see three stages in the Netherlands and a trip across Belgium before heading south through France.

Like previous editions, and like any good Grand Tour, this year’s race has something for everyone, from sprint days and time trialling, to Classics finales and alpine ascents for the purest of climbers. Whilst all eyes will be on the finale and a title defence for Vollering, there’s plenty to aim at in this race, from the home sprints for Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) and Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich) and punchy days for Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), to long, climb-filled days for the rest of the GC contenders.

It may be more than nine months away still, but as the biggest race on the calendar, the Tour de France Femmes will already be at the forefront of many riders’ minds, with Wednesday’s route reveal only helping to form their plans and ambitions. Now we know what all eight stages will look like, here’s a closer look at the race.

A Dutch and Belgian start

Though it’s officially a tour of France, only three stages of next year’s Tour de France Femmes will be wholly in France, with the Rotterdam Grand Départ and a trip through Belgium kicking off the first half of the race.

The race will get underway with stage 1, starting in Rotterdam and finishing in the Hague, for what will likely be a sprint day on the flat, fast terrain of the western Netherlands. The stage doesn’t even feature a token Queen of the Mountains point, so it will be all about the finale and the sprinters, with the first yellow jersey up for grabs at the end of the day. The chance for crosswinds as the race approaches the coast could make things interesting, however, and the opportunists may try to make it difficult here, with much of the second half of the stage exposed.

The second day in the Netherlands will be a split stage, meaning the riders will take on a stage 2 road race in the morning, followed by a stage 3 time trial in the afternoon. Stage 2 runs from Dordrecht back to Rotterdam, and is a short, flat 67km. Although we should see another sprint, its length could lend itself to more aggressive racing, as the team in yellow tries to defend whilst opportunists try to seize their moment.

© Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images

With sprinting stages on offer in her home country, Dutchwoman Lorena Wiebes will surely fancy her chances

The afternoon will see the return of a time trial to the Tour de France Femmes, though in a much different role from 2023’s race-deciding final day TT.

This time trial is 6.3km long, making it just a touch longer than a prologue. It’s totally flat, and largely on wide, non-technical roads, with only a few straightforward turns to contend with, so this will be a test for the specialists. The GC contenders will have to ride well to not lose time, but the distance is short enough that the time gaps won’t be big.

Liège stage brings the Classics terrain

From Rotterdam, the race has to head back to France, and there’s just one way of doing that: through Belgium. This need to visit the heartland of the Classics has given the organisers a chance to insert a one-day-style stage into the race, in the form of stage 4’s 122km traverse from Valkenburg to Liège. There’s history tied into both the start and finish of this stage, with Valkenburg home to the Cauberg and the memorable 2012 World Championships, whilst Liège is, of course, the start and finish town of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Tour de France Femmes 2024 stage 4 profile

Continuing the organisers’ preference for including a Classics-style day in the Tour de France Femmes, this stage is something of a hybrid between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Starting in Valkenburg, the early part of the day features the Cauberg, Geulhemmerberg and two ascents of the Bemelerberg within the first 25km. This will be an exciting start, though so far from the finish, perhaps not decisive.

Heading towards Liège, the race heads onto roads for the oldest Spring Classic, and of course its climbs: Mont-Theux, the Côte de la Redoute, the Côte des Forges and the Côte de la Roche aux Faucons. The finish in Liège will be at the end of a downhill, so not a typical LBL uphill battle, but this will be a tough and aggressive day where the Classics specialists will try to make things as hard as possible.

Tour de France Femmes reigning champion Demi Vollering knows a thing or two about performing well at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Stage 5 sees the race visit another familiar town, starting in Bastogne in Belgium as the race finally heads towards France. This stage skirts along the Luxembourg border and will finish in Amnéville. There are five categorised climbs along the way, but this is more of a rolling day than a climbers’ day, and it’s the finish that will make the difference: it’s an uphill kick into Amnéville, which should suit the puncheurs.

The mountains call for a big final weekend

What all of these stages are really building towards, though, is the final three stages which feature increasing amounts and difficulties of climbing, culminating atop the Alpe d’Huez on stage 8. The trio of climbing days eases in gently with stage 6 from Remiremont to Morteau, which visits the race’s old haunts of the Vosges, before finishing in the Doubs. Featuring a medium amount of climbing, this is definitely more a ‘hilly’ day than a ‘mountains’ day, and also serves to move the race south.

Tour de France Femmes 2024 stage 7 profile

The result of that long stage to Morteau is that the race will arrive on Saturday in the Alps. Stage 7 sets off from Champagnole, in the Jura, and heads to Haute-Savoie for a climb-packed day and a finale in Le Grand-Bornand. The Col de la Croix de la Serra kicks off the categorised climbing with a long 12km slog, and the race only gets harder from here with five categorised climbs and the mountaintop finish to contend with.

The finale features a double-header of categorised climbs: first the Col de Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, and then straight into the Montée de Chinaillon. This 7km climb will drag up to the finish line, with a 5.1% gradient. Whilst previously Le Grand-Bornand has hosted flat finishes, this is very much a mountain stage, which should draw out a very select number of riders still eligible for yellow before the final stage.

The Tour de France Femmes sent FDJ-SUEZ on a recon of Alpe d'Huez in anticipation of the route announcement

Then Sunday comes, and it’s the big one: a summit finish atop Alpe d’Huez. Starting out from Le Grand-Bornand once again, this is a long and challenging stage, combining a punishing duo of the Col du Glandon and the Alpe d’Huez finale. The Col du Glandon is only a precursor to the Alpe, but is a big climb in its own right, topping out at above 1,900m. With the Glandon already in the legs, a decisive and explosive visit to the Alpe awaits.

The ascent, with its famous hairpins, is 13.8km in length with an average gradient of 8.5%, but with several ramps tipping over the 9% mark. It’s a spectacular and difficult climb, and whilst it may be perhaps slightly less gruelling than the Tourmalet in 2023, it’s a bigger showpiece and comes at the end of a harder two days of racing.

Tour de France Femmes 2024 stage 8 profile

With the race finishing atop the Alpe, there is no place to hide, no stage to recover: what happens on this stage will decide the Tour, and the third yellow jersey will be awarded at the top of the climb. However, it’s not only about the final day, and the eventual winner will have to survive some tricky days, whether that’s crosswinds and time trialling in the Netherlands, a punchy day in Belgium, or the hilly day in the Vosges. This course has something for everyone, which also means the winner has to be able to do everything.

Tour de France Femmes 2024 stages

• Stage 1 : Rotterdam - The Hague | 124km
• Stage 2: Dordrecht - Rotterdam | 67km
• Stage 3: Rotterdam - Rotterdam (ITT) | 6.3km
• Stage 4: Valkenburg - Liège | 122km
• Stage 5: Bastogne - Amnéville | 150km
• Stage 6: Remiremont - Morteau | 160km
• Stage 7: Champagnole - Le Grand-Bornand | 167km
• Stage 8: Le Grand Bornand - L’Alpe d’Huez | 150km

To find out more about the Tour de France Femmes 2024, head to our dedicated race page .

Demi Vollering

• Team Team SD Worx-Protime
• Nationality Netherlands
• UCI Wins 32
• Height 1.72m

Lotte Kopecky

• Nationality Belgium
• UCI Wins 41
• Height 1.71m

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio

• Team AG Insurance-Soudal Team
• Nationality South Africa
• UCI Wins 47
• Height 1.63m

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig

• Team FDJ-SUEZ
• Nationality Denmark
• UCI Wins 18
• Height 1.68m

Charlotte Kool

• Team Team dsm-firmenich PostNL
• UCI Wins 17

Marianne Vos

• Team Team Visma | Lease a Bike
• UCI Wins 255

Tour de France Femmes

• Dates 12 Aug - 18 Aug
• Race Length 946 kms
• Race Category Elite Women

Zwift is a fitness technology company that allows users to interact, train and race on its virtual online cycling platform. Zwift has approximately one million subscribers and has completely changed how cyclists view training.

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Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

Sprint | saint-hippolyte (97.1 km), points at finish, qom sprint (3) côte de durtol (114.5 km), youth day classification, team day classification, race information.

• Date: 23 July 2023
• Start time: 12:30
• Avg. speed winner: 40.337 km/h
• Race category: WE - Women Elite
• Distance: 123.8 km
• Points scale: F-2.WWT.Stage
• UCI scale: UCI.WE.WWT.Stage
• Parcours type:
• ProfileScore: 45
• Vert. meters: 1051
• Departure: Clermont-Ferrand
• Arrival: Clermont-Ferrand
• Race ranking: 1
• Startlist quality score: 1881
• Won how: 9.8 km solo
• Avg. temperature: 29 °C

Race profile

• Côte de Durtol

Grand Tours

• Vuelta a España

Major Tours

• Volta a Catalunya
• Tour de Romandie
• Tour de Suisse
• Itzulia Basque Country
• Milano-SanRemo
• Ronde van Vlaanderen

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• European championships

Top classics

• Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
• Strade Bianche
• Gent-Wevelgem
• Dwars door Vlaanderen
• Eschborn-Frankfurt
• San Sebastian
• Bretagne Classic
• GP Montréal

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• Tadej Pogačar
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Indoor Cycling Made Fun

Workout anytime, ride with friends, & discover training plans for everyone.

A perfect training playground, Zwift only requires a few things to start riding. Let’s break it down so you can get in the app and ride.

Create a Zwift account and choose from an annual or monthly membership. Download the app to a computer, iOS or Android device, or Apple TV. Zwift looks best on bigger screens, so if you’ve got it, rock it!

Grab a bike and trainer (or a smart bike!). If you don’t have a trainer, Zwift works with most speed sensors and power meters.

There's always something happening at Zwift, day or night. Join a Pacer Group with a RoboPacer, choose a workout to crush, join an event, or go for a solo spin—how you get your ride in is up to you.

WHAT'S 🔥 ON ZWIFT

Spring Training

Boost your endurance and unlock sweet new gear with these six effective and efficient workouts. We'll have you getting the most out of your long outdoor rides in the sun, so make sure to stock up on sunscreen!

TRY ZWIFT RISK-FREE

I use Zwift all year round, not only during winter or the off-season, because it’s safer than cycling outside while getting the same aerobic and anaerobic benefits without the risks. SAM HOLNESS Level: 50 (Bike), 17 (Run)

Zwift is super fun and we can ride together, even if we’re not in the same place. There’s a lot of training, rides, and competition, and you’ve got it all in one app—so it’s a must have training tool! CHRYSTYANE DE LA ROSA Level: 35 (Bike), 4 (Run)

I use it [Zwift] to get back in shape and to meet with my friends. It helped me a lot during the first lockdown to be in touch and ride with my friends and challenge myself too. Justin Verlay Level: 28 (Bike)

Zwift Gets New Climbs, New Features, and More Expensive

A head of the Tour de France, there are a lot of new features in the works for the virtual training world known as Zwift. The program and app continue to develop and add new features. Perhaps the writing was on the wall earlier this year when Zwift laid off more than 100 employees , but now Zwift has announced a price increase as well.

Previously, a month of Zwift subscription would run $14.99 here in the United States. That price has now increased to $19.99 per month, a 33% increase. The price of an annual subscription has also increased, from $149.99 to $199.99. You’re still getting essentially two months free with the annual subscription, though both options have gone up in price.

At that price is it still worth it? If you spend a lot of time on Zwift, it likely is. Especially when you consider all the upcoming improvements that will be rolling out later this year. Check out the details straight from Zwift below:

WATOPIA EXPANSION: THE GRADE

Launching June 2024

Rolling out to Zwifters in June, The Grade is designed to be a testing climb for Zwifters. Built on the West side of Zwift’s most recent expansion, Watopia’s Southern Coast, The Grade will start among the vibrant buildings of Ciudad de La Cumbre, and connect Watopia’s Southern Coast with the backside of the Epic KOM. The Grade creates a direct, very steep passage from Ciudad de La Cumbre to the top of Epic KOM. The expansion will launch with several new routes available for freeride exploration, training, and racing.

Launching April 2024

Already psyching yourself up to take on the challenge of The Grade? Soon you’ll be able to queue it up for when you next log into Zwift using the new ‘My List’ feature. 

We’ve all been there – you’ve found an hour window, jump onto Zwift to squeeze in a good workout, only lose a precious five minutes choosing between a new route and a structured workout. My List helps Zwifters plan their next session in advance so they can maximize every minute. 

Using the Zwift Companion app, Zwifters will soon be able to browse the full library of Zwift workouts and routes (perfect for badge hunters) and add them to their list. These will then be shown in For You on the Zwift Home Screen the next time they log in. Never waste a minute with My List!

HUD REFRESH

Launching Summer 2024

Zwift’s in-game HUD is about to get a fresh new look and provide you with more information right where you need it. One of the standout features of the updated HUD is a new ‘Climb Mode’ dynamic elevation profile display. The new display will help Zwifters better pace their climbing efforts and prepare for the road ahead by utilising the same gradient shading found in the Climb Portal.

The HUD update will also allow Zwifters to customise the data fields shown in the power tile of the HUD via the in-game settings menu. At launch, Zwifters will be able to choose from Speed, Average Power, Power-to-Weight Ratio (W/KG), Cadence and Heart Rate.

With this update, the mini-map will also receive a refresh. The updated mini-map will provide greater clarity on route progression, including elevation.

TRAINING CONNECTIONS

Launching Early Summer 2024

There are many ways to train on Zwift – whether using a flexible training plan, joining a Group Workout, choosing from the 1000+ on-demand workouts, or building your own via the Custom Workout builder. For those with very specific plans in mind – whether from a coach, or another third-party training provider – Zwift’s new training API Connection will give Zwifters greater flexibility with how they want to train on the platform by providing better integration with other platforms and coaching services. 

Functionally, this new API will behave much like existing third-party connections on Zwift. Once the API Connection is set up and approved, workouts built outside of Zwift will pull directly into the Zwift platform and show in the Custom Workouts folder. The training API will launch later this spring with a few launch partners. Other providers will be able to sign up for this open-API later in the summer. 

CELEBRATING THE TOUR DE FRANCE ON ZWIFT

Zwift, the Official Training Software Provider to the Tour de France is getting ready for Tour Fever to hit this July with a month of Tour-themed content. 

Launched in time for the Tour de France last year, Zwift’s Climb portal is ready for a busy month with eight of the most iconic climbs from this 2024 route scheduled to bring cycling fans closer to the action. For the first time this year, Zwift will be hosting Climb Portal events, bringing another dimension to this popular feature.

The Climbs coming into the Portal this summer:

• Côte des Forche – Stage: 1, Elevation: 159 m, Avg Grade: 6.3 %, Distance: 2.5 km
• Col du Galibier (Lautaret) – Stage: 4, Elevation: 563 m, Avg Grade: 6.6 %, Distance: 8.6 km
• Pas de Peyrol/Puy Mary – Stage: 11, Elevation: 628 m, Avg Grade: 6.9 %, Distance: 9.2 km
• Pla d’Adet – Stage: 14, Elevation: 873 m, Avg Grade: 8.2 %, Distance: 10.7 km 
• Col de Peyresourde (Avajan) – Stage: 15, Elevation: 555 m, Avg Grade: 7.7 %, Distance: 7.2 km 
• Isola 2000 – Stage: 19, Elevation: 1167 m, Avg Grade: 5.8 %, Distance: 18.9 km
• Col de la Couillole – Stage: 20, Elevation: 1145 m, Avg Grade: 7.2 %, Distance: 15.9 km
• La Turbie/Col d’Eze – Stage 21, Elevation: 616m, Avg Grade: 3.1%, Distance: 15.9km

Zwift’s France and Paris maps will dressed to celebrate the Tour de France ready to welcome Zwifters looking to join the celebrations. Those looking for a social group ride will be able to join any one of the RoboPacers leading groups 24/7 in both France and Paris throughout July and August. For the competitively-minded, ‘Vive la France’ will be the theme for ZRacing events. Lastly, the Monthly Mission will be taking place in France with a Tour-themed twist. Stay tuned for more. Vive Le Tour!

WATCH THE FEMMES!

The Tour de France femmes avec Zwift returns in August for the third edition. For the first time, the race will start outside France with the Grand Depart set for Rotterdam on August 12th. To celebrate the occasion, Zwift’s Watch The Femmes campaign is set to take over the month of August – because you can’t be what you can’t see. 

With the final stage of the race finishing on top of the famed Alpe d’Huez, Zwift’s very own Alpe du Zwift will be dressed for the occasion. Zwifters will also be able join the celebration in the France and Paris maps, helping them feel closer to the action. . 

Alpe du Zwift won’t just be dressed for success. From August 18th, the day the race hits Alpe d’Huez, to August 25th, Alpe Celebration RoboPacer events will be taking place every two hours on Alpe du Zwift, perfect for anyone looking to secure a personal record. 

For those seeking structured workouts, Zwift will also be releasing weekly Workouts inspired by Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift contenders.

Stay tuned for more Watch the Femmes content over the coming months!

SPRING TRAINING

Taking place now, Spring Training is a 6-week training series that aims to build endurance for those long, outdoor rides. Whether your goal is to lead the pack, train for an upcoming event, or keep pace on your weekend ride with friends, this Spring Training Series will gear you up for the outdoors. There are shorter and longer versions of each workout, so Zwifters can decide if they want to jump on for 30 or 50-minute workouts. Join for workout 3, Cadence and Cruise, this week and catch the sessions you may have missed in a make-up week from May 27 – June 3.

The post Zwift Gets New Climbs, New Features, and More Expensive appeared first on Bikerumor .

How to watch the 2024 Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes LIVE on SBS

Cycling’s most prestigious event, the tour de france, gears up for a momentous month of fierce competition. the men’s event will be shown exclusively on sbs from june 29, followed after a short olympics-enforced break by the third edition of the tour de france femmes avec zwift, available live and free to sbs audiences from august 12..

(L to R) Lotte Kopecky and Jai Hindley at the Tour de France Femmes and Hommes

How to watch the Tour de France

Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes reveal historic 2024 routes

10 unbelievable Tour de France facts

Explaining the Tour de France - A Beginner's guide

Tour de France: Your questions answered

How to watch stage replays, watch daily extended highlights, latest action/highlights/extras/opinion, plat du tour, 2024 tour de france men's live on sbs and sbs on demand - june 29 - july 22, 2024 tour de france femmes live on sbs and sbs on demand - august 12-19, have a story or comment contact us.

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Results and Highlights from the 2024 Giro d’Italia

Check out stage-by-stage recaps and overall standings of the Italian Grand Tour.

Stage 7: Foligno - Perugia (Individual Time Trial), 40.6 km

Stage 6: torre del lago puccini - rapolano terme, 180 km, stage 5: genova - lucca, 178 km, stage 4: acqui terme - andora, 190 km, stage 3: novara - fossano, 166 km, stage 2: san francesco al campo - santuario di oropa, 161 km, stage 1: venaria reale - torino, 140 km.

Check out stage-by-stage recaps of the action below.

Stage 8: Spoleto to Prati de Tivo, 152 km

Stage Winner: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)

Race Leader: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)

We know he can win races with dramatic breakaways, but it turns out Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) also can perfectly play out a sprint. In today's race, he just narrowly outsprinted Daniel Martínez (Bora-hansgrohe) and Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) for the win at the top of the steep final ascent to the finish.

In case you were wondering, Pogačar has continued to opt for the full pink kit after the sartorial debacle earlier this week .

Today marked the first major mountain stage of the Giro with some of the classic climbs we love to see. Right from the start, it was clear that riders were going to be attempting breakaways before, during and after every climb—mountain stages at the Giro are often where we see unlikely stage winners thanks to a breakaway that comes as a surprise and actually sticks.

By 20 km into the race, a large group had formed at the front, but only 20 seconds separated them from the full might of the peloton. The group ebbed and flowed, and was cut down to 14 riders by just under 100 km to go. Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Romain Bardet (dsm–firmenich PostNL) and Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers) were a few of the riders making moves in the lead group, and their lead stretched to over 2 minutes ahead of the peloton at 61 km to go.

But when a team like UAE Team Emirates is chasing the breakaway to preserve Pogačar's overall lead, does it stand much of a chance?

“We thought the breakaway had a good chance, to be honest,” said Thomas in a post-race interview . “Obviously, UAE set a good tempo on the climb, and I guess because it was still quite close, I don’t know if they decided to go for the stage in the beginning, but they certainly decided to go for it in the end.”

As the group hit 15 km to go, heading towards the final climb into Prati di Tivo, the gap had dropped to just over 30 seconds. While several riders made valiant efforts to hold off the peloton, Pogačar sped into the finish with a group of seven riders and ultimately took the sprint.

However, the GC remained relatively unchanged, since seven of the top finishers on the stage were in the top eight in the GC, which is now led by Pogačar by 2:40 over Martinez and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers).

"I wasn't expecting this today," Pogačar said in the post-race press conference, making him pretty much the only person in the world who wasn't expecting it.

165 riders rolled down the little pink ramp this morning, each one minute apart, for first time trial of this year’s Giro.

Vicious crosswinds pushed riders across the road at points, their giant disc wheels acting as windsails, slowing down even some of the most skilled time triallists around.

And there is arguably no rider more skilled on a TT bike than INEOS Grenadiers’ Filippo Ganna, one of the world’s fastest men in the race against the clock.

“Top Ganna” is what the commentators called him, saying that everyone else looked like a passenger plane next to the fighter jet that is Ganna.

However, the 40.6-kilometer stage included a mighty pitch in the final stretch, gaining over two-hundred-meters over the last four kilometers, whose multi-digit grades benefitted some of the punchier riders in the bunch. After all, today’s time trail ran from Foligno to Perugia, across the undulating hills of Umbria.

By the time Geraint Thomas—who started the day in second place in the GC standings—rolled down the ramp, his INEOS Grenadiers teammates held all three positions on the podium (Ganna, Thymen Arensmen, Magnus Sheffield). By the time he crossed the line, those results held.

But there was only one rider left in the starting tent behind Thomas: current pink jersey, race favorite, and generational talent across a variety of disciplines, Tadej Pogačar.

Going back to his stunning time trial on the penultimate stage of the 2020 Tour de France, where he snatched the yellow jersey from Primož Roglič, Pogačar has displayed that he too is one of the world’s great time triallists.

And today, that skill on a TT bike threw a wrench directly into the works of INEOS’s 1-2-3 day, as Pogačar made up over a minute on the stage’s final six kilometers. Pogačar finished seventeen seconds ahead of Ganna, giving the UAE Team Emirates superstar the stage win.

A bunch of INEOS riders who couldn’t quite nip Pogačar. Seems to be one of the themes emerging from this year’s Giro.

Pogačar’s ride put nearly two additional minutes into his nearest rivals in the GC standings, increasing his overall lead from 46 seconds to 2:36.

Meanwhile, BORA-hansgrohe’s Dani Martinez, who entered the day in third place overall, bested Geraint Thomas by thirteen seconds on the stage, putting him ten seconds ahead of Thomas in the GC standings.

“There was a lot of preparations for this, a lot of ups and downs,” Pogačar said. “I’m super happy that today I felt good. I paced myself until the climb and then the climb, full gas.”

Geraint Thomas, meanwhile, wore a subtle look of disappointment after the race.

“I tried to ride within myself and when it was time to go, I just lacked it a little bit. It is what it is. It’s just one of those days.”

Thomas ended his post-race interview abruptly when the interview reminded him that his teammates did an excellent job on the day, without actually asking a question

“Thanks,” he said sternly, taking a sip of his drink.

Stage Winner: Pelayo Sánchez (Movistar)

May 9, 2024—Looking at the profile of Stage 6, you might think that the day would have been relatively mellow. One-hundred-eighty kilometers, minimal elevation, a pair of category-four climbs. However, thanks to a trio of gravel sectors—the strade bianche of Tuscany—today’s stage was anything but.

What many thought might be a launching pad for Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), who won March’s Strade Bianche with a stunning eighty-kilometer solo break, ended up seeing a series of breakaways, none of which stuck.

Until one did. And, for the second day in a row, the break stayed away.

The trio of Movistar’s Pelayo Sánchez , Soudal Quick-Step’s Julian Alaphilippe, and Jayco AlUla’s Luke Plapp had a lead that stretched out to as much as two and a half minutes as the race entered its third and final gravel sector. But INEOS Grenadiers set a blistering pace behind, quickly whittling the three-man breakaway’s lead to less than thirty seconds with just a few kilometers to go.

But the gap stayed at around twenty seconds as the Plapp, Alaphilippe, and Sánchez passed under the 1 km to go banner. Alaphilippe launched early, and Sanchez responded. Though Plapp was hanging on their wheels, it was clear that this was a two-man race to the finish.

In his post-race interview, Sánchez was asked if he knew what he had just accomplished. “No,” Sánchez replied. “This is amazing. I don’t have words. Crazy, crazy day for me. I thought today that I could be in the breakaway, but I could never imagine winning here.”

Sánchez also admitted that, even though he spent the last several dozen kilometers working with Plapp and Alaphilippe, he tried several times to put time into his mates in the breakaway. “I tried to drop [Plapp and Alaphilippe], but it was impossible for me,” he said. “So, I tried at the end with the sprint. Luckily, I was the fastest.”

Plapp, who spent much of the day in the virtual pink jersey, said after the race, “That was an insane day. The race was out of control, the whole race. It was ridiculous for the first eighty kilometers.”

“The three of us worked reasonably well to the finish,” Plapp added. “We played games a bit. I was half-eyes looking for time and half-eyes looking for the stage, so I ended up riding a bit harder.”

Asked if he was thinking about the pink jersey during his breakaway, Plapp said, “No, no, no. I know (UAE Team Emirates) were never going to let it go. You could see from the gaps they were keeping, they weren’t willing to let the jersey go.”

A Win for the Breakaway as the Peloton Couldn’t Get It Together

Stage Winner: Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis)

May 8, 2024—Another flat-ish day, another sprint finish. That was supposed to be the script for Wednesday’s fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia. But if there’s a theme emerging from the early stages of this year’s Giro, it’s to expect the unexpected.

Because in a move that seems ever-more-rare, the day’s breakaway stuck, the charging group of sprinters behind unable to catch up.

At the end of the 178-kilometer stage, Benjamin Thomas captured Cofidis’s first win this season. Behind him were EF Education-EasyPost’s Michael Valgren, Andrea Pietrobon of Polti Kometa, and Groupama-FDJ’s Enzo Paleni. The group spent about half of the day with a lead of around one minute over the peloton.

Eight seconds behind Paleni, Lidl-Trek’s Jonathan Milan—the current maglia ciclamino— led the rest of the peloton across the line.

With 5 kilometers to the finish, the four-man breakaway had a solid forty-second lead and it seemed as though the peloton couldn’t organize themselves enough to reel them back in. Ineos Grenadiers had the most notable attack, but pulled off after the 3-kilometer mark, ostensibly working to protect their lead man Geraint Thomas’s time.

From there, nothing much materialized and the breakaway was allowed to duke it out themselves for the win.

“I said maybe today’s my day,” said the French Thomas, who captured both his first WorldTour and Grand Tour victories with the win. “Everything is perfect today. I knew the final because I trained there sometimes. I knew the Montemagno in the final, and it helped me, knowing the cobbles and the corners. It's a nice thing to win in Italy. It means a lot to me.”

Thomas, who is a seasoned track racer, likened the four-man break to a “long, long team pursuit.”

Valgren added that the topography of the parcours aided the breakaway’s chances.

“It was actually only with three or four ks to go (that we thought we could win) because you always think the peloton will take 10-seconds-per-kilometer more or less,” Valgren said after the race. “We kept working well together and there was in our favor kind of downhill. Chapeau to the other guys for working well together. We didn't start to play the games, so it was nice.”

The one thing that was expected was that nothing much changed in the GC battle. UAE Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogačar remains forty-six seconds clear of Geraint Thomas and forty-seven seconds ahead of BORA-hansgrohe’s lead man, Dani Martinez.

Jonathan Milan Wins Sprint Finish

Stage Winner: Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)

May 7, 2024—For the second straight day, the Giro d’Italia ended with a flat sprint that was almost nabbed with a daring and unexpected last-minute attack.

The 190-kilometer route from Acqui Terme to Andora started with a gradual ride into the day’s only categorized climb, the category 3 Colle del Melogno, where the KOM points were taken by Intermarché-Wanty’s Lilian Calmejane. After that, it was an almost wholly downsloping back half of the stage, ending with a straight, flat shot into the seaside town of Andora.

If the peloton felt a bit jumpy heading into Andora, it no doubt had to do with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Geraint Thomas’s (INEOS Grenadiers) almost successful late break in yesterday’s sprint stage.

And then, just like yesterday, a solo attack was launched with plenty of racing left. Today, it was Ineos-Grenadiers’ Filippo Ganna, one of the fastest solo bike racers that’s ever lived, who attacked at the foot of the day’s final pitch, the Capo Mele, with 4 km to go. However, the long-distance attack was once again in vain, as he was caught and swallowed up with just a few hundred meters to go.

Moments later, another Italian, Lidl-Trek’s Jonathan Milan, launched a furious and commanding 300-meter sprint that would net him his second Giro stage win, exactly one year to the day from his first.

Meanwhile, Dani Martínez, who entered the day in third place in the GC standings, suffered a late-stage mechanical. Lucky for the BORA-hansgrohe racer, it was within the final 3 kilometers, meaning he was awarded the same time as the bunch ahead and lost no extra time to Pogačar and Thomas.

In sad news, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) slid out on a slick descent with about 62 kilometers left, crashing out of the race with an injury. It was a brutal reminder of the Eritrean’s luck, who, moments after becoming the first Black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage in 2022’s Giro, suffered a freak injury when the cork from his celebratory champagne bottle shot him in the eye, causing him to abandon the race with a hemorrhage in his eye.

“We saw Ganna going full gas in the last climb, and we just had to catch him,” said Milan of his Italian track teammate. “Today, the guys did such an amazing job. This experience was special because my parents were here today. I’m really happy about it,” Milan, who won last year’s maglia ciclamino, added.

After the race, second-place finisher Kaden Groves said the day’s blisteringly high speeds made the stage “quite scary at times.” And when asked about how his Alpecin-Deceuninck team was shaping up over the Giro’s first week, Groves said, “We’re getting there.”

Soudal Quick-Step’s Tim Merlier Takes Sprint Victory Amidst GC Favorites’ Late Attack

Stage Winner: Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)

May 6, 2024 – The sprinters had their first chance to shine, as the race’s third stage from Novara to Fassano featured just 750 meters of elevation over 166 kilometers.

However, it wasn’t without a bit of drama, as the race’s biggest GC favorites launched a thrilling attack over the last four kilometers, throwing a wrench into what was expected to be a straightforward day. After an early move from EF-Education EasyPost’s Mikkel Honore, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) followed, forming a small, three-man breakaway that, for a moment, looked as though it might stay away from the group.

Honoré was swallowed up by the group with about 1 kilometer to go, and given the day’s high pace and series of breakaways, there was some thought that Pogačar and Thomas’s attack might just stick. However, the two GC men were caught with about 400 meters to go, setting up the bunch sprint everyone expected the day to end with.

Soudal Quick-Step’s Tim Merlier nipped a group at the line that included Lidl-Trek’s Jonathan Milan and Intermarche Wanty’s Biniam Girmay, who rounded out the day’s podium, along with Arkea’s Jenthe Biermans and dsm-Firmeninch PostNL’s Tobias Lund Andersen.

After a masterful recovery from a late crash to win Sunday’s second stage, Pogačar started the day in the maglia rosa , forty-five seconds clear of Dani Martínez of BORA-hansgrohe and Geraint Thomas of Ineos Grenadiers. By the time stage 3 was over, those standings remained exactly the same.

“It wasn’t the plan,” Thomas said of the two-man attack over the closing kilometers. “We just wanted to stay out of trouble.”

He added that, over the final few hundred meters, it took everything he had to keep contact with Pogačar. “I was just trying to hold his wheel,” Thomas said, admitting that the attack was never part of the day’s plan.

“It was the hardest victory so far,” stage winner Merlier said of the unexpected chase he and his group of sprinters found themselves in as Thomas and Pogačar rode away. Merlier said he hesitated, causing him to miss out on his leadout man, and eventually forcing him to attack directly into the wind without any support.

Tadej Pogačar Wins Stage 2 and Takes the Maglia Rosa

May 5, 2024 - Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates wins Stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia 2024 and takes the Maglia Rosa. Twenty-seven seconds behind, Dani Martínez (Bora-hansgrohe) takes second, and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) is third.

It was a masterful performance by UAE Team Emirates once Pogačar made it back to the front of the peloton after a small crash due to a front flat tire. The Slovenian leads Thomas and Martinez by 45" in the General Classification.

In the post-race interview, Pogačar was asked if he panicked after crashing in the lead-up to the last climb. “Not really. I was quite calm. I hit a hole in the city and had a super fast flat tire. There was a bit of confusion. I wanted to stop before the corner, but the DS said, ‘No, no, after the corner.’ I was feeling good. The team was super good today. And then we set the pace that we like and it was perfect,” said the race leader.

“I didn’t know the climb well. Everybody was maybe doing this climb for the first time, and it was hard to guess where to do the [hard] pacing, but I think we did a really good job today. And it was super good the last pull of Rafał Majka in the hard part so that I could attack,” Pogačar added.

“I just wanted a stage win today and some gap. Test the legs a little bit. And the [goal] was to take the pink jersey. Now I can relax a little bit in the next few days with the team and we stay safe in the sprints.”

Watch the final kilometer of Stage 2 on the Giro d’Italia’s YouTube Channel

Geraint Thomas of INEOS Grenadiers found himself meeting his limit in today’s stage. “It was so hard to follow, but I knew if I tried to keep going I would completely blow up. I felt bad for sitting on Ben [O’Connor], but I was on the limit for a while there,” said Thomas in the post-race interview.

Regarding Pogačar’s crash, Thomas said, “Honestly, I didn’t know until I was on the climb, and someone said Tadej was back. The plan was to go to the front, not to attack, but to stay safe on the front.”

Narváez Upstages Pogačar to Secure Stage 1 Victory and Maglia Rosa

Stage Winner: Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers)

Race Leader: Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers)

May 4, 2024 - The opening stage of the Giro d’Italia produced plenty of fireworks and a surprise winner on the line. Team UAE Emirates set it up perfectly for Tadej Pogačar on the opening stage. After some long-lasting breakaways were caught, Pogačar broke free in the last four kilometers with Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers) and Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe). The Slovenian just couldn’t gap those two rivals, and it set it up for a sprint finish. In a bit of a surprise, it was Narváez, the 27-year-old Ecuadorian national champion, outsprinting Schachmann (second on the stage) and Pogačar (third). Narváez earns the first Maglia Rosa of the 2024 Tour of Italy.

Though he didn’t win the stage, Pogačar will head into Stage 2 with an advantage over many of his top GC rivals. Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) was 10 seconds behind Pogačar on the stage and, after factoring in time bonuses, 14 seconds behind Pogačar in the GC standings.

Watch Stage 1 Highlights on the Giro d’Italia’s YouTube Channel

“It was a great feeling. We knew it was going to be a stage for me, and I worked a lot on it,” Narváez said in the post-race interview. “Following the best guy in the world on the climb was really hard, so it’s a special victory today. It’s still hurting me now. It was really hard—really, really hard. But in the end, I made it.”

“I think [Pogačar] went too long in the sprint, 200 meters after a really hard stage, and I did a short sprint, and in the end, I took the victory. For me, it’s amazing. There aren’t many opportunities in a Grand Tour to get the maglia rosa on the first day because you have a bunch sprint, a TT, or a different stage. Today was a good opportunity. I worked really, really hard for it,” added Narváez.

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