The Domestiques

Mont Ventoux delivered the queen-stage showdown the Tour had been building towards.
Matilda Reynolds and Sarah Gigante unpack Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney’s decisive Stage 7 attack, the headwind and GC tactics that shaped the final climb, and what her victory and yellow jersey mean heading into the Nice finale.
Plus, roadside colour from Verita Stewart, a Stage 8 preview, and two bonus interviews: Zwift women’s strategy director Kate Veronneau on the growth of the Tour de France Femmes, followed by former professional and rider agent Loren Rowney on talent development, team budgets and the future of women’s cycling.
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Kim Le Court refuses to let her Tour de France Femmes slip away, producing an extraordinary comeback to win Stage 6 after a day where almost everything seemed to go against her.
After being dropped, suffering a mechanical, burning matches to return to the peloton and then bridging across to the decisive break with Riejanne Markus, Le Court still had enough left to attack, chase again and somehow find one final gear in the sprint to beat Puck Pieterse and Cédrine Kerbaol.
Tils, Verita and Sarah Gigante break down the countless sliding-door moments that made the victory possible, AG Insurance’s complete commitment to Le Court, the sprint decisions that shaped the finish and Elisa Longo Borghini’s puzzling tactics from the break.
Then attention turns to the Queen Stage and the Tour de France Femmes debut of Mont Ventoux. With Marlen Reusser holding just 12 seconds over Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma lurking, brutal heat and crosswinds in the forecast, the race is perfectly poised for the Giant of Provence.
Plus, Verita reports back after conquering L’Étape du Tour de France Femmes, riding much of the same course the professionals will face on Ventoux.
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The Tour de France Femmes delivers a pure spring classic, with eight categorised climbs, relentless attacking and a brutal battle that tears the general classification apart.

Demi Vollering finishes off a complete FDJ team performance to win the stage, while Marlen Reusser remains ice-cold under pressure and retains the yellow jersey by just 12 seconds. Kasia Niewiadoma reminds everyone why she can never be overlooked, taking third and moving onto the provisional podium.

Behind them, the damage is enormous. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Anna van der Breggen, Kim Le Court and Elisa Longo Borghini all lose ground as the race becomes a zombie march toward the finish. Tils, Verita and Sarah Gigante unpack FDJ’s tactics, the decisive breakaway and the descending skills that separated the best riders in the race.

The team also examines the shifting UAE leadership battle, Antonia Niedermaier and Isabella Holmgren’s fight for white, the strange disappearance of neutral service bottles in extreme heat, and whether the GC contenders can recover before Mont Ventoux.

Plus, Sarah explains exactly what she wants to hear through the radio during a time trial, and why too much encouragement can sometimes make things worse.

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Marlen Reusser delivers a masterclass against the clock, winning the stage four time trial in Dijon and taking control of the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Sarah Gigante, Matilda Reynolds and Verita Stewart break down Reusser’s extraordinary comeback story, Demi Vollering’s ominously strong ride and the damage suffered by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and several other GC contenders.
The team also examines Kasia Niewiadoma’s improving time trial, Elisa Longo Borghini’s costly mechanical, the growing leadership battle inside UAE Team ADQ and why the Tour remains wide open ahead of a brutal, classics-style stage five.
Can Reusser defend yellow through the mountains? Will Vollering strike before Mont Ventoux? And could Puck Pieterse, Kim Le Court or Trek turn the next stage into an all-out raid?

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Sigrid Haugset delivers the ride of her life, completing an extraordinary 89-kilometre breakaway to win Stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes and claim the yellow jersey for Uno-X.
Tils, Verita and Sarah Gigante unpack how the peloton allowed the race to escape, why the GC favourites could not bring her back, and the mental resilience required to keep fighting with Lotte Kopecky closing fast behind.
The team also takes aim at the limited television coverage that meant fans missed the opening kilometres and much of the day’s decisive racing. Sarah explains how the lack of live pictures can change the incentives for riders and smaller teams trying to deliver sponsor exposure.
Elsewhere, the Free Blasi movement continues to grow, the UCI turns its attention to alleged “bra maxing” in time trials, and all eyes turn toward the pivotal Stage 4 individual time trial. Who has done the specific work, who could lose serious time, and can Marlen Reusser take control of the race?
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