Analysis of the Women's Tour de France General Classification - Steady performance on Col du Granier as leading competitors anticipate crucial day in the Alps
Tour de France Femmes 2022: Le Court-Pienaar Maintains Lead as Gigante Challenges
The Tour de France Femmes 2022 is entering its final weekend, and the race for the yellow jersey is heating up. Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) currently holds the lead, but Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) is closing in.
On the final climb of the day, the 8.9km Granier, Le Court-Pienaar came under pressure. However, she managed to retain her 26-second lead, thanks to a strong performance on the climb. Gigante, on the other hand, struggled on the descents of stages 6 and 7 but managed to limit her losses to just 11 seconds across the two days.
Gigante is expected to take over the yellow jersey from Le Court-Pienaar on the Madeleine. Danny Stam of SD Worx-Protime and Jos Van Emden of Visma-Lease A Bike have singled out Gigante as a huge threat on the Madeleine.
The quartet of Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-Sram Zondacrypto), Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease A Bike) have not made any major attacks in the past two days. Niewiadoma-Phinney, Vollering, and van der Breggen are separated by just nine seconds from Ferrand-Prévot, who is currently 26 seconds down on Le Court-Pienaar, the best-placed woman to take the lead.
Maëva Squiban, a double stage winner, is a potential future contender in the Tour de France Femmes. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) lies 10 seconds ahead of Gigante in the overall standings. Cédrine Kerboal (EF Education-Oatly) slipped away late on the descent towards the finish of stage 7, moving into seventh overall between Rooijakkers and Gigante.
Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) has been on hand to guide Sarah Gigante back and limit her losses in the descents. Le Court-Pienaar had the best downhill ride of her career on the final climb, retaining her lead.
Ferrand-Prévot stated that she wasn't thinking about the maillot jaune (yellow jersey) on Friday. In the battle for the yellow jersey, there are now seven hopefuls looking at the 2,000-meter-high Madeleine.
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[1] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2022/stage-7/results/ [2] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2022/stage-6/results/ [3] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2022/stage-5/results/ [4] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2022/stage-4/results/
Sports such as cycling are being intensely contested in the Tour de France Femmes 2022. The battle for the yellow jersey is heating up as Sarah Gigante closes in on leader Kim Le Court-Pienaar.
