Anticipating intense competition: Tour de France Femmes director predicts most challenging General Classification contest in female race history
The 2025 edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is underway, promising a thrilling race filled with some of the world's top cyclists.
Elisa Longo Borghini, fresh from her home Grand Tour victory, and Anna van der Breggen are among the star-studded lineup for this year's event. Notably, Longo Borghini claimed the Giro d’Italia Women title earlier this season, adding to her impressive resume. Van der Breggen, on the other hand, is a multiple-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist.
The opening stage saw Marianne Vos sprinting to victory in an uphill finish in Plumelec. Vos, a six-time world champion, outpaced her teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who finished second, just a handful of seconds behind. Ferrand-Prévot, the Frenchwoman, completed the podium in third place.
Ferrand-Prévot has been tipped as a potential first home winner of the race, and her strong performance in the opening stage has only bolstered her chances. Demi Vollering, the 2023 winner, is also expected to be a strong contender this year, having come into the race with strong form, including victories at La Vuelta Femenina.
Last year, Kasia Niewiadoma won the Tour de France Femmes by just four seconds, the closest winning margin in the history of the Tour de France. Niewiadoma, the defending champion, remains a strong contender, despite not being on the start list this year.
The race will take a challenging route, with an Alpine curtain closer in Châtel on 3 August. The course will then cut across the centre of France, with a summit finish on the Col de la Madeleine. The race continues on Sunday with another punchy stage into Quimper.
Marion Rousse, the director of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, has highlighted a closely fought contest among the top riders, describing the start list as “exceptional” with nearly no one missing, indicating a very competitive race. Rousse expects the suspense to last the whole race, and she believes there are more female yellow jersey contenders than in the male Tour de France at the moment.
Cédrine Kerbaol, a local Breton rider, and Lotte Kopecky are also on the start list, adding to the excitement and anticipation surrounding the race. Marlen Reusser, another strong contender, is on the start list but abandoned on stage one.
As the race progresses, it promises to be a spectacle of endurance, skill, and strategy, with the final yellow jersey yet to be decided. Stay tuned for more updates from the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
[1] Rousse Predictions for the 2023 Tour de France Femmes [2] Previews of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes [5] Exceptional Start List for the 2025 Tour de France Femmes
[1] The start list for the 2025 Tour de France Femmes promises an exceptionally competitive race, as Rousse, the director, believes there are more female yellow jersey contenders than in the male Tour de France at the moment.
[2] In this year's event, sports enthusiasts can look forward to witnessing various star-studded competitors, such as Elisa Longo Borghini, Anna van der Breggen, and Marianne Vos, among others. The race will feature sprint finishes, challenging routes, and steep climbs, making it a thrilling spectacle of endurance, skill, and strategy.
