Intense competition unfolds on the fifth stage of Tour de France Femmes as riders aggressively strive for every precious second
Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: Bonus Seconds Shape Tight Race
The 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is shaping up to be a thrilling race, with bonus seconds playing a crucial role in the standings and race dynamics.
Kasia Niewiadoma, the defending champion, won last year's race with the smallest margin in its history - a mere 4 seconds. This year, rival Demi Vollering is determined to avoid a repeat of such a close finish.
The race's current leader, Kim Le Court, has accrued her position primarily due to the bonus seconds she has earned. During stage five, Le Court won the bonus sprints, securing valuable seconds that put her in the top spot. Niewiadoma chased down Le Court on a climb during the stage, but it was Le Court who came out on top in the sprint. As a result, Niewiadoma obtained fewer bonus seconds compared to Le Court.
Vollering finished second on stage five, earning 4 seconds and moving above Niewiadoma in the standings. The Dutch rider laughed and commented on the irony of fighting for seconds, while potentially facing minutes of difference on the Col de la Madeleine (stage eight).
Bonus seconds, which subtract time from a rider’s overall race time, directly influence the general classification standings. They are awarded to the first three riders at designated intermediate sprint points and stage finishes, with typical bonuses being 6, 4, and 2 seconds for the first three riders, respectively.
These bonus seconds have had a significant impact on the 2023 race. For instance, Jolien D'hoore took back the yellow jersey narrowly by securing 6 bonus seconds on a stage finish, overturning a previous lead gained by Kim Le Court through bonus seconds the day before. The use of bonus seconds creates a close and fluctuating battle for the yellow jersey, often held by riders not necessarily targeting the overall win but making the standings more competitive and dramatic.
Riders use bonus seconds as part of their strategies to gain or maintain a time advantage, especially in stages that finish in a sprint or have intermediate bonus sprints. This influences decisions on breakaways and leads, as seen in a penultimate stage in a more recent Tour de France Femmes, where Demi Vollering managed to reduce the leader’s margin by 4 seconds, partly through time gained in bonus seconds or stage placings with bonus seconds available.
As the race moves towards the mountains, the focus is now on these crucial seconds. With just 27 seconds separating first from fifth place, every second counts. Vollering found the final part of stage five enjoyable, referring to it as "playing the game".
Kasia Niewiadoma acknowledged the potential for large time differences on the Col de la Madeleine during her warm-down. She laughed and commented on the irony of fighting for seconds, while potentially facing minutes of difference on the mountainous stage.
In summary, bonus seconds have affected the 2023 Tour de France Femmes by causing frequent changes in the race lead and keeping the fight for the yellow jersey very close and unpredictable throughout the event.
Sports strategy comes into play as bonus seconds, awarded at intermediate sprint points and stage finishes, significantly impact the rankings and race dynamics in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Differing by as little as seconds, these time advantages define the competition, often resulting in a thrilling battle for the yellow jersey.
Players in the game, such as Kasia Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering, carefully employ bonus seconds when planning their moves in crucial stages, ensuring they either gain or maintain a time advantage over their competitors.
