'Losing everything is of no concern' - Shrinking to only 4 riders, UAE Team ADQ adopts risky racing strategy to stay competitive in Tour de France Femmes
In a thrilling turn of events at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, Maeïva Squiban clinched a career-defining victory on Stage 6, outpacing her competitors Juliette Labous and Kimberley Le Court (Pienaar) in the race from Clermont-Ferrand to Ambert[1].
The win, which came after Squiban seized the initiative and jumped clear, 32km from the finish, has been hailed as a significant achievement in her career. The prestige of a Tour de France Femmes stage victory makes this win an important highlight for Squiban in the 2025 race[1][2][3][4][5].
UAE Team ADQ's campaign faced a potential roadblock with the illness and withdrawal of team leader Elisa Longo Borghini. However, the team, led by director Cherie Pridham, remained motivated and stuck to their game plan, aiming for stages[6].
Pridham expressed delight for the whole team after Squiban's stage win, hugging every team member upon the announcement of Squiban's victory[7]. Pridham also praised the spirit of her riders, crediting Squiban and the team for battling through adversity to race[1].
The UAE Team ADQ jersey has been frequent at the front of attacks in the race, with Squiban and her teammate Brodie Chapman going on the attack for the third time in five days[8]. Chapman took the prize on Stage 5 to Guéret[9].
Lara Gillespie, another member of the team, has been competitive in flat finishes, taking third in Poitiers[10]. She was also praised by a tweet reading "You're amazing, you're a hero."
Meanwhile, Dominika Włodarczyk is edging closer to the GC top 10, adding another layer of success to UAE Team ADQ's impressive performance in the race[11].
For fans who want to keep up with the Tour de France Femmes, a subscription to Cyclingnews provides unlimited access to the coverage[12]. Roussemarion car covered Squiban's win during the race[13].
In a historic moment, UAE Team ADQ made history with Squiban's stage win, marking a significant milestone for the team and Squiban's career[7][14]. Pridham expressed pride in the team for this achievement, crediting their resilience and teamwork for the victory[7].
[1] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2025/stage-6/results/ [2] https://www.velonews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-with-ouest-france/stage-6-results-maeva-squiban-wins-tour-de-france-femmes-stage-6/ [3] https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france-femmes-2025-stage-6-results-maeva-squiban-wins-358692 [4] https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/61175085 [5] https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/23/maeva-squiban-wins-tour-de-france-femmes-stage-6-as-team-mate-brodie-chapman-takes-fifth [6] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2025/news/pridham-proud-of-team-after-squiban-stage-win/ [7] https://www.velonews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-with-ouest-france/stage-6-results-maeva-squiban-wins-tour-de-france-femmes-stage-6/ [8] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2025/news/pridham-proud-of-team-after-squiban-stage-win/ [9] https://www.velonews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-with-ouest-france/stage-5-results-brodie-chapman-wins-tour-de-france-femmes-stage-5/ [10] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2025/news/lara-gillespie-delivers-third-in-poitiers-stage-2/ [11] https://www.velonews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-with-ouest-france/stage-6-results-maeva-squiban-wins-tour-de-france-femmes-stage-6/ [12] https://www.cyclingnews.com/subscribe/ [13] https://www.velonews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-with-ouest-france/stage-6-results-maeva-squiban-wins-tour-de-france-femmes-stage-6/ [14] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-2025/news/pridham-proud-of-team-after-squiban-stage-win/
Sports such as road cycling have seen UAE Team ADQ make a significant impact in the 2025 Tour de France Femmes. The team's performance, culminating in Maeïva Squiban's historic stage win, has placed them among the notable sports teams in the race.
