"Marianne Vos, cyclist, attributes Tour de France Femmes crashes to lack of space rather than lack of respect among racers"
Tour de France Femmes: Chaotic Sprint Finish Causes Crash and Controversy
The third stage of the Tour de France Femmes saw a chaotic sprint finish that resulted in a crash involving FDJ-Suez rider Demi Vollering, causing concern and controversy within the cycling community.
FDJ-Suez team manager Stephen Delcourt expressed anger about the incident, blaming a lack of respect in the peloton for the crash. He lamented that the peloton has lost respect for rider safety, stating that the high risks in the peloton are being played with. Delcourt's criticism was directed at what he saw as reckless riding in the high-speed, high-stakes environment of the Tour de France Femmes, which he felt endangered Vollering and other riders.
Vollering, who is seven seconds behind Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in the general classification, suffered knee, glute, and back pain from the crash. She is not the only one who experienced a setback; Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney is now four seconds behind Ferrand-Prévot in the general classification.
The chaotic nature of the sprint finishes in the Tour de France Femmes is not a new phenomenon. The competition for position can make the race dangerous, as evidenced by the numerous riders who fell in the chaos, including Demi Vollering. However, not everyone agrees with Delcourt's harsh assessment. Some in the cycling community have defended the peloton's conduct.
Despite the incident, the race continued, with Lorena Wiebes emerging victorious in Angers, marking her 15th victory of the season. Marianne Vos, who finished second in the stage, earned a six-second time bonus and reclaimed the lead from Kim Le Court, wearing the maillot jaune. Vos does not believe that the supposed lack of respect caused the crash.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Visma's leader in the general classification battle, was caught behind the crash but avoided a time loss and didn't go down. She currently holds a comfortable lead over Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and Demi Vollering. Lorena Wiebes also took the lead at the day's intermediate sprint.
The Tour de France Femmes is proving to be a thrilling and unpredictable race, with each stage bringing its own set of challenges and excitement. As the race progresses, it will be interesting to see how the riders navigate the dangers and competition, and whether the controversy surrounding the peloton's conduct will continue to be a topic of discussion.
The chaotic sprint finishes in the Tour de France Femmes, such as the one witnessed in the third stage, have been a source of concern for some due to potentially dangerous competition for position. Stephen Delcourt, FDJ-Suez team manager, criticized a perceived lack of respect for rider safety in the peloton, claiming high risks are being played with during the high-speed, high-stakes environment of the race.
