Preview for Stage 8 of the Tour de France Femmes 2025: Ascent at Col de la Madeleine - A challenge outside my usual realm, yet one that pushes everyone's limits.
Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: Stage 8 Preview
The queen stage of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is upon us, as the peloton prepares for a brutal mountain finish atop the hors catégorie Col de la Madeleine.
A Tough Ascent Awaits
Stage 8, spanning 112km, will start in Chambéry and finish in Saint-François-Longchamp atop the Col de Madeleine. This stage features over 3,500 meters of climbing, with the Col de Plainpalais (13.2km at 6.3%) and the Côte de Saint-Georges-d'Hurtières (4.8 km at 5.9%) serving as early challenges. The Col de la Madeleine, an 18.6km climb at an average gradient of 8.1%, will be the decisive climb, making it the most severe climb of the race. The finish line at Col de la Madeleine will bring the peloton to 2,000 metres of elevation, marking the highest point of the Tour de France Femmes.
A GC Battle Awaits
The general classification (GC) battle is expected to be tight and unpredictable, with the entire top 10 within 1:35. The stage is decisive for the overall race victory, and the climbers are set to be the key protagonists.
Stage 8: A Look Back
In 2025, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) won Stage 8 by attacking 9 km from the summit on the Col de la Madeleine, securing the yellow jersey with a 2’37” advantage in GC after finishing 1’45” ahead of Sarah Gigante and 3’03” ahead of Demi Vollering. Ferrand-Prevot's aggressive climbing and tactical attacking proved decisive against a strong group of top climbers.
Favorites for Stage 8
Race favorites for this key stage include Demi Vollering, known for her strength on long climbs, Elisa Longo Borghini, Niamh Fisher-Black, and Puck Pieterse. Jolien d'Hoore, sports director at AG Insurance-Soudal, believes FDJ has the strongest team for stage 8, with Marlen Reusser Gigante, riding for FDJ, currently in yellow and in eighth place, indicating good form. Defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney is at 30 seconds and Demi Vollering is another second back.
The Battle Begins
With the stage set for a fierce GC battle, the peloton will take on the Col de la Madeleine on the 8th stage of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The outcome of the stage and the overall race is anyone's guess, making for an exciting spectacle.
*The challenging 112km Stage 8, culminating atop the Col de la Madeleine, could be a significant turning point in the sports competition, especially considering the numerous climbs and over 3,500 meters of ascension.
*As the GC battle appears to be tight, and the entire top 10 is separated by less than 1 hour and 45 minutes, the decisive stage 8 is expected to determine the race victory, with climbers like Demi Vollering, Elisa Longo Borghini, Niamh Fisher-Black, and Puck Pieterse potentially playing crucial roles.
