Upcoming Tour de France Femmes 2025 stage 7 highlights: The challenging Col du Granier may trigger significant General Classification shifts, though potential decisive moments may occur during the descent rather than the ascent.
The Tour de France Femmes 2022 is heating up as the race enters the Alps, with current race leader Le Court-Pienaar maintaining her position after passing the test of the Col du Beal. Her teammate, Sarah Gigante, is proving to be her strongest climber so far.
The race is now on stage 7, and there are eight major climbs remaining, with the first two on Friday. The stage includes a visit to the Col du Granier, a challenging ascent with an average gradient of around 5.4%. The road up the Granier is very irregular and very hard, with the final kilometre averaging 7.1%.
Gigante, who struggled on the descents during stage 6, may face serious pressure from strong descenders during the final descent, which is 15km long with an average gradient of around 5.7%. This final descent includes 2km of flat to finish.
The first climb of the day is the Côte de Saint-Franc, a second-category climb of 3.8km at 6.9%. Another significant climb is the Côte de Berland, a fourth-category climb of 1.2km at 7.2%.
Six riders are at the top of the standings, separated by fewer than 60 seconds. Le Court-Pienaar stated that she has a good Joker card in Gigante and is motivated for the remaining stages.
Strong riders in the race made themselves known on stage 5 and played out a ceasefire on stage 6, but an opportunity to pierce the armour of some contenders may present itself during the final descent. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-Sram Zondacrypto), Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly), and Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) are among the top favorites for the Tour de France Femmes.
The race is leaving the Massif Central and entering the Alps for the first time. In cycling, it is now considered fair game to take advantage of one's descending ability, and Gene Bates, Liv-AlUla-Jayco directeur sportif, stated that strong descenders may aim to create a difference during the final descent.
While the 2022 edition had fewer high mountain climbs, the key climbs were generally shorter but punchy and decisive. For precise, stage-by-stage details about the 2022 climbs, including length and gradient per climb in order, official race archives or stage profiles from that year should be consulted.
The Tour de France Femmes 2025 route, however, includes more detailed information about the major climbs. For instance, the Col de la Madeleine, a summit finish and the queen stage climb, is 18.6km long with an average gradient of 8.1%. This climb is decisive for the general classification, shaping the GC battle in the Alps.
The Tour de France Femmes 2025 route also includes the Col de la Plainpalais, a climb early in the stage that tends to form the early breakaway, and the Côte de Saint-Georges-d’Hurtières, a shorter mid-stage climb before the Madeleine summit finish.
The 2022 edition of the Tour de France Femmes promises to be an exciting race, with Le Court-Pienaar and Gigante leading the way. As the race enters the Alps, the competition is sure to heat up, and every climb will be crucial for the general classification.
The race's focus will shift to the use of descending skills in the upcoming stages, as the Tour de France Femmes 2022 enters stage 7 and approaches the Alps. Riders like Sarah Gigante, who struggled with descents in the previous stage, may face significant pressure.
The competition among the top favorites for the Tour de France Femmes 2022, including Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, Demi Vollering, Cédrine Kerbaol, and Pauliena Rooijakkers, is expected to intensify as the race moves into the challenging terrain of the Alps.
