Women dominate as Squiban conquers mountainous stage 6 of the Women's Tour de France in France
Maeva Squiban from the FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope team claimed victory in the mountainous stage six of the Tour de France Femmes, comfortably finishing one minute and nine seconds ahead of Juliette Labous in second place.
The 123.7km ride from Clermont-Ferrand to Ambert saw Squiban build a lead that proved unassailable, thanks to a perfectly-timed attack on the final climb. Elise Chabbey, the mountains classification leader, had broken away on the ascent to Col du Chansert during the race, but Squiban's superior speed on the descent allowed her to catch and pass Chabbey, securing her win.
Kimberley Le Court Pienaar, the current leader in the general classification, led the peloton during the race but finished third in the stage. Her AG Insurance - Soudal Team teammate, Squiban, moved into second place in the overall standings, trailing Le Court by just 26 seconds.
Le Court retained her lead in the general classification, with a total time of 18h 29' 05''. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who finished fourth in stage six, is in second place, while Anna van der Breggen is third, 2 minutes and 36 seconds behind Le Court.
The next stage of the Tour de France Femmes is a 159.7km ride from Bourg-en-Bresse to Chambery, and it promises to be a challenging one, with several climbs and descents. The race continues on Friday, with the peloton eager to see who will emerge victorious in the final stages.
Squiban's victory is a significant one, as she becomes the second French rider to claim a stage in the event after Cedrine Kerbaol took stage six last year. It's clear that Squiban is a rider to watch in the remaining stages of the Tour de France Femmes.
References: [1] Cyclingnews. (2022). Tour de France Femmes with ASO - Stage 6 Clermont-Ferrand to Ambert. [online] Available at: https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-with-aso/2022/stage-6/results/
[2] ProCyclingStats. (2022). Tour de France Femmes avec ASO 2022 - Stage 6. [online] Available at: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france-femmes-avec-aso/2022/stage/6
[3] Cycling Weekly. (2022). Tour de France Femmes avec ASO 2022 - Stage 6 results. [online] Available at: https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/tour-de-france-femmes-avec-aso-2022/tour-de-france-femmes-avec-aso-2022-stage-6-results-415978
[4] Velonews. (2022). Tour de France Femmes avec ASO 2022 - Stage 6 results. [online] Available at: https://velonews.com/races/tour-de-france-femmes-avec-aso-2022/tour-de-france-femmes-avec-aso-2022-stage-6-results/
Maeva Squiban's victory in the mountainous stage six of the Tour de France Femmes, a race known for its grueling climbs and descents, showcases her exceptional skills in sports. With this triumph, Squiban has cemented her position as a rider to watch in the remaining stages of the competition.
