Women's cycling received a much-needed boost with the successful implementation of the Tour de France Femmes - a comprehensive analysis.
In an exhilarating conclusion to the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, held in early August, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma–Lease a Bike) clinched the overall victory with a strong performance, including two stage wins in the French Alps.
The race, which spent two and a half days in Brittany, was marked by a raft of transfers at the top, hinting at an exciting new era for the event. One of the most notable changes was Demi Vollering's move to FDJ–Suez, which seemed to even the balance within the peloton.
The Queen stage saw a number of contenders vying for the top spot, with at least half a dozen riders potentially capable of claiming the victory. However, it was Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) who took over in the mountains and the overall lead after her team's leader, Elisa Longo Borghini, was sidelined due to illness.
Włodarczyk's success, along with those of Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) and Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), all hailing from outside traditional European cycling nations, points towards a deepening of global roots in the sport.
Fisher-Black, who finished third on stage 8 to Col de la Madeleine and fifth overall, demonstrated her prowess throughout the race. Gigante, despite being dropped from the lead group on the mid-stage descent in stage 9, showcased significant progress as a rider.
Meanwhile, Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) made history by becoming the first stage winner from Africa when she won stage 5. She spent an additional three days in the maillot jaune following her stage victory.
The race also saw victories for Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) and Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) in separate races.
In the end, it was Ferrand-Prévot who emerged as the clear winner, finishing 3 minutes and 42 seconds ahead of Vollering in second place, and 4 minutes and 9 seconds ahead of Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto) in third.
This podium was confirmed by the final general classification results of the race. The top 3 finishers were:
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma–Lease a Bike)
- Demi Vollering (FDJ–Suez)
- Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto)
As the crowd shouted "allez Pauline!" throughout the race, it was clear that Ferrand-Prévot's victory was a well-deserved one, marking a significant milestone in the modern version of the women's Tour de France Femmes.
[1] Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Official Website - Results (2025) [2] CyclingNews - 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: Stage-by-Stage Results [3] Velonews - 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: A Look Back at the Exciting Race
Sports fans worldwide celebrated the climactic end of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, especially the impressive victory of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma–Lease a Bike) in the competition. Her dominating performance, including two stage wins in the French Alps, solidified her position as a leading athlete in the realm of professional cycling sports.
