Women's Tour de France Victory: Pauline Ferrand-Prevent Takes the Lead with Stage Win in Solo Race
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Takes Command in Tour de France Femmes 2025
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the French cycling sensation, has taken a commanding lead in the 2025 Tour de France Femmes. The 8th stage, which concluded at the iconic Col de la Madeleine, saw Ferrand-Prévot secure a significant victory, extending her lead in the general classification (GC).
Ferrand-Prévot's performance on the 8% gradients was impressive, as she swallowed up the remaining breakaways of the day. Her closest competitor, Sarah Gigante, was dropped eight kilometers from the summit of the Madeleine. This victory not only secured the yellow jersey for Ferrand-Prévot but also solidified her position as the overall leader and eventual winner of the race.
Gigante, who finished second in the general classification, put up a valiant fight but struggled on the descent of the Col de Joux Plane, losing significant time in the final stage. This setback dropped her to sixth overall by the end of the race.
Ferrand-Prévot's teammate, Marion Bunel, provided crucial support during the 8th stage. The duo's strategic collaboration paid off, as Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) won the stage, with Gigante finishing second.
The top standings for the 2025 Tour de France Femmes are as follows:
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) – overall winner
- Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ) – moved up to second overall after attacking on the Madeleine and Corbier stages and finishing second on the final stage
- Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) – finished third overall, marking her second podium finish in this race after previous top results
This historic edition of the Tour de France Femmes saw Ferrand-Prévot becoming the first French winner since the race's modern relaunch in 2022 and the first rider since Bernard Hinault in 1981 to win both Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France in the same year.
Note: The 2022 event data is not provided in the current search results, as the latest relevant information available concerns the 2025 edition.
The lead group had less than two minutes on the favorites at the foot of the Col de la Madeleine, around 19 km from the finish. Maëva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) was one of the 13 escapees at the start of the day.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot expressed confidence in her ability to manage long climbs, comparing it to her mountain biking skills. The Dutchwoman Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez, 4th at 3'05'') and reigning champion Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM, 8th at 3'26') were left far behind.
Evita Muzic, one of Demi Vollering's lieutenants, was also among the 13 escapees. FDJ-Suez's strategy to use its French climber to play a new card if its Dutch leader struggled in the final did not pay off.
With her victory at the Col de la Madeleine, Ferrand-Prévot added another impressive road victory to her already impressive career, which includes an Olympic gold medal in VTT cross-country at the Paris 2024 Games last year. The 2025 Tour de France Femmes has undoubtedly been a testament to her skill and determination.
In the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot showcased her French sports prowess by dominating the cycling event, particularly during the 8th stage at the Col de la Madeleine. Despite the valiant efforts of fellow competitors, such as Demi Vollering and Evita Muzic who displayed their own exceptional skills in the discipline, Ferrand-Prévot's commanding lead and strategic partnership with her teammate, Marion Bunel, ultimately secured her the yellow jersey and the overall victory, solidifying her place in the annals of both French sports and Tour de France history.
