Niewiadoma-Phinney wins Mont Ventoux stage and takes Tour de France Femmes lead

Stage 7 on Mont Ventoux

Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) won the seventh stage of the Tour de France Femmes on Friday, 7 August, conquering the legendary Mont Ventoux climb and seizing the yellow jersey. The 146.8 km stage from La Voulte-sur-Rhone to the summit of Mont Ventoux, known as the "Giant of Provence," was widely regarded as the hardest stage of this year's race. The final climb stretched over 15 km with an average gradient of 8.8%.

The 31-year-old launched her decisive attack within the final 10 km. PAP reported she went clear 8 km from the finish, while other outlets cited approximately 10 km. Earlier, Vollering had attacked 11 km from the line, with only Niewiadoma-Phinney and Reusser able to follow. The Polish rider then accelerated alone at approximately 9.5 km from the summit, leaving both rivals behind. She crossed the line in 4:22:53, 1 minute 16 seconds ahead of Vollering. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'Imad) finished third at 1:42, Reusser fourth at 1:46, Paula Blasi Cairol (UAE Team ADQ) fifth at 1:48, and Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM) sixth with the same time.

General classification and Polish contingent

The stage victory propelled Niewiadoma-Phinney to the top of the general classification. She holds a 15-second lead over Vollering and 39 seconds over Reusser with two stages remaining. Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) finished the stage eighth at 3:26 and sits eighth overall, 5:13 behind the leader. Five Polish riders completed the stage: alongside Niewiadoma-Phinney and Włodarczyk, Karolina Perekitko (Mayenne Monbana My Pie) placed 33rd at 17:56, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka 80th, and Malwina Mul 99th. The victory marks Niewiadoma-Phinney's first stage win since 2019, when she won a stage of the Tour of Britain. She previously won the Tour de France Femmes overall in 2024 and finished second the following year.

Reactions

At the finish line, Niewiadoma-Phinney encountered her parents in an unexpected visit.

It's hard to describe what I feel. I'm at a loss for words. I feel immense gratitude. This victory is the work of so many people who support me. I'm tired and overwhelmed by what happened. At the finish I saw my parents. It was an unexpected visit. I wanted them to be proud of me. I thank my team, who knows how much effort I've put into this victory.

She later posted on social media: "Pinch me! We just won on Mont Ventoux." Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X: "Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney leader of the Tour de France after a brilliant stage victory!" French newspaper L'Equipe observed that Vollering and Reusser were so focused on watching each other that they forgot about other rivals, and that Niewiadoma-Phinney needed only one attack to drop both GC leaders.

What remains

The race continues with Saturday's eighth stage from Sisteron to Nice, a 171.9 km flat stage expected to suit sprinters. The Tour de France Femmes concludes on Sunday, 9 August, with a final stage in Nice. Niewiadoma-Phinney has the chance to repeat her 2024 overall victory.