Vollering takes yellow jersey on stage 8 of Tour de France Femmes, leads Niewiadoma by eight seconds

Stage 8: Vollering strikes on the Nice finish

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) won the 171.9-kilometre eighth stage from Sisteron to Nice, attacking roughly six kilometres from the finish on the final climb. The Dutch rider crossed the line 17 seconds ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy, UAE Team L'IMAD) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland, Canyon/SRAM), who both finished at +0:17. It was Vollering's second stage win of this year's Tour. Antonia Niedermaier, the 23-year-old from Bruckmühl near Rosenheim, came home 11th at 38 seconds. Switzerland's Marlen Reusser finished 12th, also at 38 seconds, continuing to lose time after surrendering the yellow jersey on Friday's Mont Ventoux stage.

An early breakaway formed after 30 kilometres when France's Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) and Loes Adegeest of the Netherlands (Lidl-Trek) pulled clear, building a maximum lead of six minutes. After the penultimate category-four climb, the peloton had closed to within about 60 seconds. Squiban crashed on the descent, leaving Adegeest alone at the front with nine kilometres remaining before the bunch reeled her in.

Yellow jersey changes hands again

Vollering's stage win moved her into the overall lead, eight seconds ahead of Niewiadoma. The Polish rider had taken the yellow jersey only the day before by winning the summit finish on Mont Ventoux. Niewiadoma now leads third-placed Reusser by 72 seconds, with Reusser a further 1:53 ahead of Longo Borghini in fourth. Niedermaier sits fifth overall.

For Reusser, the situation has deteriorated across two consecutive stages. After losing the yellow jersey on Friday's Mont Ventoux climb, the Bern rider conceded more time on stage 8 and now trails Niewiadoma by 72 seconds, needing what Blick described as a small miracle to salvage her overall ambitions.

The scenario echoes the 2024 edition, when Niewiadoma beat Vollering by four seconds in a finish at Alpe d'Huez. Vollering, the 2023 overall winner, cautioned that the race was not decided.

Somehow we managed it. On the last day anything can still happen. We will try everything to keep the yellow jersey.

Ferrand-Prévot withdraws

Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) withdrew before the start of stage 8. The French rider, sitting 14th overall at nearly 15 minutes behind, felt unwell on the morning of the stage. Her team said the decision was made in consultation with medical staff. The 2024 Paris Olympic mountain bike champion had no realistic chance of defending her title given the large deficit.

White jersey and final stage

Niedermaier defended the white jersey as best young rider and holds fifth overall ahead of the closing stage. The finale on Sunday covers 99.2 kilometres on a circuit starting and finishing in Nice, with four ascents of the Col d'Èze. With eight seconds between Vollering and Niewiadoma, the overall title will be decided on the final day. The men's Tour, by contrast, has seen Tadej Pogacar win the last three editions with comfortable margins, a level of suspense the women's race has now delivered in consecutive years.